Concerto Grosso
Stone, David
About the work
As in the eighteenth century concerto grosso, there are contracting passages between the tutti and solo players. The latter sometimes play as individuals as well as forming a self-contained group. The work was originally written for the Rural Music Schools Association, now the Benslow Music Trust.
Technical notes
The piece requires a quartet of soloists and a five part string orchestra, although in the latter the two violin parts are often divisi. The solo parts can be played by the leaders of the sections, but from the ensemble point of view it may be preferable to group them closer together. The tutti parts are technically well within Grade 5. As the five movements are not connected they can be played separately. Movements 1, 2, and 5 can form a satisfactory whole.