"L'estro armonico," roughly meaning The Genius of Harmony, was an audacious name for an audacious work. Published as Op. 3 in Amsterdam in 1711 by Estienne Roger, Antonio Vivaldi's first set of concertos was not only an impressive orchestral debut, but the set changed the genre's established form and established a lighter, more lyrical, and more virtuosic new form that influenced every composer in the first half of the eighteenth century.

The 12th and final work in the set is the Concerto in E major, RV 265, for violin soloist plus an orchestral ripieno of violins, violas, cellos, and basso continuo. The opening Allegro is one of the most dazzling in the set, its quick and cheerful repeated-note ripieno theme alternating with especially sparkling episodes for the soloist. The central Larghetto e spiccato is one of the set's sweetest and most lyrical movements, with a melodic duet of melting tenderness for the soloist and the concert master. The closing Allegro, with its bold transitions and modulations, is harmonically the most daring work in the set, and an amazing way to close the most important orchestral work of the late Baroque.

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