Brahms: Intro Part 1 Flashcards
When was the piece first performed?
1876
What is the home key of the movement?
C minor
What is the structure of Part 1 of the introduction?
A, B, A1, B1, A2, B2
Where is Section A?
Bars 1-5
What is figure X?
A descending tetrachord (4 consecutive notes of a scale)
What is significant about the final note of figure X in bar 2-5?
Dominant pedal on G
Where can the head motif be heard at the start of the piece?
Horns (C)
Violins I + II
How does the head motif anticipate S1?
Perfect 4th interval (in horns)
Semitone interval at end
What do the descending crotchets in bar 2-3 reference?
Descending crotchets recall opening to mvmt I
Descending tetrachord references S2 ostinato
Chromatic neighbour notes from head motif
What is notable about the bassoon and viola parts in bars 4-5?
Echoes bars 2-3 except lower in pitch
Use of parallel 3rds
What is notable about the violin part in bars 4-5?
Based around the interval of a semitone.
Interval of a perfect 4th between the top and bottom notes (D-G)
Where is Section B?
Bars 6-12
How is contrast created between Section A and B?
Reduction in texture - just strings
Use of pizzicato technique
Quiet dynamic (p)
What keys does Section B pass through?
Bar 7: Dominant minor (Gm)
Bar 8: Flattened dominant minor (Gbm)
Bars 10-11: Hints of F minor
How does the passing two-note motif develop through Section B?
Picks up in speed, dynamics, and texture
Where can Figure X be heard in Section B and what features are notable about this appearance?
In violins in bar 10
Now ascending
Covers span of dim. 4th (E-Ab)
Syncopated rhythm
How does section B reach its climax?
Sudden stop with a Neapolitan 6th chord in C minor (Db)
Where is Section A1?
Bars 12-15
How has Section A1 developed from Section A?
Fig X tetrachord now ends on the tonic (C) and is heard in flutes, oboe, and bassoon
Now in a major key (with harmonic ambiguity)
Main theme in strings shortened - now only 3 bars
How is harmonic ambiguity created at the start of Section A1 and what use does this serve?
Movement from G-Ab chords in bars 12^4-13^1
Sounds dramatic and feels like an interruption in the harmony
What chords make up each beat of bar 15?
Db7 (b 2nd)
Fm7
Bdim7
C
Where is Section B1?
Bars 16-19
How has Section B1 developed from Section B?
Shorter - now only 4 bars
Bassline descends scalically at the start of each bar C-Bb-Ab-G
Gets “much” faster over the last 2 bars, as opposed to faster “little by little” over the last 4 bars
Fb major harmony in bars 18-19
Reaches ff climax at the end of the last bar and is cut off by section A2
What happens harmonically in bars 18-20?
Fb major harmony used in bars 18-19 to facilitate enharmonic change to E major in bar 20 and furthermore tonicisation of A minor
