Many moons ago I worked briefly as an accompanist for a youth orchestra. Before, during, and after our rehearsals this particular Vivaldi concerto seemed to be floating through the air at all times and was one of the first “real” pieces that these young violinists encountered in their studies. The Concerto in A Minor (RV. 356) is part of Vivaldi’s L’estro armonico and the first movement in particular sits really nicely on the piano and will be a great addition to any pianist’s repertoire.
I know some teachers aren’t fond of arrangements, but I’m not one of them. You can read my thoughts about that in my article “Arrangements of Classical Music: 3 reasons your students SHOULD play them”.
About L’estro armonico
L’estro armonico, Op. 3, stands as a significant achievement in Antonio Vivaldi’s compositional oeuvre. Published in 1711, this collection of 12 concertos for stringed instruments marked a departure from Vivaldi’s earlier works focused on sonatas. It represented his first collaboration with a foreign publisher, Estienne Roger, based in Amsterdam, a choice that attested to the international appeal of his music. The concertos are scored for a concerto a 7 format, a distinct feature where each concerto entails seven independent parts. This structure revealed a creative grouping strategy: within a sequence of three concertos, the first showcases four violins, the second highlights two violins, and the third spotlights a solo violin. Notably, the cello enjoys prominent solistic passages in some of the concertos for four and two violins, reflecting a dynamic dialogue between the concertino and the accompanying string orchestra. Additionally, L’estro armonico introduced orchestral unisono into concerto movements, a groundbreaking technique that contributed to the vibrant texture of the compositions.
Vivaldi tailored several concertos specifically for L’estro armonico, while also incorporating pieces composed earlier. Renowned Vivaldi scholar Michael Talbot acclaimed this collection as a transformative force in the 18th-century instrumental music landscape, citing its immense influence. The blending of innovative structural arrangements with virtuosic solo passages demonstrated Vivaldi’s ingenious handling of the concerto form, solidifying his reputation as a pioneering figure in Baroque music.
“Violin Concerto in A Minor” Advanced Piano Solo
Key features of this arrangement:
- This is nearly full-length. I omitted the final violin “show-off” passage towards the end of the piece just to cut down on the length a bit.
- This piece offers a great opportunity for students to work on lyrical phrasing and terraced dynamics through all the sequential passages.
- 8 total pages
- Run time is approximately 4:00
Get the sheet music at PianoPronto.com:
“Violin Concerto in A Minor” Intermediate Piano Solo
Key features of this arrangement:
- The intermediate version is abridged (tastefully)
- This version has thinner textures throughout and less complicate left-hand rhythms and patterning
- 5 total pages
- Run time is approximately 2:30
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