Violins Go Vivaldi: Two Movements for Violin Quartet

Violins Go Vivaldi: Two Movements for Violin Quartet consists of the third movement of The Four Seasons, “The Summer,” and the first movement of Concerto Grosso in D Minor, Op. 3 No. 11, which are favorites with students. These arrangements (with reproducible parts) will challenge the advanced violin student’s ensemble playing skills and can be played both as chamber music with four players or in a group setting with many players in each part. “The Summer” is a very exciting, fast piece with many moderately easy sections paired with some difficult solos, and is orchestrated according to the original mix of tutti sections and solo sections like the original when one soloist plays with orchestra accompaniment. The first movement of Concerto Grosso in D Minor at first provides a duet for all to play, where the students have to listen to each other, taking turns to bring out the important parts versus holding back the sound in the accompanying sections. There is also a slow part for teaching extreme togetherness in bow action. Finally, the students get to experience a real fugue, the form of composition where the theme moves in a polyphonic style between sections, like independent voices each going their own way, but still staying together.