Intermezzo

Question 1

What does the title of the piece mean?

Answer 1

Literal- a piece of that fits between two things (eg acts of a play).
Romantic Period- an individual piece, complete in itself.

Question 2

What do Intermezzo’s generally contain?

Answer 2

Beautiful, lyrical melodies.

Question 3

What is the genre of Intermezzo?

Answer 3

Character Piece.

Question 4

What is the form of the piece?

Answer 4

Clear ternary form (ABA) with section A including two main themes.

Question 5

What key does it start and end in?

Answer 5

A major.

Question 6

What is the metre and markings?

Answer 6

Simple triple metre with a crochet anacrusis and is marked andante teneramente (walking pace tenderly).

Question 7

How does Section A start?

Answer 7

Lyrical melody that richly harmonised made up of two four bar phrases that are complimentary. The first ends on an imperfect cadence in A major (Ic-V) which can be described as viib of IV-IVb in D major (adding to the richness of harmony). The second phrase ends on a perfect cadence in E major (V7-I).

Question 8

What happens in Bars 8.3 to 16.2 in Section A?

Answer 8

The theme is repeated in a slightly varied form at pp dynamic and more internal harmonic movement in Bars 11-15.

Question 9

What happens at Bar 16.3 in Section A?

Answer 9

A second more ominous theme begins. A three note phrase is heard once, twice then extended over two bars with an internal tenor melody.

Question 10

What key does the piece shift to in Bar 16.3 in Section A?

Answer 10

Suddenly shifts to C major.

Question 11

What happens in Bars 20.3-24 in Section A?

Answer 11

The second theme is transposed up a perfect 4th, ending on an Am harmony in Bar 24.

Question 12

What happens from Bar 25-30 in Section A?

Answer 12

The melody climbs slowly and mostly chromatically, heading to a top A in Bar 30 accompanied by arpeggio quavers shared between the hands.

Question 13

What happens from Bar 30-34 in Section A?

Answer 13

They prepare the listener for the return of the opening theme by:
The opening three notes of the main theme in the bass.
Syncopation in the upper left hand.
Short three-note phrases heard major then minor.
Calando indication.

Question 14

What happens in Bar 34-56 in Section A?

Answer 14

The opening theme returns with the first two bars in exact inversion. The second theme is heard again at the same pitch as Bars 20-22 and marked un poco animato ending Section A on two gentle perfect cadences in A major (V7-I).

Question 15

How does Section B start?

Answer 15

Begins immediately in F#m (although the raised 7th (E#) doesn’t appear immediately. A new theme is introduced using the ‘two against three’ rhythm.

Question 16

What is the cadence in Bar 56 of Section B?

Answer 16

Imperfect cadence in F#m.

Question 17

What happens in Bars 57-64 of Section B?

Answer 17

Form an oasis changing the texture to homophonic with a modal change to F# major with a slight connection to the opening Section B theme. Section 64 ends on a fermata V7 chord.

Question 18

What happens in Bars 59-69 of Section B?

Answer 18

The melody is heard in the inner parts with the top playing an augmented version of the theme.

Question 19

What happens from Bar 69-76 in Section B?

Answer 19

The theme is heard for the last time in the top part, extended one bar then followed by a perfect cadence in F#m. The section ends on a dissonant chord.

Question 20

What happens in the second Section A?

Answer 20

The main theme is stated omce (slightly varied and more intense). Bar 84.3 to the end is exact repetition of bars 16.3 to 48, shows Brahm’s love of order and symmetry.