Essay on Bach Chaconne D Minor

Broadly speaking, the first movement can be divided in to three pieces, each beginning with a version of what I have denoted A_0, the introduction to the piece inwhich motifs float around in a constant void, gaining energy, and morphing into musicalthemes. If we were to impose the sonata structure onto the piece, we would say that the three pieces are the exposition, development, and recapitulation. The exposition introduces two large thematic blocks separated by a transition that

Throughout section A there is a consistent IV-I chord progression. These are aligned with each phrase and through the use of plagal cadence it makes each phrase seem resolved before moving onto the next.

The passacaglia is a composition the resembles a chaconne, which was popular within the Baroque era, and is performed in a triple time while providing variation surrounding the bass. This was also considered a type of dance that was typically slow and distinguished while also in a ¾ time. The fugue within the piece shows the relative melodies fused together within the composition in which an independent phrase of music is consistently repeated as the main

The symphony is in four very powerful and entertaining movements. The first movement begins in the pianissimo tone with the strings section, but quickly enters the fortissimo tone with the introduction of the woodwind, brass and percussion sections. The dynamics of the musical melody varies throughout the movement moving from crescendo to decrescendo modes. The first movement reminds you of a raging storm from soft blowing winds to thunder and lighting. The audience is mesmerized by this first movement of the sonata.

Section A’’ (mm. 51-65) repeats the MT with variation mostly in rhythmic changes leading up to the PAC in A♭ major at m. 66 where the coda (m. 66-73) begins. The coda essentially acts as a tonic expansion with some added 9ths to the dominant as seen in m. 67 and m.69. The piece works the V-I in a decrescendo to the final PAC in A♭ major in m. 73.

The I chord confuses the tonal direction becasuse the listener expects the ii to be followed by V and then I. This is even more confusing because the scale that accompanies the I chord implies V (the chord the listener wants to hear). The next bar rounds off this cadential prolongation (ii-V-I) but the exposition does not yet end. The arrival to I does not occur until beat three of the bar. The first two beats create even more prolongation as they nearly modulate. And even after this, the exposition is not done. There is a two bar codetta (a one bar figure played twice, the second time with variation) before the strong V7-I cadence with a C pedal tone. This is the first very strong cadence since the start of the closing material. Since the cadence at the end of the exposition is to C without any hint of F as a tonic, the Developement begins in C. In fact, it is clearly in C as its pick-ups are a C arpeggio and the first bar looks and sounds like I and shows no indication of a ‘Bb’ or any other scale alteration. The opening of the developement is also a textural change but seems to resemble old material in its melody. Both the first theme and the second theme have similar figures to the new material. The developement starts with tonal movement in each of the first two measures, I in the first measure and ii6 in the second. In the third bar the harmonic rythym increases with a I64 for the first two beats and a V7 in

This leads us to the third and final section of the sonata: the recapitulation. It begins in measure 102 and goes to the end of the piece in measure 148. The entire recapitulation is in the key of Bb major, but includes several thematic statements from both the exposition and the development. It begins with the same exact introduction from the exposition; same theme, same key (Bb). Then, it gets thrown off at 108, when it doesn’t quite follow the introduction. Basically, measures 7 through 10 are deleted from the re-statement, and instead takes us to the equivalency of the bridge section, but in Bb instead of F. That part is very crucial I feel, because when it was in F, its purpose was to sound like it needed to go on, whereas in Bb, it sounds like we’re coming to a close by returning to the original key. So in conclusion, from 110 to the end, it is exactly the same as the second part of the exposition, except instead of being in F, it is in Bb. If I may say so, this

Historically in Bach’s day, toccatas often served as introductions Fugues, setting the stage for the complex and intricate composition to follow. “Fugue” can be described as a technique characterized by the overlapping repetition of a principal theme in different melodic lines (counterpoint) and hence the second part of Bach’s composition reflects the particular popularity of this form. Bach made much use of the fugue in his compositions in solo organ pieces as in this particular fugue, with its accompanying toccata, is his best known

When thinking of composers, whose works changed the world of music forever, many names may come to mind. Among those on that list, both Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel are figures whose effect on music has been felt worldwide. Born in the same year, these composers have much in common and many differences that illustrate their importance to their era and music as we see it today. Their individualism and creativity influenced much of their time and together, their works defined the Baroque Period as we know it today.

The last effect of this unusual stanza is to create a turning point within the poem. The turning point starts in the final rhyming couplet of the fifth stanza where the pace is reduced by the use of alliteration and the trimetric line.

The harmonic rhythm is not very steady as the chords only change in bars 7, 10 and 11. The chord changes from D to A and then from A to E and E to A (shown in the musical excerpt). These chord changes are changes from either the dominant to the tonic or the tonic to the dominant, showing the typical barque chord changes.

The third movement lead straight into the fourth, and that lead into the fifth movement without missing a beat. The fifth and last movement of this symphony is in sonata rondo form, which is a blend of the two. A rondo is when the first theme, A, repeats several times with other music (B, C). This form then also shares characteristics of the sonata, so it has a development section as well that is common in sonata

During the later years of his life Bach gradually withdrew inwards, producing some of the most profound statements of the baroque musical form. Bach’s creative energy was conserved for the highest flights of musical expression: the Mass in b

28 No. 15 was written during the second period. This movement (III) is in ternary form (ABA). This first A section (A1) is in binary form and consists of 70 total measures in the key of D major. It is made up of two 32-bar sections that are divided into eight 4-bar phrases, a 4-bar extension at measures 45-48, and a 2-bar cadence at the end of the section. The second A section (A2) is made up of nine 4-bar phrases. A1 consists of a repeating theme that follows the chord progression I, ii6, V7, 1 in measures 5-8 and then goes to V6, vi6, V7/V, V I in measures 13-17 and the repeats these same progressions in measures 18-32 except measure 32 ends on the V chord instead of the 1 chord. A2 continues in D with a different and less melodic theme in measures 33-49 before repeating to the main theme in measures 50-70. This section crescendos and grows in

Beethoven’s symphony No. 5 in c minor, Op. 67, I has four movements allegro con brio, andante con moto, scherzo allegro, and allegro. The first movement is a sonata that contains a motif and fortissimo phases using imitation and sequence with a constant flowing melody. The second movement contains two themes in alternation. The first theme starts later followed by the second which later dies of as a third theme is born followed by fortissimo The third movement contains a scherzo and trio and is in ternary form the theme is immediately stated and continually gets revived. The fourth and final movement starts immediately after the third and is a variation of a sonata. The piece has strong cadence and recapitulates only to finish in an extremely