Brahms' Intermezzo Flashcards
A Opening Theme Bars 1 - 8
Lyrical and rich melody Imperfect cadence A major (b4) Perfect cadence E major (b8) Melodic lap of a 7th (b5) Accompaniment is wide ranging, with foundational bass notes and harmonies mainly expressed in pairs of quavers
A Bars 4 - 5
Use of secondary leading note chord from b4.3 to 5
G natural does not signify a modulation - chord IV of A major in bar 5 preceded by leading note chord of D
A Bars 8.3 to 16.2
Slightly varied form at pianissimo dynamic and more internal harmonic movement in bars 11 and 15
A Second Theme Bar 16.3
More ominous theme
Three note phrase is heard once, twice and then extended over two bars with an internal melody
Begins with a sudden shift to C major
A Bars 20.3 to 24
Second theme transposed up a 4th
A Bars 25 - 30
Melody climbs up slowly and chromatically accompanied by arpeggio quavers shared between the hands and also rising in pitch
A Bars 30 - 31
Opening three notes of the main theme in the bass
Syncopation in the upper part of the left hand
Short three note phrases heard first in the major and then in the minor
Calando (dying away) indication in bar 3
A Bars 34 - 36
Main theme returns at the end of bar 34 with the opening two bars in exact inversion
Downward leap of 7th
A Bars Bars 37 - 38
Retardation suspension in the perfect cadence
Bar 38.3 the second theme is heard again at the same pitch as bars 20-22 and marked un poco animato (a little more animated)
Section ends with a perfect cadence
B Bars 48.3-56.2
Begins immediately in F sharp minor, the relative minor of A major, although the raised 7th does not appear immediately
New them introduced played simply by the right hand against triplet quavers in the left hand
2 against 3 is used
B bars 48 - 50.2
Use of augmentation in the upper part of the left hand
B Bars 57 - 60
Imperfect cadence in F sharp minor (b56) Previous section repeated Piu lento (b57-64) Fermata (b64.2) una corda Texture now homophonic and the key changes to F sharp major
B Bars 61 - 64
Some variations of notes and harmony, ending in bar 64 with a rienuto and a fermata on a dom 7 chord
B Bars 65 - 69
Theme is now in augmentation
Bass resumes the triplet arpeggio accompaniment
Indication tre corde to lift pedal
Variation of the theme shows a very effective rearrangement of the parts
B Bars 69 - 76
Theme from section B is heard for the last time, extended by one bar and with a perfect cadence in F sharp minor in bars 72 - 73
Next three bars comprise a short link made up of ascending triplet arpeggios and slurred crotchet ending on a dissonant chord
