Learn to Play Recorder

Lesson 69: Vivaldi Concerti, Part 2 — RV 441 in C minor and RV 445 in A minor

  • Learn the slow movements of Vivaldi's RV 441 (C minor) and RV 445 (A minor).
  • Differentiate the two minor-key affects — C minor's gravity versus A minor's restless lament.

Vivaldi wrote in every key. The minor concerti are the ones that mean it.

This lesson takes two minor-key counterparts to RV 443: RV 441 in C minor and RV 445 in A minor. The work is not new figuration — it is hearing the difference between two minor keys.

RV 441 — the C minor Largo

C minor in Vivaldi is grave, almost ceremonial: a long descending line over sustained continuo, every note shaped, no haste.

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Breath plan — RV 441

Breathe at the end of bar 1 and the end of bar 3, never mid-suspension; the job is to make the breath inaudible.

RV 445 — the A minor Larghetto

A minor in Vivaldi is restless, lament-like: longer phrases, more chromatic motion, the line climbing where the C minor descends.

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Breath plan — RV 445

Mark breaths every two bars at the ends of slurred groups; never breathe just before the raised leading tone (xC) — the dissonance must lead to the resolution uninterrupted.

Differentiating the two affects

  • Contour: RV 441 descends; RV 445 climbs.
  • Pulse: RV 441 sits on its beats; RV 445 leans forward.
  • Ornamentation: RV 441 restrained, French-style; RV 445 Italian density — more turns and trills.
  • Dynamics: RV 441 contained; RV 445 surges.

Practice plan

Week 1 — RV 441 alone
Hardest-bar procedure, breath plan, ornament list; performance tempo by week's end.
Week 2 — RV 445 alone
Same procedure.
Week 3 — both, in sequence
Record both; check a listener could tell them apart.

Now play these

Vivaldi: Concerto in C minor, RV 441 — Largo
The first piece of this lesson.
Vivaldi: Concerto in A minor, RV 445 — Larghetto
The second piece of this lesson.
Vivaldi: Concerto in C minor, RV 441 — complete
For listening — the Allegros frame the Largo above.

When a listener could tell the C minor from the A minor recording by affect alone, move on to Lesson 70.