Concerto

music · classical · orchestra · soloists

Solo star moment. A concerto features one or more soloists who get to show off their amazing skills while the rest of the orchestra accompanies them. It's like the soloist is the main character in a musical story.

Fast-slow-fast pattern. Most concertos follow a special three-movement structure: a fast movement, then a slower one, then another fast movement. This pattern became the standard way to write concertos starting in the early 1700s.

Born in Baroque era. Concertos became popular during the Baroque period, which was a time of fancy and complex music in Europe from around 1600 to 1750. The form has stayed popular for hundreds of years since then.

Many types exist. Concertos can be written for different instruments like violins, pianos, cellos, or even wind instruments. Some concertos feature multiple soloists playing together instead of just one.

Orchestra as partner. The orchestra isn't just background noise in a concerto, it's a partner to the soloist. The two trade musical ideas back and forth, creating a musical conversation.