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How did the solo concerto become more important than the concerto grosso after about 1750?
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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, âIl Prete rosso Compositore di Musica che fece L'opera a Capranica del 1723â (âThe red priest, composer of music who made the opera at Capranica [College in Rome] of 1723â).
After 1750, the concerto grosso gradually gave way to the solo concerto as the dominant form. This shift was driven by several key developments in musical structure and performance practice:
- Shift in Focus: Before 1750, the norm was a concertino (a small group of soloists) interacting with an orchestra. After 1750, the single soloist became the standard, evolving into a self-sufficient "adversary" to the orchestra rather than a mere reduction of the concertino.1
- Musical Style: The concerto moved from the polyphonic interplay of short motives characteristic of the Baroque era toward a homophonic style based on longer musical phrases and chords. This transition aligned the concerto more closely with the sonata, leading to the term "sonata concerto".1
- Technical Independence: The solo part became increasingly individualized and idiomatic, designed to exploit the specific technical capabilities and tone colors of a single instrument. This rise in virtuosity demanded a more prominent role for the soloist.12
- Orchestral Changes: The basso continuo, a staple of the Baroque concerto, fell into disuse. Additionally, the solo instrument was no longer used to reinforce the orchestra during tutti passages, further separating the roles of the soloist and the ensemble.12