Learn to Play Recorder

Lesson 68: Vivaldi Concerti, Part 1 — RV 443 in C major

  • Learn the brilliant opening Allegro of Vivaldi's RV 443 — the most-played recorder concerto.
  • Play the solo line against a recording of the tutti (orchestra) sections.

A concerto is a conversation between one and many. The one has to remember the many are there.

Vivaldi wrote RV 443 for flautino (sopranino recorder); most modern players perform it on alto, which this lesson assumes. It is the recorder concerto of the canon. What makes it hard is not the figuration but the awareness: the orchestra plays without you for stretches, and when they hand the line back you must enter as if no time had passed.

The opening Allegro

Ritornello form: the tutti states the theme, the soloist answers with virtuosic figuration, the tutti returns.

Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 2 3 4 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 2 3 4 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 2 3 4 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 2 3 4 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 3 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 2 4 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 3 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 3 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 4 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 4

Soloist vs tutti — the awareness

The tutti will always outweigh you; the work is to lead a section, then disappear into it.

  • Solo entry from silence — take the breath during the tutti; enter ready, not timid.
  • Continuo passages — there you are the music; move freely, the continuo follows.
  • Tutti accompaniment — when doubling a violin line, blend; don't be the solo voice.

Drill — entering after tutti

Play or record the tutti theme, then practise entering on the soloist's first note in time — ready, not built up to.

Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 2 3 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 2 3 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 2 4 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 2 4 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 3 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 3 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 4 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 4 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439 Engraved by Verovio 6.2.1-8d42439
The tutti's opening C major arpeggio. Hear it before you play it.

Practice plan

Week 1 — learn the solo line, slowly
Four sessions, hardest-bar procedure.
Week 2 — play against a recording
Use a piano reduction or play-along track; practise entries and the do-not-dominate passages.
Week 3 — the complete first movement
End-to-end runs at quarter = 120–132; record and listen for entry quality.

Now play these

Vivaldi: Concerto in C major, RV 443 — Largo
The lyrical, continuo-supported slow movement.
Vivaldi: Concerto RV 443 — Largo (early-intermediate edition)
A simplified edition for comparison.
Vivaldi: Concerto in C major, RV 443 — complete
The whole concerto, for reference.

When the opening Allegro plays end-to-end against the tutti recording with clean entries from silence, move on to Lesson 69.