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Wednesday, March 09, 2005

"Were'er you Walk" by Handel

This piece is very flexible for personal interpretation. I think it could be heard differently depending one whether a person really listens to the vocal line or to the instrumental parts. When I listen to the vocal accompaniement I hear cadences frequently but after studying the vocal line and the emphasis of the sentence structure, I would say the A section is an asymmetrical contrasting period. The first phrase ends on measure 8 after the vocalist has concluded the word "shade" and there is a semi colon. This first phrase ends on an IAC. Next there is a phrase that ends on a PAC in measure 16, followed by a 3 measure cadential extension. Because this section ends in the same key it began, it is closed. The B section really pops out of the texture due to the preparation at the end of A. The entire A section had been very soft. Then when the vocalist stops singing, the strings are forte on the extension. (I think that's funny. The piece only gets loud when the main focus of the piece stops.) The B section is then very shocking because it has a huge dynamic change to piano and the tonality shifts to the relative g minor. This B section is much shorter than the A. The first phrase of this section is 3 measures long and ends on a PAC is g minor. The next phrase reemphasizes the importance of the sentence and then modulates to c minor, ending on a PAC. Since both cadences are so strong, I think they form a phrase group. Then there is a da capo back to the beginning. This piece is simple ternary form becuase the A section returns and is repeated while the B section remains independent.

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