Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 ( Flashcards
What type of movement is primarily used in the melody?
The melody primarily has a stepwise (conjunct) movement, although there are some leaps.
What are rising sequences in music?
Rising sequences occur when a short phrase is repeated, going one note higher each time.
What are scalic runs?
Scalic runs are sequences of notes going up and down a scale.
What types of ornaments are used in the piece?
The piece includes ornaments such as grace notes (appoggiaturas) and trills.
What is the main tonality of the piece?
The main tonality for the piece is D major.
What key is the B section in?
The B section is in the relative minor key of B minor.
What key does the final A section return to?
The final A section returns to D major.
To which keys does the piece modulate frequently?
The piece modulates often to the dominant (A major) and the dominant of the dominant (E major), indicated by the addition of accidentals.
What type of harmony is used in the piece?
The harmony uses standard chords of the time and is diatonic, meaning all notes/chords come from the key signature.
What are perfect cadences?
Perfect cadences announce the ends of sections, such as the perfect cadence in B minor at the end of the B section.
Which chords are mainly used in the harmony?
The harmony mainly uses chords I, IV, and V, with occasional use of ii and vi.
What is the function of the harmony?
The harmony is functional, using perfect cadences to move between closely related key signatures.
What types of chords are primarily used?
The harmony uses mainly root position and first inversion chords.
What are suspensions in music?
There are occasional suspensions in the harmony.
What instruments are used in this piece?
This piece uses a solo flute and violin, a harpsichord, and a string orchestra (including violin, viola, cello, and double bass).
What is the group of solo instruments called?
The group of solo instruments (violin, flute, and harpsichord) is known as the concertino.
What is the string orchestra referred to as?
The string orchestra is known as the ripieno.
What role do the bass/cello and harpsichord play?
The bass/cello and harpsichord sometimes act as the basso continuo, with the bass instruments playing a bass line and the harpsichord realizing the chords on top.
How did Bach innovate with the harpsichord part?
Bach broke with tradition by making the harpsichord part incredibly virtuosic, featuring fast scalic runs and trills in both hands at once.
How does the baroque flute differ from the modern flute?
The baroque flute is different from the modern flute as it was made of wood.
What is the texture of the piece?
The texture is polyphonic, meaning more than one melody is happening at the same time.
What is imitation in music?
Imitation occurs when one part imitates another in a call and response style.
What style does the movement begin in?
The movement begins in a fugal style, using techniques similar to a fugue.
What is a fugue?
A fugue is a complicated piece that uses lots of imitation throughout.
What happens when the flute and violin play together?
Sometimes the flute and violin play the same thing in unison.
How do the harpsichord’s left and right hands function at the start?
When the harpsichord comes in at the start, it plays the subject in the left hand, then the answer in the right.
What type of counterpoint does the harpsichord play?
The harpsichord plays in two-part counterpoint.
What happens when all solo instruments play together?
Once all solo instruments are playing, they are playing in four-part counterpoint.
What is a tonic pedal?
At the start of the B section, there is a tonic pedal on B.
When was this piece written?
This piece was written in the Baroque era.
For whom did Bach write a set of concertos?
Bach wrote a set of six concertos for the Margrave of Brandenburg as part of a job application.
What is a concerto grosso?
A concerto grosso features a group of soloists (the concertino) rather than just one soloist.
What is the structure of this piece?
This is the third of three movements in the concerto.
What type of music is this piece classified as?
This is chamber music, written for a small group of musicians rather than a full orchestra.
What is the metre of the piece?
The metre is 2/4.
What rhythmic patterns are used in the piece?
The piece uses lots of triplets and dotted rhythms.
What is notable about the harpsichord part?
The harpsichord part has lots of fast semiquaver runs.
What is an anacrusis?
The first melody idea (subject) starts with an anacrusis.
How could the piece be notated due to triplets?
Because of the large number of triplets, the piece could also be notated in 6/8 time.
How were dotted rhythms performed in the Baroque era?
In the Baroque era, the dotted quaver-semiquaver grouping would have been performed in triplet rhythm.
What are the dynamic markings in the score used for?
There are only a few dynamic markings on the score, mostly for balance reasons.
Why are there no dynamic markings for the harpsichord?
The harpsichord used in this piece could not vary dynamics; it stayed at one volume.
What is the form of the piece?
The piece is in ternary form (ABA).
What characterizes the opening A section?
The opening A section begins in a fugal style.
What is the B section’s key and theme?
The B section is in the relative minor key and contains a new theme similar to the first theme in the A section.
