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Thursday, April 07, 2005

Bach Fugue 11

I couldn't find my Form and Analysis books last night, so sorry this is coming in late.

The exposition subject is first stated in the left hand in m. 1-4. It then overlaps with the right hand, which restates the subject in the next four measures. This pattern of passing the subject from LH to RH with only a half a measure overlapping length continues in as the expository unit up to measure 30. Then begins the development, which can be divided up into three sections. The first uses a motive similar to the beginning of the A subject, and repeats it in downward sequential fashion. This continues until measure 45, ending on a PAC in d min. The next section is similar but repeats an inverted motive in the LH moves a different direction. This section ends on a PAC in g min in m. 55. The next section is similar to the first, and ends on a PAC in F Maj to end the piece.

Bach fugue no. 11 in f major, bwv 856

Hrmmmk, hopefully this blog will work....I would say that this piece is a 3 voice fugue. The four measure theme is stated first in the l.h, and then in the r.h. in the 3 three voices throughout the exposition mm.1-30, modulation mm. 30-65, and terminative, mm.61-- Beggining in F major, the motive modulates a bit and is heard in C major in mm. 17. It modulates to D major in mm. 33, and g minor in mm. 46. As it modulates, i picked up on two IACs in mm. 13 and 29, a resolving PAC in mm.46 and a PAC in 56. The subject, although stated very clearly in the beggining really seems to get hacked up and messed around with in the developmental section. I was kind of hard to pick out, but I believe i found 13 subjects. This is a very busy piece, and I found it difficult to analyze, but I liked it all the same.....good night!

Bach Fugue 11 in F

I think the expository section of this fugue runs from the beginning to bar 27, the modulatory from measure 28 to 55, and the closing section from there to the end. Not sure though... I'm also not sure about the cadences, but the ones that I definitely heard were in bars 46 and 56. The texture is really thick in this piece. Maybe it was just the recording I listened to or the harpsichord as an instrument in general, but I found it extremely difficult to pick the repeated subject out when it was in the lower octaves, so I'd usually hear a few notes of it and realize that I could hardly hear what was going on, so I have no clue exactly how many times it appears in the piece.

Fugue 11 in F Major, BWV 856

Fugue 11 in F major, BWV 856
This fugue consists of three voices. A bass, a soprano, and a voice that pivots between alto and tenor. The fugue begins with the pick up to the piece in the tenor voice and last for the first three measures. Then, in measure four the motive is repeated in the soprano line. Measure nine if the first time we hear the bass line and it start right away with the motive starting with the pick up in measure 9. After the bass is done we have a couple measure away from the motive and it is then brought back in with the pick up in measure 17 in the soprano. Then played again in the alto in measure 22.
This next really interesting point is that now the motives are never played in one voice at a time. They start over lapping from here to the end. The first case of this starts in measure 26-28 in the bass. Then while the bass is still carrying the motive the alto comes in with it in measure 28 while the bass is finishing up. This effect of overlapping the motive happens again but moving downward in the voices from soprano to bass from measures 37-43. Then again moving upward from bass to soprano in measures 47-53.
In looking at the ending, I believe that the last overlapping was the last time the actually motive is heard in this piece. It just ends on a mixture of little sections.

Fugue IX - Well Tempered Clavier vol. II

This is in E major, and the first expository section to the middle of measure 12. The subject consists of do- re fa mi re, and alternates between its statement on do and on sol in B, so that the exposition moves between tonic and dominant functions. First the subject moves from E to B to E to B, then there is a pause for development or "episode" and then suddenly the subject in B appears at m9 overlapped by the subsequent subject in E which is then overlapped by the subject in a lower voice in B and then overlapped with the top voice stating the subject back in the tonic. This climaxes the exposition and leads it into the modulatory section which begins with an episode -- an e# appearing rather regularly in the texture. At m16, there is a dynamic change and we get a restatement of the subject followed by an overlap on the dominant again. There is then another small episode, then the fugue subject returns this time beginning on F (the first time so far). There is another episode and then the subject returns at the end of m26 this time on G (moving up from F). Then the subject repeats on the F and then back in the B and the E. There is an almost statement two measures before the reexposition at m35, but the rhythm is off. We then have the reexpo which restates the sub on E, then B, then E, then B again (like at first). It then terminates in teh last three measures with a falling motive in the outer voices, a rising one in the tenor voice and a leaping sequencing downward in the alto. Then the outer voices rise and finally the texture coagulates into a homophonic chordal ending.

