Schumann - Structure Flashcards
How many movements are there in the trio?
4
Which movement is studied for A Level music?
1
What are the 4 movements in terms of key and tempo?
o Allegro moderato – G minor
o Scherzo and trio – B♭/E♭
o Andante – G major
o Allegretto – G minor.
Movement 1 of the trio uses “sonata form”. What are the main sections in sonata form.
o Exposition (bars 1–90) – repeated o Development (bars 91–164) o Recapitulation & Coda (bars 165–288)
When was the principle of “sonata form” established?
In the classical period (1750-1810).
What happens in the exposition section?
The main musical ideas/melodies (known as subjects) are presented to the listener.
The exposition is repeated. Why do you think this is?
To make the music more familiar to the listener, who (back in 1848) would only get to hear the piece as it is played live.
What is a “subject” in sonata form?
An important melody or group of melodic ideas that is then developed throughout the piece/movement.
True or false - sonata form will have a “first subject” and a “second subject”?
True
How is a first subject often different to a second subject?
The first subject will be in the tonic key and the second subject in a different key. A second subject may also often sound lighter or more feminine.
The first subject of CS’s trio is described as a “group” of ideas. Describe this group.
1(a) bars 1–4 violin melody (G minor)
1(b) bars 5–8 violin melody answer (G minor)
1(c) bars 22–23 chordal ff idea (G minor)
1(d) bars 23–25 legato p answer on violin (G minor)
What section does Schumann include before she presents the “2nd subject group”?
Bridge (bars 30-45).
As well as new melodic material, what is the biggest indication that the 2nd subject group has begun?
A modulation to a new key - in this case the relative major (Bb Major).
What harmonic device does Schumann use to help the music transition from the 1st subject to the 2nd subject group?
A pedal note, which helps the music to modulate (change key).
Describe the 2nd subject group.
2(a) bars 45-48 syncopated
minims in piano
2(b) bars 47–49 quavers in piano with rising diminished 7th broken chord in strings
What is a coda?
A section at the end of a piece or movement that concludes things.
What is a codetta?
A small coda concluding a section within a movement.
What section happens at end of the exposition from bar 73 onwards?
Codetta
What happens in the development section of a piece that follows sonata form?
The subjects are altered. This will be done by visiting a variety of new keys, often becoming quite remote from the tonic. Melodic material may also be fragmented (broken into pieces) and passed around the instruments.
What bars does the development section of the trio begin and end on?
Bars 91 to 164.
How do we know at b155 in the development that the next section (recapitulation) section is close?
A doubled dominant pedal in violin and cello prepares for a return to G minor (tonic key).
What happens in the recapitulation section of a piece that follows sonata form?
The subjects are restated and the tonic key is emphasised more to bring conclusion and resolution to the music.
What bars does the recapitulation section of the trio begin and end on?
Bar 165 to the end.
At what bar does the coda section begin within the recapitulation section?
Bar 250.
How do we know the coda has started at bar 250?
Because material from the earlier codetta section within the exposition is restated and developed.
What key is the first subject group in at the beginning of the recapitulation?
G minor (tonic), as in the exposition.
What key is the second subject group in when it returns in the recapitulation
G major - different to the exposition, which was in Bb major.
Why do you think Schumann writes the second subject group in G Major in the recapitulation?
Traditionally the second subject is in the tonic key when it returns in the recapitulation. If Schumann had done this in the trio then the second subject would’ve had to be in a minor key, rather than major. She presumably therefore decided on a compromise and went for G MAJOR, rather than G minor.
