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Where does a cadenza usually appear in a concerto movement?
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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).
In a concerto, a cadenza typically appears at or near the close of a movement. It serves as a brilliant, unaccompanied climax where the orchestra drops out, allowing the soloist to showcase their virtuosity through a series of flourishes.12
While the most prominent cadenza is often found at the end of the first movement, shorter cadenzas may also occur at focal points throughout other movements of the composition. Historically, these passages were improvised by the performer, though modern practice often favors written-out cadenzas, whether composed by the original author or the performer. Ultimately, the cadenza functions as an elaborate decoration of the movement's final important harmonic cadence.312