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Edexcel Music GCSE Area of Study 1: Instrumental Music 1700-1820 & Set…
Edexcel Music GCSE Area of Study 1: Instrumental Music 1700-1820 & Set Work 1 - Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No.5 In D Major
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Structure
- Ternary form (ABA):
A - Bars 1-78 - Fugato - D major
B - Bars 79-232 - Ritornello Structure - B minor
A - Bars 233 - 310 - Fugato - D major
A Section:
The A Section is a fugato in D major. This means that it is like the opening of a fugue
in which the opening tune (called the subject) is taken up by each of the other instruments in turn. Each new part enters in imitation of the previous part, overlapping with it, often at a higher or lower pitch.
B Section:
The B Section begins and ends in B minor and has a ritornello structure in which episodes based on just the first four notes of the subject alternate with ritronelli (little returns) of other material from the A Section.
Final A Section:
Apart from the D major chord at the start of bar 233, the final A Section is a repeat of the opening fugato. Bach didn't write this out, but instead wrote Da Capo (from the top) at the end of bar 232 to indicate that the first section should be repeated. This particular type of ternary structure is therefore often called Da Capo form.
Tonality
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- This movement is in D Major. Because almost all of the music is derived from the opening bars, Bach relies on changes of texture and key rather than on different melodies to create contrast.
- The first section is in D Major and includes modulations to the dominant (A Major) which is the key a 5th above the tonic.
- The middle section is in B Minor (the relative minor of D Major) with modulations in its dominant (F# Minor) and to A Major.
Melody
The entire movement is based on a triadic and scalic (stepwise) ideas heard in the first few bars.
- The opening melody of Section B uses the first four notes of Section A, transposed up from D Major to B Minor.
- Similarly the rippling quavers that accompany the flute at the start of Section B are derived from the pattern first heard in bar 5.
- The melodic writing includes frequent use of sequence and two types of ornament - the trill (tr) and the appoggiatura.
- In accordance with convention, performers frequently add additional ornaments to math those written by Bach
- The imitative texture ensures that all instruments have some share in the melodic material.
Rhythm
- The tempo is Allegro (fast) and doesn't change.
- The movement is written in simple duple metre (2/4) but **triplet quavers make it sound like a compound duple metre (6/8).
- In accordance with Baroque practise, the pattern (dotted quaver, semi quaver) is played as (crotchet - 3 - quaver) to fit the triplet feel of the music.
- The movement is in the style of a gigue** (a fast courtly dance of the period, generally in 6/8 time and related to the jig of folk dance).
- Triplets and dotted rhythms dominate, plus semiquavers in the harpsichord part.
Texture
Apart from bars 1-2 (and their repeat in 233-234) where the unaccompanied melody creates a brief monophonic texture, the movement is contrapuntal throughout, with frequent use of imitation.
- The texture of Section A could also be described as a fugato (or as 'fugal') IT IS NOT AN ACTUAL FUGUE.
- A stretto (close imitation) starts in bar 64, just before the end of the Section A.
- The violine (double bass) plays in tutti sections, mainly doubling the cello. All other parts are regularly independent, although flute and solo violin sometimes double (e.g. bars 33-44) or play in parallel 3rds (e.g. 107 -114).
- Bach uses change in texture to produce areas of contrast.
- For example, the opening four-part texture is followed by a more fully textured tutti, while the harpsichord solo in bars 163 - 176 has only two part canonic texture
- A free canon (this time between flute and solo violin) starts in bar 193.
Dynamics
Like most Baroque composers, Bach included very few dynamic markings in his scores. Instead he relied on changes in texture, such as those between soloists and full ensemble, to produce contrasts, as well as on the intuition and experience of performers.
- In general, most Baroque music depends on the use of terraced dynamics in which there are clear shifts between loud and soft passages, without the use of gradual crescendos and diminuendos.
Harmony
- Simple diatonic chords - mainly triads in root position or first inversion along with dominant 7ths in root position or inversion.
- These simple chords are enlivened by frequent notes of melodic decoration, including occasional on-beat discords (appoggiaturas and suspensions) that 'resolve' by moving to a harmony note after the dissonance has sounded.
- In bars 129-130 and 148-149 there are suspended notes from the previous chord while appoggiaturas are played.
- Tonic and dominant pedals underline various changes of key in the central B Section.
- Each of the three main sections ends with a prominent perfect cadence (in the key of D Major in bars 77-78 and 309-310, and in B Minor in bars 231-232).
Test yourself
1. Bach composed the Brandenburg concertos in the years leading up to 1721. In which musical period was this?
a) Baroque
b) Classical
c) Romantic
d) Modern
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