Bach’s Suite No. 1 in G major for violoncello Solo, Minuets I and II

Bach’s Suite No. 1 in G major for violoncello Solo, Minuets I and II are both composed in binary form. Each minuet is composed with two main sections. An A section and B section, and both are repeated.

Starting with minuet I, I believe that the A section is expository. I think the overall section is open because it ends on a D major chord forming a HC. Then, the B section is a developmental section where things seem to be a little unstable but it ends on a PAC in G major. This first minuet is a simple binary form by itself.

Minuet II start out with another expository section which in in a new key because of a mode change to g minor. The first A section ends on an interesting point and I think I would be wanting to just call it a section. Then the much longer B section continues on as a developmental section for the new minuet in the new key, and then ends on a PAC in g minor. The A section could be considered open continuous because of it ending on somewhat of an unique cadance, and the over all minuet two would be simple binary.

-one question…the minuet II has a da capo back to minuet I A section. Would this make the two pieces together a rondo because there is eventually a repeat of the original A section. I have other questions but I will wait until class for them….