Mandolin Concerto (Vivaldi)
The Mandolin Concerto in C major, RV 425, was written by the Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi in 1725 and is often accompanied by The Four Seasons (1725). The music consists of virtuosic treatment of the solo instrument, the mandolin, and the interplay between the soloist and accompaniment of the orchestra. The demands are considered higher than other concerti by Vivaldi, and the work is one of the most famous mandolin pieces. This concerto has been transcribed for guitar.
Music from the first movement of the concerto was featured in the 1979 movie Kramer vs. Kramer.[1]
Movements
There are three movements:
The first movement is a rapid, cheerful tune lasting slightly more than three minutes. Throughout the piece, Vivaldi creates sharp and low contrasts between the mandolin and the rest of the orchestra, attracting much attention to several crescendos within the music.
The second movement, is slightly less than three minutes long, and in contrast to the rapid and enthusiastic tune of the first movement, is slower and thoughtful in its composition.
The third movement makes more use of the string orchestra, where the mandolin is not heard at the beginning or the ending of the movement. The string section repeats the beginning portion as the ending of this movement.
References
- Lemma, Michael (2012). Vivaldi Concertos for Mandolin. Mel Bay Publications. p. 4. ISBN 9781619110410.
External links
- Mandolin Concerto in C major, RV 425: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Mandolin Concerto in C major on YouTube, played by Avi Avital in 2012