Violin Concerto No. 6 in A Minor

Vivaldi published his first collection of concertos in 1711 as his Op. 3. He gave them the title L’estro armonico (“harmonious inspiration” or “fancy”), which was probably meant to suggest a feast of harmonic richness and invention. It was a fair description. Their reputation for novelty, colour and excitement spread like wildfire and they embedded themselves deeply in the public consciousness. Even Bach arranged several of them for the keyboard. Throughout his career, Vivaldi never tired of exploring the varied combinations of string instruments, and the Violin Concerto in A Minor—the sixth of the set—is a masterclass in textural contrasts. In the opening and closing movements Vivaldi keeps the sound lean: the three accompanying violins all play the same music (in unison)—a powerful contrast to the elaborate solo part. This means that in the central, slow movement, their sudden freedom to create lush, sustained chords is all the more effective, supporting the intricate solo part on a soft but expressively shifting bed of harmony.