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How did Dario Castello’s Sonate concertate in stilo moderno point toward the instrumental concerto?
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concerto
Caricature of Antonio Vivaldi, pen and ink on paper by Pier Leone Ghezzi, 1723; in the Codex Ottoboni, Vatican Library, Rome. The inscription below the drawing reads, “Il Prete rosso Compositore di Musica che fece L'opera a Capranica del 1723” (“The red priest, composer of music who made the opera at Capranica [College in Rome] of 1723”).
Dario Castello’s Sonate concertate in stilo moderno (1621) is a landmark in the evolution of the instrumental concerto because it was the first formal musical title to apply the term "concerto" to strictly instrumental music.1
Castello’s work pointed toward the later instrumental concerto in several key ways:
- Virtuosic Soloism: The collection introduced the concept of the virtuoso soloist, featuring music for violin and bassoon that elaborated upon the basso continuo part.1
- The "Concertato" Principle: By using the term "concertate," Castello signaled a "concerted" or "playing together" approach that emphasized technical elaboration. This aligned with the broader stile concertato, which sought to resolve the tension between concord and contest—a fundamental dynamic in all concerto forms.1
- Structural Precedents: The work incorporated elements of opposition and contention that became hallmarks of the mature concerto, specifically the interplay between the essential basso continuo and its melodic elaboration, as well as the contrast between straightforward parts and more decorative, virtuoso passages.1
These innovations helped bridge the gap between earlier vocal-instrumental traditions and the purely instrumental concerto grosso that would fully emerge later in the 17th century.21