ritornello form explained

formrit-or-NEL-oh formfrom Italian

A Baroque concerto form in which a recurring orchestral passage alternates with solo episodes‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍

In Depth

In [ritornello form](/term/ritornello%20form), the orchestra (tutti) presents a complete theme at the opening, then fragments of this theme return in different keys between solo passages.‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍ The soloist's episodes are typically virtuosic and modulatory, while the ritornello segments provide tonal anchors. The form was perfected by Vivaldi and adopted by Bach in his concertos and cantata movements. The principle of orchestral return and solo departure became the foundation of the Classical concerto's first-movement form.
Did you know?

Vivaldi wrote over 500 concertos in [ritornello form](/term/ritornello%20form) — so many that Stravinsky reportedly quipped that Vivaldi wrote the same concerto 500 times.

Related Terms

ritornello formconcertotuttisoloVivaldi

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