Vivaldi Concerto Op. 3 No. 2 for 2 Violins Cello and String Orchestra

Vivaldi: Concerto in G minor, Op. 3 No. 2, RV 578 (Two Violins, Cello, and String Orchestra)

Op. 3 No. 2 is the most unusual concerto in L'Estro Armonico from a scoring perspective: the concertino group is made up of two solo violins and a solo cello, giving the work a texture closer to a trio sonata than to the violin concertos that make up the rest of the collection. The three soloists weave around each other and against the ripieno, with the cello providing a bass voice in the concertino that creates a harmonic depth the violin-only concertos don't have. The G minor key gives the whole work a serious, searching quality throughout.

This is a new edition prepared from the original score, with a fully realised harpsichord continuo part. A properly worked-out harpsichord part completes the harmonic texture Vivaldi intended and makes a real difference to how the ensemble sounds in rehearsal and performance.

All three solo parts sit at around ABRSM Grade 7. The cello solo demands are somewhat different from the violin solos: sustained tone in the lower register, careful intonation, and a clear sense of when the cello is providing harmonic support and when it is stepping forward as a melodic voice. The violin soloists face the usual Baroque style demands: clean articulation, restrained phrasing, and the ability to play as part of a three-voice concertino rather than as individual soloists against the ensemble. For all three parts, stylistic awareness is what will determine the quality of a performance.

At nine minutes with three solo roles to fill, this is the most demanding to cast of the concertos in the set that don't use four soloists.

See and hear the difference

Check the score and parts preview images above, then watch the complete score video below. They'll give you a clear sense of the engraving quality and overall difficulty before you buy.

Key features

• Instrumentation: 2 Solo Violins + Solo Cello + String Orchestra (Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass) + Harpsichord (realised continuo)
• Difficulty: approximately ABRSM Grade 7 (solo and orchestral parts)
• Duration: approximately 9 minutes
• Style focus: trio concertino texture, Baroque articulation, balance across three solo voices
• Edition: new edition prepared from the original score, with fully realised harpsichord continuo part
• Format: PDF download, full score, all parts, and harpsichord part

Who it's for

This suits chamber orchestras and advanced school or youth orchestras that have strong soloists available across violin and cello, and want a Baroque concerto with an unusual texture. The three-part concertino gives the work more harmonic variety and timbral contrast than the violin-only concertos in the set, and it is a good choice for programmes where something different from the standard solo concerto format is wanted. The continuo realisation makes it practical for any ensemble with a keyboard player.