brandenburg concerto no.4 js bach

Question 0

structure?

Answer 0

ritornello form contrasting tutti ritornello + solo episodes.
5 ritornello + 3 episodes
ritornello 4 is followed by ritornello 5 without a solo in between.
repetitions of the ritornello are shortened
apart from ritornelllo 5 which is the same as ritornello 1.

Question 1

forces, including timbre

Answer 1

concertino: solo group consisting of solo violin and 2 recorders.
ripieno: consisting of violin 1, violin 2, viola, cello, double bass and harpsichord continuo.
Tutti in the ritornello sections.
conertino + continuo in the episode solo sections with some variation in forces used.
double + triple stopping used in solo violin.
fast demisemiquavers in solo violin-virtuosic most challenging part.
terraced dynamics - created by change in texture from tutti to soloist + continuno.

Question 2

tonality

Answer 2

key of Gmajor is defined by p.c and pedals

strong I-V-I progressions

Question 3

harmony

Answer 3

functional with frequent p.c
frequent use oof chords I,V and V7 b.1-13
neapolitan 6th b.155
harmonic pace usually 1 chord/bar but does vary:speeds up towards the end of sections. eg; end of ritornello b.79-83 3 chords/bar one per quaver beat.
pedals eg; inverted dominant pedal b.25.
diatonic except for N6 (b.155) and dim 7th (b.195)
dissonances= suspensions eg 9-8 and 4-3 b.70 double suspensions
b.14-17 harmonic sequence
circle of 5ths b.175-178

Question 4

melody

Answer 4

based on motifs which are developed using; inversion eg b.21-22, sequence b.2 and repetition b.7-12. ALL THREE TOGETHER = Fortspinnung.
motifs based on arpeggios and scales
diatonic melody
some small leaps. eg falling 3rds b.14 and rising 4th b.79-83

Question 5

texture

Answer 5

variety of textures
homophonic at the start- melody in flute with 4 note chords b.1-3, inverted dom pedal
polarised texture b.4-6. recorders in parallel 3rds
parallel 6’s in recorders b.10-12
counterpoint= 4part b.13-22
b.197-208 = close imitations 3 part counterpoint
b.235-240= stretto imitations 3 part counterpoint
antiphonal = b.257-262 (call and response)
monophonic = b.84 – rare
terraced dynamics created by texture,from tutti to soloist +continuo

Question 6

rhythm and metre

Answer 6

3/8= simple triple but feels like dotted crotchets because of fast pace
hemiola- feeling of 2/4
demisemi quavers in violin solo b.187- 208. episode 2
cont. semiquavers in melody virtually throughout
syncopation b.70, b.43-46

Question 7

describe the stylistic characteristics which show that this piece was composed in late baroque

Answer 7

p.c to establish key b.12-13
close modulations in order of importance 
structure= ritornello form
choice of instruments ie; recorder, + harpsichord continuo
concerto grosso genre 
neapolitan 6th b.155
functional tonality
functional harmony 
freq. p.c - b.1-13 only chords I,V & V7 
suspensions ; 9-8 and 4-3 b.70
melody and harmony sequences 
circle of 5ths
pedals in tonic & dominant 
imitation
tutti- intergrations in the solo
hemiola-end of each ritornello 
use of continuo semiquavers giving driving feel from start to finish 
diatonic melodies based on scales and arpeggios
one modd '(Affeckt)' in the piece

Question 8

performance circumstances

Answer 8

concerto grosso genre 
genre developed during baroque period
for small group of soloists 
6 brandenburg concertos 
composed between 1717 and 1721 
director of music for prince germany