Concerto for Guitar in D, RV 93 (Lute): Conductor Score & Parts

This transcription by the legendary guitarist Emilio Pujol restores the lute concerto to modern ensembles while keeping the guitar front and center, giving string orchestra students a Baroque concerto that doesn't ask them to accompany a soloists so much as participate in genuine dialogue. The shift of prominence from first violin to guitar creates an unusual and appealing power dynamic, one that feels fresh even though the harmonic language is pure, recognizable Vivaldi. Intimate enough for a chamber setting but substantial enough for a full string orchestra, it programs beautifully alongside other Baroque fare.

A intimate conversation among instruments rather than a display of virtuosity. The guitar and strings meet in a warm, harmonically rich Baroque landscape where expressiveness emerges from restraint and careful voicing. There's a meditative quality here, a sense of chamber intimacy that Vivaldi achieves through the natural affinity between plucked and bowed strings.

String orchestras looking to expand beyond the familiar violin concerto repertoire and conductors who want to introduce students to how an ensemble can accommodate a plucked string soloist. Guitarists in an orchestral setting will find a substantial, rewarding part that doesn't oversimplify the lute's original role.

• Balance the guitar part as a true soloist voice, not as a continuo instrument. The transcription is designed so the guitar carries thematic material that the original lute shared unevenly with the violins; let it sing.
• Shape the string accompaniment with restraint. This is chamber music scaled up, not a concerto grosso. Excessive vibrato or aggressive tone will work against the piece's intimacy.
• Anchor the continuo movement on a strong bass line; cello and bass must be steady and clear so the guitar soloist has a foundation to phrase against.
• Take time with the lyrical passages. Vivaldi's writing here is less about pyrotechnics and more about songfulness; let players breathe naturally within the Baroque phrasing.

Pair this with a Vivaldi violin concerto on the same concert to show students how the same composer worked across different solo instruments, or use it as a palate cleanser between a larger orchestral work and a contemporary piece. It's also ideal for a focused chamber orchestra concert or a program exploring Baroque string writing beyond the standard concerto grosso model.

• Reading and balancing unfamiliar solo-accompaniment relationships (guitar with strings)
• Playing Baroque phrasing with minimal vibrato and period-appropriate tone production
• Coordinating ensemble response to a soloist who phrases differently than a bowed instrument
• Understanding continuo and harmonic foundation in a transcribed work
• Maintaining rhythmic and harmonic coherence in accompanimental writing