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In this article we'll look at the following musical forms that are mandatory concepts in the Higher Music course:

• Tremolando
• Harmonics
• String Quartet
• Ripieno and Concertino
• Coloratura

A tremolando (also known as tremolo) is a rapid repetition on one note. It creates a ‘trembling’ effect and is particularly effective on a string instrument.

Watch this video and hear Laura Samuel from the ������̳ Scottish Symphony Orchestra demonstrate tremolando playing on the violin with Auld Lang Syne.

Listen to this excerpt from Stravinsky’s The Firebird.

Notice strings play tremolando before the solo French horn enters.

The tremolando is also very effective in classical guitar playing.

Listen to this excerpt from Un Sueño En La Floresta by Agustín Barrios.

A harmonic is a high note/overtone produced on an instrument by lightly touching the string.

It creates a particular tone on a violin, guitar, harp or other string instrument while it is being bowed or plucked. This can create an eerie or strange sound.

Listen to the start of Harry Styles song Matilda and you will hear harmonics being played on the guitar.

Watch this video of Laura Samuel from the ������̳ Scottish Symphony Orchestra playing Auld Lang Syne. Listen to the effect of harmonic playing on the violin.

Notice that Laura is lightly touching the string rather than pressing it down onto the board.

• A musical ensemble consisting of two violins, a viola and a cello
• Popular during the Classical period
• String quartets usually performed music in four movements with the first movement in Sonata form

Watch this video in which the Heath Quartet perform "String Quartet No. 12 Opus 127, 2nd Movement" by Ludwig van Beethoven, 1825.

Below are two more examples of a string quartet.

Concertino and Ripieno are found in the musical form Concerto Grosso

• Concertino is the name given to the small group of soloists
• Ripieno is the name for the rest of the instruments which accompany the concertino. The word is Italian for full or stuffing, so this is the full orchestra group or the instruments that stuff or pad out the concertino to form the rest of the orchestra.

Look at the instrumentation shown in the score extract below from one of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos:

• the Concertino group consists of trumpet, flute, oboe and violin.
• the Ripieno consists of two violins, viola and violone (double bass)
• the Basso Continuo consists of violoncello (cello) and cembalo (harpsichord)

The Ripieno is the larger group of instruments and consists of the violins, viola, cello and double bass. Listen to Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No 2 in F Major to hear the 2 groups perform.

Coloratura is a style of vocal music that is features very elaborate ornamentation

• coloratura literally translates as colouring
• vocal musical concept which describes a particular style of singing
• features many fast high notes, trills, ornaments and melisma
• performed by a soprano voice and features in an aria from an opera

Listen to these examples of coloratura Rossini’s ��’I�ٲ��������Բ� in Algeri and Mozart’s Queen of the Night from his opera The Magic Flute.

tremolando - rapid repetition on one note.

harmonics - eerie sound created by lightly touching the string at certain positions.

string quartet - musical ensemble consisting of two violins, a viola and a cello.

ripieno- the name given to the full orchestra group in a concerto grosso.

concertino - the name given to the smaller group of soloists in a concerto grosso.

coloratura - vocal performed by a soprano voice with lots of fast high notes, trills, ornaments and melisma.