Duettino Flashcards
What happens harmonically at the start of the piece?
Simple. Mostly/broadly I and V chords outlined by violin 2’s motor rhythmic semiquaver arpeggios
How do melodic themes A1 and A2 work?
A1: Crotchets played by violin 1, like counting, followed by a rising interval that augments (5th,6th,7th).
A2 overlaps slightly in a way that creates a bass suspension, eg. The 4:3 suspension in bar three. Subtle tension and overlapping layers foreshadows what’s to come.
What happens and when do we first modulate + how do we get back home?
Bar 9 = modulation to dominant. 4 appogiaturas in just two bars and a held concert D from the horn, creating an all around dominant feel and tension. Tension is further created with the flighty violin semiquavers and the use of the sfp dynamic marking.
The phrase ends with a cadential 6/4 as a nice way of bringing us back to the main theme.
What does the orchestra do when Figaro is introduced?
Roughly plays what they have just played again, just without the stretto imitation.
Describe Figaro’s melody initially.
Confident ‘manly’ measurement, represented by the crotchets and the perfect cadence when the correct measurement is found - he is in control here.
Describe Susanna’s initial melody.
Bit more ‘feminine’ due to the use of legato quavers which create a playful element. Sings in between Figaro’s counts first.
How does this section (initial introduction of voices) end?
IC,V,I - strong happy relationship at this point.
What happens the second time Figaro sings ‘cinque’?
Figaro begins his crotchet phrase ‘cinque’ 2 beats late and therefore his and Susanna’s previously quasi antiphonal parts now overlap. Therefore at this stage there are 4 melodic ideas, A1,A2, and the two vocal parts. In terms of lyrics, Susanna also sings ‘look a moment’.
How is Susanna’s persistency represented?
Her melody becomes almost motor rhythmic with constant quavers which take us to the dominant (D), and then to the dominant of the dominant (A) via a VII b chord
Who wins the argument and what does the orchestra do?
Figaro gives in to Susanna’s persistence and eventually sings ‘yes my love’, giving her the attention, however the slight sense of tension does continue for a while longer, eg. the use of a dominant pedal in the contrabass part which lasts an entire 14 bars. The flighty semiquaver violin passages and sfp’s from earlier in the piece return.
We also have a pause on the V7 chord, which is a real moment of tension as we long for the resolution, although we are not given it immediately. In fact not until bar 75 via a cadential 6/4.
How is the resolution apparent at the end of the piece?
The two voices sing in consonant harmony, a tenth apart.
The woodwind parts has a recurring theme of a dancing tonic triplet passage.
Antiphonal passages occur in a playful rather than conflicting way eg. Between the voices and woodwind, which playfully echos the vocal parts in bars 65 and 66, and between the two voices at 77.
Finally, the piece ends in a IV, V, I perfect cadence
