Poulenc Trio Andante

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What type of music is this?

neo-classical

describe the chord at bar 34 beat 3

What is the structure of this movement?

ternary, but doesn't follow conventional tonalities

what is the instrumentation?

piano, oboe, bassoon

what is the first section?

section A

what is significant about the first 4 bars?

typically classical; balanced phrases, perfect cadence in 3-4, Bb pedal note

What instrument is introduced at bar 5?

Bassoon solo (similar to right hand piano in bar 3?

Describe the tonality at bar 5-10

tonicising the dominant (F) - F major chord on bar 7 beat 1

how does the metre change at bar 8?

one bar of 3/8 (neoclassical)

describe the tonality from bar 11-12

there is sequential harmony from bar 5 - at bar 11 there is tonicisation to Eb major and then to Db major at bar 12

describe the relationship between the oboe and the bassoon from bar 12 onwards

antiphonal (classical)

describe the tonality at bar 14

Ab major tonicisation

how does the key signature change at bar 17?

the flats in the key are neutralised and it is an open key sig.

describe the right hand piano at bar 17-18

doubling the melody played by the bassoon, but a octave lower

what harmonic device is used in bars 17-18

perfect cadence in E minor

what harmonic device is used in bars 21-22?

imperfect cadence in Bb major/minor

describe the harmonies in bar 22

tritone harmonies, using the octatonic scale (debussy influence, NOT CLASSICAL)

What section begins at bar 23?

Section B

What key is section B in?

B minor

how is the B section structured in phrases?

8+4

what chords repeat throughout this section?

B minor in 1st and 2nd inversions, never the root chords

what harmonic element is used in section B that consolidates the neoclassicism of the piece?

there are repeated attempts to resolve to the perfect cadence of Bm but it never fully does.

what chord is played on the first beat of bars 18 and 20?

B minor first inversion

how does this section build tension?

building dynamics, unresolved chord progressions

What does tierce de Picardie mean?

a major chord at the end of a piece/section of music in a minor key

what does tonicization mean\>

a temporary key change that creates a temporary tonic note; not a full modulation

what does antiphonal mean?

performing alternately in groups or in unison

How does the melodic material here compare to that of section A?

New melodic material is introduced but it is not too distinctive

what chord is heard at bar 34 beat 4?

F7 - octatonic

what neoclassical feature is used at bar 35 beat 4?

tierce de picardie (B major chord), fff

What pedal note is played from bar 35?

B - ambiguous key signature of B major or minor

what harmonic device is used at bars 37-38?

interrupted cadence in Cminor

what chord is heard on the first beat of bar 38?

Aflatb (Ab first inversion)

describe the melodic material at bars 41-44

Cmaj/min chromatic ascending sequence with irregular chord lengths, use of wrong notes (neoclassical)

describe the harmony at bar 45-47

diatonic

describe the tonality towards the end of the B section

chromatic, a bar of 2/8 time, ends on a cadence in Fmaj

What section begins at bat 51?

A

what key is section A in?

Db major, indicated by use of the dominant F pedal

where is the melodic material played at bar 51-58 from?

openig section, 1-8

what are some differences between bars 51-54 and 1-4?

- dominant pedal note rather than tonic pedal

- different key

- oboe accompaniment in 51-54

- 1-4 is mf, 51-54 is p

compare bars 55-58 with 5-8

- rhythmic variation

- grace notes in later version

- there is no perfect cadence at 57-58

- bassoon solo 5-8, antiphonal 55-58

- at 58 there sounds like there is new material being introduced, whereas bar 8 has a perfect cadence and sounds more final

what is neoclassical about the A section?

- it doesn't return to the tonic key

- it is extremely short, some may consider it a coda

describe the harmony in bars 62-64

uses F octonic scale, no C natural

describe the final chord of this movement

F major chord, finally uses C natural, the leading note of D major (the key of the third movement)