1- Brandenburg Concerto No.5 in D major - Bach

Question 1

Brandenburg Context

Answer 1

Johann Sebastian Bach
Baroque Period (1600- 1750)
Chamber Music
Patronage
Concerto Grosso
Secular - non religious
Affection mood

Question 2

Chamber music

Answer 2

Music for a small group of musicians

Question 3

Patronage

Answer 3

Composers were commissioned - Bach (composition commission of six concertos)

Question 4

Secular

Answer 4

Non - religious music

Question 5

Baroque period

Answer 5

1600 - 1750

Question 6

When was Brandenburg written?

Answer 6

1721

Question 7

Melody in Brandenburg

Answer 7

Music mostly Conjunct (bar 2)
Stepwise movement
Leaps throughout (fourths in bar 1)
Scalic runs (harpsichord part)
Rising sequences (bar 137)
Occasional ornaments (trills bar 19) (appoggiaturas bar 148)

Question 8

Conjunct Definition

Answer 8

Where a melody moves by steps and not by leaps.

Question 9

Sequence Definition

Answer 9

The repetition of a musical phrase at a higher or lower pitch than the original.

Question 10

Appoggiaturas Definition

Answer 10

A grace note which delays the next next note of the melody, taking half or more of its written time value.

Question 11

Trill defintion

Answer 11

Quickly moving between the written note and the tone above.

Question 12

Scalic Defintion

Answer 12

Pitches in a stepwise order.

Question 13

Ornamentation Definition

Answer 13

Elaborating or decorating musical material.

Question 14

Articulation in Brandenburg

Answer 14

…

Question 15

only set work that isn’t….

Answer 15

….Syncopated

Question 16

Dynamics in Brandenburg

Answer 16

Harpsichord prevents variation in dynamics
No dynamic markings (mostly for balance reasons)

Question 17

Terraced Dynamics

Answer 17

Sudden changing dynamics - used in Baroque music.

Question 18

Texture in Brandenburg

Answer 18

Contrapuntal (polyphonic)
Fugal style (uses lots of imitation)
Two-part imitation
Harpsichord plays two-part counterpoint
Flute and violin plays in thirds and harpsichord
In ripieno flute and violin doubles each other in unison (e.g. Bar 33)
Tonic pedal on B in bass line in new middle section theme

Question 19

Unison Definition

Answer 19

More that one part playing the same melody at the same pitch.

Question 20

Fragments Defintion

Answer 20

A small segment of a piece of music.

Question 21

Contrapuntal/ Polyphonic

Answer 21

Two or more simultaneous and independence melody lines.

Question 22

Homophonic

Answer 22

A texture comprising a melody part and an accompaniment.

Question 23

Structure in Brandenburg

Answer 23

Ternary form (ABA)
Intro motif used in other sections (clever use by Bach)
A - D major, being fugal style, brief section in the dominant key (A major)
B- middle section begins bar 79, in relative minor (B Minor) with new theme in flute, second theme returns in bar 148 in dominant in the ripieno, fragments of theme A, end with perfect cadence B minor
A- repeat of A, beings with extra D major chord in the continuo to establish return of the tonic key.

Question 24

Fugue definition

Answer 24

a contrapuntal composition in which a short phrase is introduced by one part and successively taken up by others and developed by interweaving the parts.

Question 25

Stretto definition

Answer 25

Entires of the subject occurring closer together than before, heightening the tension of the music.

Question 26

Countersubject definition

Answer 26

The melody played after the subject or answer has been sounded.

Question 27

Harmony Brandenburg

Answer 27

Uses standard chords ( 1, 5, 4)
Dominant sevenths
harmony is functional
mainly root position
Diatonic
mainly first inversions
perfect cadences
Suspension (bar 130)

Question 28

Diatonic defintion

Answer 28

Notes belonging to the key of the piece.

Question 29

Instruments Brandenburg

Answer 29

Cello
double bass
harpsichord - figured bass
Concerto grosso
Concertino
Ripieno
Basso continuo
Harpsichord parts very virtuosic
Baroque flute different from modern flute

Question 30

Figured bass Definition

Answer 30

a shorthand system of numbers under the bass notes

Question 31

How did Bach break the traditions of a Concerto?

Answer 31

Extended Virtuoso solo part for harpischord - Scalia runs as well

The harpsichord only occasionally play continuo chords (bar 29 - 37)

The ripieno only has one violin part

The concertino consist of flute, violin, harpsichord

Concerto grosso

Question 32

Ripieno Definition

Answer 32

String orchestra

Question 33

Concertino defintion

Answer 33

group of solo instruments

Question 34

Concerto Grosso Definition

Answer 34

A concerto for a large number of instrumental parts, typically 3 soloists and an orchestra.

Question 35

Continuo definition

Answer 35

The bass line in Baroque orchestral, chamber and choral works.

Question 36

Figured bass Definition

Answer 36

A type of musical shorthand for a keyboard player. The figures indicate the chord to be played able the bass note.

Question 37

Rhythm, tempo, metre Brandenburg

Answer 37

The metre is 2/4, duple time
triplets and dotted rhythm
trills (bar 19)
Baroque era the dotted quaver - semiquaver grouping e.g. bar 1 would be performed in triplet rhythm.
semiquaver runs in harpsichord. ( bar 45)

Question 38

Tonality Brandenburg

Answer 38

D major
Key used for most of A section
B section modulated to the dominant (a major) and relative minor (B minor)
music is diatonic

Question 39

Vituosic Defintion

Answer 39

Difficult and impressive

Question 40

Diatonic Defintion

Answer 40

All the notes/ chords come from the key signature.

Question 41

Gigue defintion

Answer 41

A fast Baroque dance or piece that suggests a dance.

Question 42

Pedal note defintion

Answer 42

A chord where the tonic is in the bass

Question 43

Dotten rhythm definition

Answer 43

A longer note followed by a shorter value

Question 44

Suspension definition

Answer 44

Prolonging a note to create a dissonance with the next chord.

Question 45

Antiphonal definition

Answer 45

Swapping between different musical groups