Brandenburg Concerto No.5 in D major

Question 1

What is the structure of the movement?

Answer 1

Ternary (A B A)

Question 2

What is the tonic key of the movement?

Answer 2

D major

Question 3

What type of work is the movement?

Answer 3

Concerto Grosso

Question 4

Which instruments are in the solo group (concertino)?

Answer 4

Flute, Violin & Harpsichord

Question 5

Which instruments play the accompaniment (ripieno)?

Answer 5

String Orchestra

Question 6

Which instruments are in the string orchestra (ripieno)?

Answer 6

Violin, Viola, Cello & Double Bass

Question 7

What is unusual about the instruments in the string orchestra?

Answer 7

1 violin instead of 2

Question 8

What Italian term describes the tempo? What does this mean?

Answer 8

Allegro - fast/lively/quick

Question 9

What is the metre of the movement?

Answer 9

Simple duple (2/4)

Question 10

What rhythm that is played a lot in the movement makes it feel like a different metre?

Answer 10

Triplets

Question 11

What time signature does it often feel like?

Answer 11

6/8 - compound duple

Question 12

What Baroque dance does the movement sound like?

Answer 12

Gigue (pronounced jig)

Question 13

What is the opening interval of the main subject/theme played first by the solo violin?

Answer 13

4th

Question 14

Which instrument imitates the violin by playing the main subject/theme two bars later?

Answer 14

Solo flute

Question 15

Describe the melodic movement of most of the movement.

Answer 15

Mostly stepwise/conjunct (notes next to each other)

Question 16

Describe the texture at the start of the movement when the violin and flute are playing.

Answer 16

Two-part imitation

Question 17

Which hand of the harpsichord plays the main subject/theme next (after the violin & flute)?

Answer 17

Left hand

Question 18

Which part enters after the violin, flute and left hand of the harpsichord?

Answer 18

Right hand of the harpsichord

Question 19

Describe the texture between the left and right hand parts of the harpsichord at the start of the movement.

Answer 19

Two-part counterpoint

Question 20

Describe the texture when the solos are all playing together (bars 11 - 28).

Answer 20

Four-part counterpoint

Question 21

Identify two features of the harpsichord part that make it virtuosic.

Answer 21

Fast/rapid semiquaver movement and trills in both hands

Question 22

What are the main rhythmic features of the music?

Answer 22

Mostly triplets, dotted rhythms with semiquaver movement

Question 23

What is the overall texture of the movement?

Answer 23

Polyphonic/contrapuntal

Question 24

What is unusual about the harpsichord in this Baroque Concerto?

Answer 24

It is a soloist rather than playing continuo

Question 25

Which key does section A (bars 1 - 78) modulate briefly to on more than one occasion?

Answer 25

A major (dominant)

Question 26

Name the cadence at the end of section A.

Answer 26

Perfect (in tonic/D major)

Question 27

What key is section B (bars 79 - 232) in?

Answer 27

B minor (relative minor)

Question 28

What does the bass part (left hand) of the harpsichord play at the start of section B to reinforce the key?

Answer 28

Tonic (B) pedal

Question 29

Which solo instrument first plays the new (2nd) theme in section B?

Answer 29

Flute

Question 30

The solo flute & violin sometimes play together in harmony. What interval is between the two parts?

Answer 30

Third (e.g. bars 107 - 117)

Question 31

How can the harmony be described?

Answer 31

Functional

Question 32

What position are most of the chords played in?

Answer 32

Root and first inversion

Question 33

Which chords are mostly used?

Answer 33

Chords I, IV & V (primary chords)

Question 34

In what key is the return of the A section?

Answer 34

D major (tonic)

Question 35

What has been added to the start of the return of the A section?

Answer 35

D major (tonic) chord

Question 36

What cadence does the movement end with?

Answer 36

Perfect cadence

Question 37

Chord V (dominant) is sometimes extended. Which note is sometimes added?

Answer 37

7th making it a dominant 7th (V7)

Question 38

Is the music diatonic?

Answer 38

Yes

Question 39

Identify the melodic device in the flute part in bars 137 - 141.

Answer 39

Rising/ascending sequence

Question 40

Name the ornaments in this movement.

Answer 40

Trills and appoggiaturas

Question 41

The movement begins in a fugal style. What makes it sound fugal (like a fugue)?

Answer 41

Imitation between parts

Question 42

What cadence does section B end with?

Answer 42

Perfect cadence in B minor (relative minor)

Question 43

The movement can be considered as being in Ritornello form. Why?

Answer 43

Fragments of section A appear in section B

Question 44

How many Brandenburg Concertos did J.S.Bach compose?

Answer 44

6

Question 45

Numbers are written underneath some of the notes in the harpsichord part. What is this called?

Answer 45

Figured bass

Question 46

What do the numbers in figured bass indicate?

Answer 46

The notes in the chord (intervals above the given bass)

Question 47

Describe the shape of the fast semiquaver movement in the harpsichord.

Answer 47

Scalic/stepwise/conjunct

Question 48

What playing directions are absent from the harpsichord part & from most of the movement?

Answer 48

Dynamics

Question 49

The first movement of this concerto included an unaccompanied solo section. What is the name given to this?

Answer 49

Cadenza

Question 50

Is the music diatonic (uses notes from the key)?

Answer 50

Yes