Concerto Grosso (Vaughan Williams)
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Concerto Grosso is a work for string orchestra by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Originally composed in 1950 for a performance by the Rural Schools Music Association conducted by Sir Adrian Boult,[1] the piece is unique in that the orchestra is split into three sections based on skill: Concertino (Advanced), Tutti (Intermediate), and Ad Lib (Novice) which only plays open strings.
The piece is in five movements:
- Intrada: A dramatic theme that features heavy string writing
- Burlesca Ostinata: A sprightly movement making brilliant use of perfect fifths to allow the "Ad Lib" players (who can only play open strings (tuned in intervals of perfect fifths) to play the theme.
- Sarabande: A slow movement in triple time as indicated by the movement's name
- Scherzo An energetic but lyrical short scherzo and a small coda
- March and Reprise: A very lively march with much syncopation, leading seamlessly into a full reprise of the first movement.
A typical performance lasts about 14 minutes.
