JAVS Summer 2026

The development of the cadenza is closely associated with Italian concerto traditions, particularly those of Antonio Vivaldi. Contemporary accounts describe Vivaldi as an accomplished improviser, although only a small number of his cadenzas survive in written form. 9 These surviving examples are significant because they reveal many characteristics that would remain central to later Classical cadenzas: the use of motives derived from the movement, arpeggiated passagework, expressive tempo changes, and preparation for a concluding trill. 10 Written cadenzas also served an important pedagogical function, providing models for performers who were less experienced in improvisation. By the middle of the eighteenth century, the cadenza had become an expected feature of concerto performance. At the same time, theorists such as Quantz warned against excessive length and empty virtuosity, emphasizing that cadenzas should remain connected to the character and musical material of the movement. 11 These concerns are especially relevant when considering a historically informed approach to Stamitz’s Viola Concerto . The surviving treatises and written cadenzas of the eighteenth century suggest that a successful cadenza was not an unrelated display piece but an extension of the concerto itself, drawing upon its thematic material, affect, and harmonic language. 12 Useful Sources: Quantz and the Classical Cadenza Among eighteenth-century writers, Johann Joachim Quantz provides one of the earliest and most detailed discussions of cadenza practice. In Chapter XV of On Playing the Flute (1752), he acknowledges that cadenzas originated as an improvised art and that few formal rules governed their composition. 13 Nevertheless, his observations offer valuable guidance for reconstructing historically informed cadenzas. connected to the character of the movement. Rather than functioning as an independent display piece, it should reflect the movement’s affect and draw upon its musical material. Quantz specifically recommends recalling and developing attractive motives from the concerto itself, thereby preserving the work’s identity while allowing the performer creative freedom. 14 Several principles emerge repeatedly throughout Quantz’s discussion. First, a cadenza should remain closely

Second, Quantz emphasizes brevity and spontaneity. He compares a successful cadenza to a witty remark ( bon mot ): concise, unexpected, and engaging 15 Although cadenzas were expected to demonstrate a performer’s skill, excessive length or unnecessary repetition could undermine their effectiveness. Repeated figures, excessive sequential treatment, and mechanical reuse of stock formulas were discouraged because they weakened the impression of improvisation. Third, Quantz stresses that cadenzas must remain compositionally coherent despite their improvisatory character. Performers were expected to understand harmony and voice leading rather than simply memorize prepared passages. Correct treatment of dissonance, careful resolution of intervals, and logical harmonic motion were essential components of successful cadenza construction. 16 Finally, Quantz discusses modulation. Short cadenzas should generally remain in the home key, while longer cadenzas may briefly explore related tonal areas such as the subdominant and dominant before returning to the tonic. 17 Although the harmonic range remains relatively limited, these excursions provide variety without obscuring the tonal identity of the movement. Taken together, Quantz’s recommendations suggest that an effective eighteenth-century cadenza balances freedom with restraint. It should sound spontaneous while remaining firmly grounded in the thematic material, affect, and harmonic language of the concerto. These principles provide an important foundation for constructing a historically informed cadenza for Stamitz’s Viola Concerto in D Major. Quantz further emphasizes several principles that are particularly relevant to a historically informed approach to Stamitz’s concerto. He argues that the emotional character of a cadenza should correspond to the affect of the movement itself: lively movements invite energetic figures, larger leaps, and brilliant passagework, while more serious or expressive movements require a more restrained vocabulary. 18 He also notes that cadenzas should not be governed by a strict sense of meter but should project an improvisatory freedom through flexible pacing and the juxtaposition of short musical ideas. 19 Although string players may perform longer cadenzas than wind players,

Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 42, Summer 2026 Online Issue

13