Schumann Flashcards
1
Q
Structure of No. 1?
A
Rounded Binary Form (A:BA) with repeats
2
Q
Tonality of No.1
2
A
G major
Modulation to E minor at bar 12 but resolution to tonic is surprisingly avoided.
3
Q
Harmony of No. 1
5
A
- Perfect cadences e.g. bars 21-22
- Chord V usually has a 7th added
- Diminished 7th chord in bar 12
- Unusual progression in bars 112-12: instead of II-V (in E minor) being followed by
the expected tonic chord, the harmony shifts unexpectedly to a G major triad
which initially is missing its third - 4-3 suspension in the inner part writing of bar 7
4
Q
Melody of No. 1
3
A
- Combination of steps and leaps, including thematic feature of rising minor 6th leap followed by stepwise descent in bars 1-2 and elsewhere.
- Melodic sequence in bars 9-12
- Bass line in bars 9-12 borrows features of the opening melody
5
Q
Texture
3
A
- Melody-dominated homophony
- Three textural layers in A sections consisting of upper melody, inner quaver triplets and an independent bass line.
- B section (Bars 9-14) differs; the melody is played mainly in thirds and the bass line acts as a countermelody
6
Q
Rhythm and Metre
4
A
- In 2/4
- Metronome mark 108 crotchets
- Triplets are used in the inner accompaniment
- Melody features use of dotted rhythms
7
Q
Structure of No. 3
A
Rounded Binary Form (A: BA) with written out repeat of opening four bars but conventional notated repeat of the following BA section.
8
Q
Tonality of No. 3
3
A
- B minor
- Modulation to G major at bar 9
- Lengthy dominant preparation at bars 15-16
9
Q
Harmony of No. 3
5
A
- Perfect cadences e.g. bar 20
- Appoggiaturas in bar 2 (the accented semi-quavers).
- Use of 7th chords, mainly dominant 7ths but II7-V7 progression is used in bar 10.
- Prolonged ‘Neapolitan’ chord in root position in bars 13-15 with dissonant harmony on the second beat also creating a pedal effect
- Because the Neapolitan chord is, unusually, in root position the natural move to Dominant 7th in bar 16 involves a leap of a tritone in the bass.
10
Q
Melody of No. 3
4
A
- Stepwise (conjunct) and also some leaps
- Descending sequence in bar 2
- Unusual descent of a minor 7th in bar 9
- Scalic passagework.
11
Q
Texture of No. 3
2
A
- Generally, right hand melody is accompanied by the “stride bass” patterns in left hand.
- The exceptions to this are the open 5th double pedal in bars 132-151 and the sustained chord with inner ascending scale in Bar 152.
12
Q
Rhythm and Metre of No.3
2
A
- Frequent use of semi-quavers
- The same 2-bar rhythmic pattern occurs in the melody throughout the piece,
apart from the use of more sustained notes in bars 13-16
13
Q
Tonality of No. 11
4
A
- E minor is clearly suggested by initial I-Vb progression at the start
- G major is established as the key of the piece by bar 4.
- Modulation to E minor in bar 10 and C major in bar 12.
- Brief modulations to the keys of A minor in bar 22 and B minor in bar 24.
14
Q
Structure of No. 11
A
Symmetrical Rondo Form (A B A C A B A) with some sections repeated
15
Q
Harmony of No. 11
5
A
- Cadences are common but traditionally placed root position perfect cadences are rare.
- Most perfect cadences close on weaker beats (e.g. bars 10 and 12 and even more dramatically in bar 24).
- A secondary dominant chord is used in bar 281. 4. Imperfect cadences are frequent (e.g. Ic-V in bars 4 and 8).
- Chromatic harmony - the opening two bars are highly chromatic and include diminished triads on 2nd and 4th quavers of bar 2 (including a 7th).
16
Q
Melody of No. 11
4
A
- Mostly diatonic apart from chromaticism in the 2nd bar of the A section.
- B section (bar 9) has a very disjunct bass melody which is treated in sequence.
- The second half of the C section (bars 25-28) has a 2 bar phrase with semitone movement which spans a diminished 4th and is then treated in sequence, with one semitone expanding to a tone.
- Irregular phrasing
17
Q
Texture of No. 11
6
A
- The opening almost feels like three-part counterpoint with the lower two parts descending in thirds.
- By bar 4 four reasonably independent parts have emerged.
- Bar 5 establishes melody dominated homophony with the tune in the lowest part.
- The B section (bars 9-12) has a bass tune with short off beat chords accompanying above.
- At the start of the C section (bars 21-24) three contrasting textural elements alternate – rapid semiquaver movement in 6ths, single bass notes and full 5-part chords.
- The melody dominated homophony texture at bars 25-28 uses a stride-like accompaniment pattern reminiscent of No.3.
18
Q
Rhythm and Metre of No. 11
3
A
- Dotted rhythms appear regularly in the A section.
- Elsewhere semiquavers are either used in pairs (B section) or in groups of four (C
section). - Offbeat rhythms feature (on every second semiquaver in the B section and on
every second quaver in the first half of the C section).
