Lecture 2a Bach and Brandenburg Concertos PDF

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Summary

Johann Sebastian Bach and the Brandenburg Concertos
Brandenburg Concerto no.5 (BWV 1050): movements 1 and 3
Focus on genre, form, variation, instrumentation/orchestration...

Description

Lecture 2a Johann Sebastian Bach and the Brandenburg Concertos Brandenburg Concerto no.5 (BWV 1050): movements 1 and 3 Focus on genre, form, variation, instrumentation/orchestration

Pre-reading notes: The ritornello itself comprises a motivic ‘Vordersatz’ which immediately establishes the key and character of the movement and is easily recognizable on its return; a ‘Fortspinnung’ or continuation, usually involving sequential repetition; and a cadential Epilog. The opening of the Third Brandenburg Concerto exemplifies the type quite well, although one might argue about where exactly the Fortspinnung ends and the Epilog beings. The ritornello of the first movement of the fifth concerto shows the threefold division quite clearly. Some embody fugal procedures…

Context -

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Bach (1635 – 1750) had visited Berlin in 1719 to buy a harpsichord. On this occasion, he played before Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg-Schwedt who invited him to send him more of his music In 1721, Bach sent him ‘Six Concerts à plusieurs instruments’, with an elaborate dedication also in French The pieces were mostly composed earlier, though, some probably going back to Bach’s previous job in Weimar (1708-17), as we can tell from the instrumentation, although Bach made some revisions No. 5 was probably composed last and used to showcase the new harpsichord, to be played by Bach (a renowned virtuoso) himself The Margrave seems not to have used the scores or even thanked Bach; Bach had used all the resources available at Cothen, which Christian Ludwig probably could not muster (he was a prince, but not the crown prince of the Hohenzollern family, the Prussian royal family) Bach seems to have tried to get a court appointment; had he copied the manuscript carefully himself

Models -

Bach knew some of Antonio Vivaldi’s (1678 – 1741) concertos which had set the standard (You may think of ‘The Four Seasons’ but that’s from 1723 His earlier concertos were generally simpler and follow a pretty standard form, with alternating and starkly contrasting ritornello tutti sections and solo episodes

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Bach’s Brandenburgs tend to be a little more varied and complex, be aware though that ‘originality’ was not generally prized at the time and that, although there were precursors, Vivaldi had established the genre

Ensemble/Orchestral score

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Note the distinction between solo instruments on top and ‘ripieno’ parts at the bottom Harpsichord plays both solo and basso continuo (harmonic backing based on numbers) – solo violin doubles the ensemble on this occasion

Instrumentation -

Parts are doubled, and instrumentation changes to create contrast and variety

Genre and Form -

Note that ‘genre’ normally means something quite different in classical music studies than in popular music ‘a class, type or category, sanctioned by convention’ Grove. This typically means things like symphony, string quartet, opera, sonata. It says little or nothing about the period or style In popular music more akin to ‘style’ – heavy metal, R&B, hip hop etc. Concerto: ‘an instrumental work that maintains contrast between an orchestral ensemble and a smaller group or solo instrument, or among various groups of an undivided orchestra.’ Fashionable in Bach’s time, by conventions three movements, typically fast-slow-fast Form: I Ritornello, II Ritornello without ripieni in a trio sonata instrumentation and fugato, III Da capo (ABA, ternary) form with fugato

Ritornello

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Diminutive or ‘ritorno’ (it.) ‘return’ Originally used for orchestral introductions to operatic arias; application to baroque concerto relatively recent – form owes a lot to vocal models; opera was the leading genre Alternation between ritornello (tutti) and episodes (solo) – in Vivaldi the contrast tends to be straight forward, but Bach integrates the two Elements of the ritornello appear in the episodes Some instruments appear in both (e.g. harpsichord) The ritornello does not always appear verbatim but is varied to play with the audiences’ expectations Combination of repetition and variation, contrast and continuity – basic principles of musical form, arguably based on human perception and cognition This plan is mapped on to a harmonic architecture, modulating to different keys, outlining something like a large-scale harmonic progression or cadence.

A (Vordersatz) W

X

I

V

B’ (Fortspinnung 2)

I

ii7b V vi

Ib

B (Fortspinnung 1) y

Z

V

I

IV

Vb

C (Epilog)

IV

V7

I

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Consists of four phrases: opening phrase A (Vordersatz), continuation B (Fortspinnung), continuation B’, epilogue C (cadence) – overall eight bars (very common, but in this case not regular 4 + 4 structure) Second continuation necessitated by interrupted cadence in b.5 – music seems to come to a (premature?) close on a relatively weak part of the bar, but this is averted, and another continuation attached Epilogue brings closure with a strong cadence on the downbeat Motivic material: w – arpeggiation upwards, x: neighbor note turn figure and scale run, y: quaver leap downwards, z: stepwise note pairs (quasi-appoggiaturas) – whether y is a meaningful motif is uncertain W, x, y: semi-quaver motion, w and z in note repetitions (string technique) Note close interaction of harmony, phrase structure, motivic material and rhythm and metre

Ritornello

Episodes

Tutti

Solo

Forte

Piano

Regular phrases

Irregular phrases

Clear metrical accents

Evading clear pulse

Cadential progressions

Harmonic development, modulation

Statement

Development (drift)

Type

Bars

Key

Type

Bars

Rit 1

1-9

I

Rit 6

101-02

Ep 1

9-19

I-V

Ep 6

101-21

Rit 2

19-20

V

Rit 7

121-25

Ep 2

20-29

Circle of fifths

Ep 7

125-36

Rit 3

29-31

V

Rit 8

136-39

Ep 3

31-39

~

Ep 8 (cadenza)

139-218

Rit 4

39-42

vi

Ep 4

42-58

~

Rit 5

58-61

I

Ep 5

61-100

~

Rit 9 = Rit 1

219-227...