Brandenburg Concerto Flashcards
What are the Timbre?
- Concerto Grosso
- concertino is solo flute, solo violin and harpsichord
- Ripieno is a string orchestra
- basso continuo is played by harpsichord, cello and double bass
What roles does the
Harpsichord have?
Soloist, accompanist and director
What is the structure/form?
- Gigue
- Fugue
- subjects and countersubjects
- imitation creating polyphonic texture
- ternary form
What is the texture?
- fugal and contrapuntal
- basso continuo used to support by playing bass line and harmonies using figured bass
- builds up
What are the dynamics?
- not written into score
- no crescendoes or diminuendoes
What is the tonality?
- section A is D Major
- Section B is the relative minor (B minor)
- modulates a lot
What 5 words describe the harmony?
- diatonic
- functional
- cadences
- fast harmonic rhythm
- pedal
What does diatonic mean?
All notes belong to a key signature
What does functional mean?
Notes and chords belong to major and minor keys
What type of cadences are there?
Perfect
What happens with the pedal?
Tonic and dominant notes are continuously repeated
What is the time signature?
2/4
What are the rhythmic features?
- triplets
- dotted rhythms
- harpsichord has semi quaver runs
What are the 6 main features?
- ritornello
- sequences
- pedal note
- stretti
- ornamentation (trills)
- basso continuo
What is ritornello?
The main melodic section is repeated throughout with contrasting sections in between
What are sequences?
Moving the pattern up or down a pitch
What is the pedal note?
An important note is repeated in the bass part while the melody changes
What is stretto?
Musical subjects are overlapped
What is the subject played by in section A?
Solo violin
What is the melody of section A?
- spritely
- syncopation
- conjunct
- ends on tonic note
- octave range
What is the subject answered by in bar 3?
Flute
What does the subject start and end on?
Starts on D and ends on A
What does the violin do in section A?
Play the counter subject underneath
What happens at bar 9?
Harpsichord plays the subject starting on A
What does section B begin with?
Variation of the subject played by the flute
How is the variation different?
- more lyrical
- flowing triplets
What is the tonic pedal of section B?
B minor
How does the texture change?
It is lighter
What do the harpsichord and violins play?
- rising sequences and scales
What are the features of the baroque era that are shown?
- ornamentation
- harpsichord
- sequences
- scales
