A double concerto whose nickname — "Il Proteo, or the World Upside Down" — refers to a characteristic game Vivaldi plays with the two soloists: the violin is notated in the cello's range and clef, and the cello in the violin's. Performers and listeners hear high-and-low flipped; reading performers face the concerto written the "wrong" way up. Beyond the trick, the piece is a genuine duo concerto in three movements with brilliant interplay between the soloists and the string orchestra continuo.
Pieces/ Antonio Vivaldi/ Concerto for Violin and Cello in F major, "Il Proteo, o sia il Mondo al rovescio"
Concerto for Violin and Cello in F major, "Il Proteo, o sia il Mondo al rovescio" RV 544
celloviolinbaroqueconcerto~12 minadvanced
Difficulty
Technical
Advanced
Baroque idiom; the clef-swap notation ("Il Proteo") demands fluent reading.
Stamina
Moderate
Twelve minutes, three short movements.
Interpretive
Advanced
Baroque articulation and ornamentation; the joke on the page has to still land musically.
Ensemble
Professional
Tight duo concerto; violin and cello trade material constantly over string continuo.
Performer's notes
Structural landmarks
I. Allegro
II. Largo
III. Allegro
Interpretive schools
Editions
Bärenreiter
Critical edition with new sources and corrections. Includes notes on the "Il Proteo" instrument-swap notation.
Ricordi
Part of the Istituto Italiano Antonio Vivaldi complete edition. The long-standard performing edition.
Recordings
Pedagogical arc
Prepare with
Natural next
External references