Vivaldi (Camwell): Concerto RV548 for Two Alto Saxophones and Keyboard

Code: JP4072
ISMN: 979-0-3019-0325-4

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) wrote many concertos that featured a variety of instruments as soloists. The Double Concerto in B-flat, RV 548, was originally written for oboe, violin, strings, and continuo, and is a good representation of the traditional concerto form of the time - Fast, Slow, Fast. The Allegro movements are sprightly and full of musical enthusiasm, while the middle movement is beautifully rhapsodic.

Three different instrumentations have been prepared by Dave Camwell for this concerto: 1) oboe or flute, soprano saxophone and keyboard, 2) two soprano saxophones and keyboard, and 3) two alto saxophones and keyboard. The version that features saxophone with a different instrument (oboe or flute) follows the original closely, in that the oboe/flute plays the melody, with the saxophone taking the harmonically supportive secondary line. In the versions for two soprano or two alto saxophones, the melody is shared equally.

This edition is not an urtext version; certain sections contain notated ornaments, as well as suggestions for trills, mordents etc. Like all pieces of this era, ornamentation is strongly recommended when appropriate. The second movement provides a good opportunity for the soloists to provide embellishments in the repeated sections.

The edition on this web page is for two alto saxophones and keyboard. 

A video performance of samples from Vivaldi (Camwell): Concerto RV548 for Two Alto Saxophones and Keyboard is available on YouTube

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