Note: This lesson plan was created by C.J. Rivera in 2015.  The Classroom Notes Worksheet that accompanies the lesson can be found here (click).

 

Lesson Plan

 

1.  Today, we are going to learn a new genre of classical music, the concerto. The typical concerto is a three-movement instrumental work for soloist(s) and a

     larger ensemble, usually a soloist and orchestra.

 

 

Definition: A soloist is a person playing by themselves in front of the orchestra, right next to the conductor.

 

 

     Concertos can be for piano and orchestra, string quartet and band, flute and chamber ensemble… The instrumentation is left up to the imagination of the

     composer.

 

 

 

2.  The  form  of  the  typical  concerto  is  fast-slow-fast,  meaning  the  first and third movement usually takes a faster tempo, and the second movement is a 

     slower tempo.  

 

 

Definition: The form of a concerto is comprised of a fast movement, followed by a slow movement, then ending with a fast movement.

 

 

     Think of a suit.  From top to bottom, we have the jacket, the shirt/tie combo, and the pants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     The jacket and the pants aren’t the same thing, but there are similar enough features (color, material) where the shirt/tie has to contrast to create interest.        Similarly,  even though the two  “fast” movements at the beginning  and end of the concerto aren’t necessarily very similar,  the fast-slow-fast form of the        concerto creates contrast for interest.

 

 

 

3.  We are going to listen to the beginning of all three movements of Mozart’s Piano Concerto no. 17. Tap the pulse/tempo of the beat in your lap to listen for

     the contrast of the tempos. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.  The purpose of the concerto is to show off the virtuosity of the soloist(s).

 

 

Definition: A virtuoso is a musician with a high level of skill.

 

 

    Throughout history,  musicians have  been able  to raise the  bar of musical  achievement,  playing faster,  higher,  lower,  and with new techniques that a  

    previous generation of performers might not have even thought possible. Composers write concertos to challenge performers and feature their hard work.

    In order to show off this hard work, the composer juxtaposes the ensemble and soloist(s) as much as possible. This means that a concerto usually sounds

    like a conversation. 

 

 

 

5.  For the next activity,  I’m going to need a volunteer with a high level of skill at listening.  You are our soloist.   Stand up when you hear important material

     from the solo instrument.  The rest of the class is the ensemble.   All of you stand up when you hear important material from the ensemble,  and sit back

     down when the soloist is more important.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.  Sometimes, the showing off isn’t hard enough for the soloist, and the composer will give the soloist a chance to really shine by writing a cadenza.

 

 

Definition: A cadenza is a super-virtuosic passage, usually at the end of a movement or concerto, where the ensemble stops playing to allow the soloist to show off the most.

 

 

    The cadenza can be either written out by the composer or improvised by the performer based on the composer’s themes. The cadenza is usually where

    the most virtuosic playing happens.

 

 

 

7.  Cadenzas can be found in both classical and popular music.  Let’s listen to this electric guitar “cadenza” from a live John Mayer concert at the end of his

     song “Gravity” (start video at 8:50).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     The second example of a cadenza is from Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3.