Brahms: Intro Part 1

Question 1

When was the piece first performed?

Answer 1

1876

Question 2

What is the home key of the movement?

Answer 2

C minor

Question 3

What is the structure of Part 1 of the introduction?

Answer 3

A, B, A1, B1, A2, B2

Question 4

Where is Section A?

Answer 4

Bars 1-5

Question 5

What is figure X?

Answer 5

A descending tetrachord (4 consecutive notes of a scale)

Question 6

What is significant about the final note of figure X in bar 2-5?

Answer 6

Dominant pedal on G

Question 7

Where can the head motif be heard at the start of the piece?

Answer 7

Horns (C)
Violins I + II

Question 8

How does the head motif anticipate S1?

Answer 8

Perfect 4th interval (in horns)

Semitone interval at end

Question 9

What do the descending crotchets in bar 2-3 reference?

Answer 9

Descending crotchets recall opening to mvmt I

Descending tetrachord references S2 ostinato

Chromatic neighbour notes from head motif

Question 10

What is notable about the bassoon and viola parts in bars 4-5?

Answer 10

Echoes bars 2-3 except lower in pitch

Use of parallel 3rds

Question 11

What is notable about the violin part in bars 4-5?

Answer 11

Based around the interval of a semitone.

Interval of a perfect 4th between the top and bottom notes (D-G)

Question 12

Where is Section B?

Answer 12

Bars 6-12

Question 13

How is contrast created between Section A and B?

Answer 13

Reduction in texture - just strings

Use of pizzicato technique

Quiet dynamic (p)

Question 14

What keys does Section B pass through?

Answer 14

Bar 7: Dominant minor (Gm)

Bar 8: Flattened dominant minor (Gbm)

Bars 10-11: Hints of F minor

Question 15

How does the passing two-note motif develop through Section B?

Answer 15

Picks up in speed, dynamics, and texture

Question 16

Where can Figure X be heard in Section B and what features are notable about this appearance?

Answer 16

In violins in bar 10

Now ascending

Covers span of dim. 4th (E-Ab)

Syncopated rhythm

Question 17

How does section B reach its climax?

Answer 17

Sudden stop with a Neapolitan 6th chord in C minor (Db)

Question 18

Where is Section A1?

Answer 18

Bars 12-15

Question 19

How has Section A1 developed from Section A?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

How is harmonic ambiguity created at the start of Section A1 and what use does this serve?

Answer 20

Movement from G-Ab chords in bars 12^4-13^1

Sounds dramatic and feels like an interruption in the harmony

Question 21

What chords make up each beat of bar 15?

Answer 21

Db7 (b 2nd)
Fm7
Bdim7
C

Question 22

Where is Section B1?

Answer 22

Bars 16-19

Question 23

How has Section B1 developed from Section B?

Answer 23

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

Question 24

What happens harmonically in bars 18-20?

Answer 24

Fb major harmony used in bars 18-19 to facilitate enharmonic change to E major in bar 20 and furthermore tonicisation of A minor

Question 25

What key is Section A2 and how does this relate to the home key?

Answer 25

A minor - Submediant

Question 26

How is the tonicisation of A minor achieved?

Answer 26

Long held E natural

Own observation: V-I movement in A minor bar 20 (seen in flute part)

Question 27

Where is Section A2?

Answer 27

Bars 20-21

Question 28

How has Section A2 developed from Sections A and A1?

Answer 28

Now in A minor

Even shorter than A and A1 - only 2 bars

Figure X now in oboe

Ascending scales in viola and cello - later to be found in transition section bar 106

Tonicisation of F minor in last beat of bar 21

Question 29

Where is Section B2?

Answer 29

Bars 22-29

Question 30

What do the ideas in Section B2 reference?

Answer 30

Mvmt I + II and the closing section of Mvmt IV (bar 148)

Question 31

What can be observed in bar 22?

Answer 31

Rhythmic interplay - Antiphonal texture

Scalic patterns with interval of a 4th

Figure X tetrachord heard in diminution

Question 32

How does bar 23 link to Figure X?

Answer 32

Demisemiquavers in violins can be divided into tetrachords (groups of 4 with an interval of a 4th)

Tetrachords have a raange of 2 octaves C-Db

Question 33

Chords in bar 24 on last two notes in everything but violins

Answer 33

F#dim7

Adim7

Question 34

What is notable in the bars leading up to Part 2: bars 27-29?

Answer 34

3-note woodwind sighs in flute, oboe, and bassoon lead back to C minor

Chromatically ascending bassline

Music cut off by a timp roll on the tonic (C)

Shift from minor 3rd interval in bar 28 (A-C) to major 3rd interval in bar 29 (Ab-C)