Bach Movement 2

Question 1

Ritornello i Bars 1 - 4

Answer 1

• C major
• The first two bars begin and end on the tonic chord, with a tonic pedal in the bass
• The harmony contains some 7th chords with the 7th suspended on the 3rd beat of each
• Ritornello continues in b3-4, modulating to G major. The harmony moves in a circle of 5ths, frequently using 7th chords.

Question 2

Solo i Bars 5 - 6

Answer 2

• The answering solo in b5-6 is in the C major beginning on the tonic chord and ending on the dominant. It is more sustained than the ritornello theme, with no rests or detached notes. The use of triplets in b6 provides further contrast to the ritornello.
  Orchestral parts are marked piano in these bars and the continuo is absent.

Question 3

Ritornello and solo ii Bars 7 - 10

Answer 3

The opening bars of the ritornello return in C major in the orchestra in b7-8.
The answering solo modulates to G major from the end of b10
Rhythm of the solo part consists predominantly of triplets

Question 4

Ritornello and solo iii Bars 11-15

Answer 4

The first two bars of the ritornello theme return in the orchestra in G major in b11-12.
Solo embellishes the theme.
Diminished 7th harmony in b13 leads to a V-I cadence in b14
The cadence is decorated with a trill in the solo part and final tonic chord is prolonged as a broken chord in b14-15

Question 5

Ritornello and Solo vi Bars 15-20

Answer 5

Opening bars of the ritornello return in G major in the orchestra in b15-16, a transposition of b1-2 up a 5th or down a 4th.
Answering solo modulates to D minor from b17. This passage is an elaboration of b5-6; the ending is an exact transposition up a 2nd
Orchestral parts contain some reference to the ritornello yet remain piano

Question 6

Ritornello and Solo v Bars 21-28

Answer 6

Opening bars of the ritornello in D minor in the orchestra in b21-22
The answering solo is a transposition of b9-14 up a 2nd modulating to A minor from the end of b23, completing the series of modulations by 5ths
The first two bars of the ritornello theme return in the orchestra in b25-26
Diminished 7th harmony in b27 leads to a V - i cadence in b28

Question 7

Ritornello and Solo vi Bars 29-36

Answer 7

The ritornello theme returns in A minor in orchestra in b29-3, a transposition of b3-4 up a 2nd
The answering solo modulates via G minor (b31-32) to C minor
The passage is an elaboration of b5-6 and b36 strongly recalls b6
Orchestra references ritornello

Question 8

Ritornello and Solo vii Bars 37-42

Answer 8

The opening bars of the ritornello return in C major in the orchestra in nb37-38, the same as b1-2
Answering solo is transposition of bars 9-10 and 13-14 down a 5th to C major, ending with a V7-I cadence in b42

Question 9

Ritornello and Coda Bars 43-46

Answer 9

Coda, containing a final statement of the ritornello theme in the orchestra embellished by the soloist from b44
b45-46 have been transposed and slightly varied, so as to remain in C major, ending with a V - I cadence in b46