CL

Brandenburg Concerto No.5

  • Melody
    • Mostly conjunct melody, although there are some leaps
    • There are rising sequences (b137)
    • Many ornaments - typical for baroque
    • 2 principal themes
    • Subject and answer are alternate every 2 bars
    • Entries of subject and answer are closer than before - seeming fast and tumbling (stretto)
    • Countersubject - harmony line for subject
    • Uses pedal, suspensions, and sequences
  • Harmony
    • Uses standard chords (I, IV, V, sometimes II and VI)
    • includes dominant 7ths in inversions
    • Functional harmony
    • Usually uses root and 1st inversion chords
    • Occasional suspensions (b130)
  • Tonality
    • Predominantly D major
    • B section is in B minor - relative minor
    • Final A section is back in D
    • Sometimes modulates to dominant (A maj)
    • ^ Indicated by use of accidentals
  • Instrumentation
    • A concerto grosso - concerto for more than 1 soloist
    • Concertino - solo instruments (flute, violin, harpsichord)
    • Ripieno - accompanying part (string orchestra)
    • Basso continuo - continuous bass line in harpsichord + low strings
    • Harpsichord has 5 roles - soloist, part of the basso, realising the figured bass, completing the harmony, conducting/directing the ensemble
  • Tempo
    • 2/4
    • Uses many triplets and dotted rhythms (theme 1)
    • Harpsichord part has many semiquaver runs
    • Could’ve also been notated in 6/8 (due to triplets)
  • Context
    • Bach wrote 6 Brandenburg concertos for the Margrave of Brandenburg
    • Usual for Baroque music to only have 1 mood - affection
    • Affection for this piece was upbeat - similar to a dance
    • Written as chamber music - small group of musicians
  • Dynamics
    • Few dynamic markings, since it is Baroque era
    • There are terraced dynamics - balancing the instrument sounds
  • Structure
    • Ternary structure (ABA)
    • A section is a fugal style (Expositional)
    • B section adds a new theme
  • Texture
    • Mainly polyphonic (more than 1 melody at a time)
    • use of imitation
    • At the start, the flute + violin play in two-part imitation
    • When the harpsichord comes in, the subject is on the left hand, while the answer is in the right - 2 part counterpoint
    • Once all solo instruments are playing, this is 4 part counterpoint
    • Occasionally flute + violin play in thirds