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Drama And Tension In Johann Sebastian Bach's Third Movement

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Johann Sebastian Bach’s third movement, Presto, of the Concerto in F Minor for harpsichord and strings, BWV 1056, provides ample material for analysis. This movement is in binary form, which means an opening ritornello alternates with episodes of solo material. The ritornello, full of easily recognizable material provided by both the orchestra and solo harpsichord, provides a stable back drop in between each solo section which creates drama and excitement throughout the entire concerto. The word “concerto” comes from “concertare,” which has different meanings in Latin and Italian. In Latin, concertare means “to contend, dispute, or debate,” while the Italian meaning is “to agree, arrange, or get together.” There is evidence of both definitions in use J.S. Bach uses many of techniques characteristic of the Baroque period, including imitation, vordersatz, fortspinnung, and epilog, to help increase the drama and tension of the piece. Vodersatz is the exposition of a motif, follow by the development of the motif, known as fortspinnung. The epilog is the closing section that ends in a cadence. In this essay, I will be analyzing the form and historical context of the Presto movement of BMV 1056, in order to understand how and why Bach uses well established compositional techniques to create a drama and tension in his concerto. In analyzing the form of this movement, one can see three distinct themes in the opening ritornello, which are then brought back in various episodes of

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