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AS Music Edexcel (2016-) > Cantata: 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott' BWV 80 > Flashcards

Cantata: 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott' BWV 80 Flashcards

Flashcards for features of the first set work of Vocal Music.

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Ultimate Music Theory flashcards
1
Q

Context- Date, location and event of first performance

A

Late baroque work first performed at the Festival of the Reformation on 31st October 1730. It was first performed at St Thomas’ Church, Leipzig, where Bach was music director.

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2
Q

What was the Festival of the Reformation?

A

A celebration commemorating the split of Martin Luther from the Roman Catholic Church.

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3
Q

What performers did this cantata require?

A

SATB vocal soloists, small chorus, an orchestra and continuo.

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4
Q

What kind of work is the full cantata?

A

A multi-movement work consisting of arias, chorus, recitatives, duets and chorale for congregation.

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5
Q

Where is the text taken from?

A

For movements 1,2, 5 and 8, text from Martin Luther’s hymn is used.

In the second movement, the chorale tune and soprano text are heard alongside a bass part using the poetry of Salomo Franck.

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6
Q

What are the instrumental forces in Movement 1?

A

•SATB
•3 x oboes
(1 Taille Oboe - similar to a Cor Anglais)
•Strings (including violone - similar range to a
double bass)
•Violins and violas double the SAT lines
•Cello ‘shadows’ the bass, sometimes elaborated in heterophony.

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7
Q

What are the instrumental forces in Movement 2?

A
  • Soprano and Bass duet
  • Soprano doubled by oboe, sometimes in heterophony
  • Violins 1,2 and violas give obligato line in unison supported by continuo
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8
Q

What is an obligato line?

A

A prominent and essential independent melody.

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9
Q

What are the instrumental forces in movement 8 (the chorale)?

A
  • SATB
  • Each of the SATB parts are doubled by instruments.
  • The soprano and alto parts are doubled by the oboe d’amore
  • The tenor part is doubled by the taille (alto oboe)
  • The bass part is doubled by continuo instruments.
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10
Q

What type of notation is used in the whole cantata?

A

Various forms of traditional stave notation.

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11
Q

What is the notation used in Movement 1?

A
  • One stave per instrument/voice
  • One stave for cello and cembalo
  • One stave for violone and organ
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12
Q

What is a cembalo?

A

Harpsichord

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13
Q

What notation is used in Movement 2?

A

•Violins and violas use 1 stave.

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14
Q

What notation is used in Movement 8?

A

Open score (for chorale)

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15
Q

What dynamics are used for the cantata?

A

No dynamics- this is baroque after all.

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16
Q

What is figured bass used for?

A

It is used to indicate the harmony as numbers below the bass line- indicating intervals to be played with the bass notes.

17
Q

What tempo indications are there?

A

There are no tempo indications - the performers use the time signature and character of each movement to estimate an appropriate speed.

18
Q

What is the metre and pace of Movement 1?

A

Half common time with four minims per bar.

The pace is brisk.

19
Q

What is the estimated tempo of the second movement?

A

Relatively fast but controlled tempo.

20
Q

What necessitates the tempo of Movement 2?

A
  • ‘moto perpetuo’ semiquavers
  • Walking bass quavers
  • Florid (excessively intricate) shorter values in vocal parts and oboe
21
Q

What two movements are in quadruple time?

A

Movements 2 and 8.

22
Q

What are the features of Movement 8 in terms of tempo, metre and rhythm?

A

Movement 8 has a more moderate tempo.
•Bach chorale relies on flowing quavers in lower parts.
•Pause marks indicate end of phrase not sustaining notes.

23
Q

Who’s chorale provides the melodic basis of Movements 1,2 and 8?

A

Martin Luther’s!

24
Q

What are the melodic features/characteristics of Movement 8?

A
  • The chorale tune is presented with elaboration
  • Powerful repeated notes
  • Mostly conjunct with few leaps
  • Forceful descending scale at end of first section and final phrase.
  • Single note outside of D major used (G#)
  • Mixture of syllabic and neumatic (2-3 words/syllable) word setting
25
Q

What are the melodic features/characteristics of Movement 1?

A
  • Each phrase is presented in turn.
  • Very loose variation of chorale melody in vocal parts
  • Oboes in canon with violone directly state the theme
  • Word painting is used - chromaticism used to represent the guile of the devil (bars 97-99)
  • Sequences are used (bar 1, cello)
  • Melismatic choral writing
26
Q

What are the melodic characteristics/features of Movement 2?

A
  • Heavy ornamentation of chorale melody
  • Extended melismas in bass solo
  • Angular, almost instrumental line for bass singer (bars 13-18)
27
Q

What are the harmonic features in Ein Feste Burg ist Unser Gott?

A
  • Functional harmony
  • Clearly defined cadences
  • Triads and 7ths in various positions
  • Pedal points (e.g. movement 1, bar 273 - bar 303)
  • Suspensions (e.g. 4-3 suspension in Movement 8, bar 2*2)
  • Diminished 7ths (Movement 1, bar 71 1-2)
28
Q

What is the tonality of Movement 1?

A

•The chorale dominates, so D major is of major structural importance
•other related keys are employed to add variety:
-Em (bars 63-64)
-Bm (bars 65-66)
-F#m (bars 67-68)
-A major (bar 90)

29
Q

What is the tonality of movement 2?

A

•D major
•modulations to closely related keys
-(V)- A major
-(Relative minor)- B minor

30
Q

What is the tonality of movement 8?

A
  • Interesting modulation
  • Perfect cadences in A major (bars 5 and 9)
  • Imperfect cadence in Em (bar 10)
31
Q

What is the structure dictated by in all three movements?

A

The chorale melody

32
Q

What is the structure of Movement 1?

A

•Each phrase taken in turn.

  • first presented in a fugal ‘working out’ (vocal)
  • rounded off with canonic version for oboe and violone.
33
Q

What is the structure of Movement 2?

A

•Ritornello form used

  • theme recurs at various points throughout movement-> sometimes touch on different keys
  • statements of chorale with different ‘parallel’ text in bass.
34
Q

What is the structure of Movement 8?

A
  • Nine line chorale with repetitions

* Phrase 4 and 2 use the same music.

35
Q

What is the texture of Movement 1?

A
  • Contrapuntal with imitative writing in vocal parts in a fugal style.
  • Oboe and violone use canon in octaves.
  • There is a half bar between entries
  • Texture is further complicated by heterophony in the cello (bars 20-22), which is a more elaborate version of the vocal bass line.
36
Q

What is the texture of movement 2?

A

•Contrapuntal with ritornello theme in the upperstrings
-supported by walking bass
+Embellished version of chorale in soprano with heterophony in oboe and an independent line in the solo bass part.

37
Q

What is the texture of movement 8?

A
  • Homophonic

* Lower parts rhythmically independent.

AS Music Edexcel (2016-) (13 decks)

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