Bach- Brandenburg concerto
Texture
Contrapuntal (lots of tunes at once) texture almost all the way through
Fugal opening with a main subject theme
Fugal opening with a tonal answer
Antiphony in section B between soloists and the orchestra
Harmony
The piece mainly uses major chords in section A and minor chords in section B
Primary chords are used in root position
Tonic pedals are used to reinforce the key
Perfect cadences mark the end of sections
Tonality
The piece is in D major
Section A is mainly in D major (the tonic key)
Section B begins in the relative minor, B minor
Section A (when it returns) is mainly in D major
Tempo, rhythm and metre
The tempo is fast as the piece is a Gigue
The tempo is allegro ( fast)
The metre is 2/4
Melody
Mainly conjunct ( notes next door)
Trills are used to decorate notes, especially at the end of phrases
Sequences are used to extend melody lines
There are some leaps and falls in the melody line of perfect 4th and 5ths
Sonority
A baroque orchestra that plays a concerto grosso
There is a solo flute, violin, and sometimes harpsichord
The harpsichord plays virtuosic (showy) solo parts
The soloists are accompanied by a string orchestra of violin, viola, cello and bass
Structure and form
Ternary form A🅱A
A:1-78, B:79-213, A:213- 310
The piece can be considered fugal or fugato in style