Second Piece example essay topic

517 words
Antonio Vivaldi was an Italian music composer who lived from 1678 to 1741, a period of art commonly known as the Baroque era. He lived in Venice and taught music at an all-girls orphanage for most of his life. He was a master of the violin and often performed his own works. He is widely known as the composer of concertos, a form of music with a small orchestra and solo lead instrument. Aside from concertos, he wrote religious works and operas. After his death he was all but forgotten for 200 years until his works were discovered early in this century.

He has since become one of the world's most popular baroque composers. In the allegro piece "Autumn" it is primarily polyphonic stating a short theme or subject in the beginning in the major home key. The theme is then repeated over in deferent movements with a little twist each time. The beginning starts a fast upbeat tempo and crescendos and decrescendos throughout the piece there is a great contrast between each soloist and the orchestra as a while.

The piece reminds me of a Concerto Grosso and ritornello form where all play together as in Tutti and then solos in-between each ritornello fragments. There is a lot of contrast between loud and soft sounds and between relatively large and small groups. The beat seems to follow a two-two duple meter and the rhythm varies throughout. For a few minutes solos played in very soft pianissimo dynamic then straight to a forte solo in strings. A second theme is introduced. This follows a turnery for of ABA and a then CBC.

The second piece "Canon in D Major" is a soft flowing continuous piece. The Beginning had a short prelude which in turn the main theme or subject followed in a low hey. It then crescendos the theme in a higher key played together with all the instruments. This piece is polyphonic and has a sextuple meter. This piece was introduced into a Fugue form which is based on this one main theme.

Each time different melodic lines repeat the subject. This piece has a turnery form of ABA. There is a countersubject played by the violins which appears with the subject sometimes below and sometimes above it. The rhythm and beat keep constant and flowing. The song was legato and smooth. This piece I enjoyed very much.

Both of these pieces were quite different but had the same kind of flow to them. Both were very smooth and flowing with no harsh tones. Vivaldi liked to switch between loud and soft at many points in both pieces. Both pieces were polyphonic and included many instruments. I really enjoyed this concert and these particular pieces. Vivaldi and all of his companions in the baroque period had beautiful music.

Each piece was smooth, flowing and relaxing. I thoroughly enjoyed the all the music.