concerto grosso

American  

[kuhn-cher-toh groh-soh, kawn-cher-taw graws-saw] / kənˈtʃɛr toʊ ˈgroʊ soʊ, kɔnˈtʃɛr tɔ ˈgrɔs sɔ /

noun

concerti grossi, plural concerto grossos plural

1. a musical form, common in the Baroque period, in which contrasting sections are played by full orchestra and by a small group of soloists.

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concerto grosso British  

/ ˈɡrɒsəʊ /

noun

1. a composition for an orchestra and a group of soloists, chiefly of the baroque period

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• concerto grossos
  plural
• concerti grossi
  plural

Etymology

Origin of concerto grosso

1715–25; < Italian: literally, big concert; see gross

Example Sentences

Childhood was a theme: Dai Fujikura’s “Minina,” a chamber version of his concerto grosso “Mina,” was inspired by the birth of his first child.

From New York Times • Aug. 22, 2014

Stravinsky quickly slips into his Neo-Classical style, actually more neo-Baroque here, to create a concerto grosso in which orchestral soloists regularly wrest the spotlight from the piano line.

From New York Times • Mar. 2, 2012

The range and complexity of Manguel's sympathies and readings is extensive and baroque; a concerto grosso.

From The Guardian • Apr. 30, 2010

Scored in Bach's concerto grosso style for flute, oboe and trumpet solo plus strings, it smacks more of Stravinsky than Bach, has a sensuous eeriness typical of some of Barber's later works.

From Time Magazine Archive

The pieces in which Corelli developed this light-and- shade technique came to be known by the name of the larger group, concerto grosso, and subsequently the generic term ‘concerto’.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall