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Concerto Grosso

tagStarted c. 1670Peak c. 1690–1740Last big hit mid-18th century

Concerto grosso contrasts a small solo group—the concertino—with the larger ripieno or tutti. The sound is more collective than the later solo concerto: dialogue happens between instrumental blocs rather than between lone star and orchestra, creating a chamber-within-orchestra texture of echo, contrast, and layered rhetoric.

History

Corelli’s concerti grossi became the foundational model, and Handel, Geminiani, Torelli, Avison, and Bach broadened the style through church, court, and public concert settings. The format sits at a key historical hinge between chamber music, orchestral writing, and the later solo concerto.

Defining artists

Essential listening

  • Concerto Grosso in G minor, Op. 6 No. 8 'Christmas Concerto' — Trevor Pinnock and The English ConcertSpotifyYouTube
  • Concerto Grosso in D major, Op. 6 No. 5 — Trevor Pinnock and The English ConcertSpotifyYouTube
  • Concerto Grosso in D minor, Op. 3 No. 2 — Avison EnsembleSpotifyYouTube
  • Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 — Freiburger BarockorchesterSpotifyYouTube
  • Concerto Grosso in D major, Op. 8 No. 6 — Academy of Ancient MusicSpotifyYouTube
  • Concerto Grosso No. 5 after Scarlatti — Avison EnsembleSpotifyYouTube
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Sources

  • Britannica on concerto grosso and the wider history of the concerto.