I looked very carefully, but did not see much manipulation of the actual fugue subject (i.e. inversions)

Fugue No. 21 in Bb Major

It's pretty obvious to me that this whole "imitative form" is gonna be rather difficult in comparison to our previous assignments. That being said, I will analyze Fugue No. 21 in Bb Major from the first volume of Bach's The Well Tempered Klavier. With three voices and 3 melodies, (subject and 2 counter subjects), Tim Smith compares the Fugual form to that of a Tumbling Block quilt. "Stitching" the 3 melodies together, the 3 voices create "swatches" of colors. Seeing a visual representation of this analysis allows one to really visualize this musical quilt.
The first four measures are expository. The next voice enters in the next 4 bars playing the subject, while the top voice plays the first countersubject. The following 4 measures brings in the 3rd voice, while the middle voice goes to the first countersubject and the top plays the final countersubject. This constant switching of subject and countersubject between the voices gives the song a "tumbling feeling."
In measures 17 through 21 we hear brief repetitions of sequenced subjects. This one measure repeated melody can be found back in it's original form in measure 4. Underneath this we see 3 measures of inverted subject, helping serve as a transition to measure 22.
We then go back to the interwoven fabric of three voices, now in the relative minor key of g minor, then 4 bars later in the key of c minor. This is a developmental section. Measures 30-32 are the inversion of measures 19-21 and again serve as a transitional/modulatory section. Measure 37 brings us to Eb major, and we land finally in Bb major in measure 41. The tumbling subjects have brought us full circle.

Bach's WTC, Vol. 1, Fugue 15 in G

I played this piece last semester and this site would have been enormously helpful then! This piece has a really long subject. It is 5 measures long. In entirety the fugue has a total of 3 subjects. The second subject joins during the last measure of the first subject. This overlapping adds thick texture and dimensions to the the piece. Measures 9 and 10 are a little break before the third subject enters at measure 11 until measure 15. It's very hard for me to hear cadences in fugues because there's always one part moving. I really love the suspensions starting in measure 17 in the inner voices. They are so beautiful when stretched out. The new melodic material in these few notes adds a lot of tension to a fairly happy and "bouncey" piece. It's amazing now that I'm listening to it again how beautiful the piece really is in its simplest form when one can merely listen and enjoy it. When I played it, I had so many things going on in my brain about how to articulate and bring out certain subjects and how to do inverted subjects differently and play countersubjects similarly that I couldn't ever enjoy the piece. Starting at measure 20 there is some intensity building in variations of the themes. The theme is inverted a few times. Trills are added as a prep for something new coming. Then there is a lot of counter scalar passages. This leads into the development section. Momentarily the inner voice is excluded while the upper voice plays a scalar melody with the main theme in the bass. This really brings out the contrast in range, timbre, and rhythm between the upper and lower voices. The first couple measures of the development remind me of the Grand Russian scale where they switch between counter and parallel scalar passagaes. The development has many instances of inversion, fragmentation, and imitation. There's a descending sequence pattern between 47 and 51 and another between 65 and 69 that brings us back to the restatement of the original subject back in the original key. Each voice is restated and the piece closes after a flurry of runs with sixteenths and thirty-seconds on a PAC in GM on what now seems like a very lengthy dotted eighth. Doing this analysis makes me want to go back and play this piece again.

Fugue in F Major, BWV 856 by.... BACH!!!!

I have no idea where to begin with this Fugue. I have missed the lectures both days and didn't get into the library in time to hear it. Anyhow, here goes.

The main theme is exposed in the left hand in mm. 1-4. The right hand then comes in with the theme, though it is modified, transposed to tonic instead of starting on the IV chord. The third voice enters with the theme in its original form on beat 3 of measure 9.

I would guess that the modulatory section begins in measure 31. Leading up to that, the last three measures follow the cadence V-I-V7. In measure 31, the left hand plays a pattern which is repeated again in bar 33 a step lower, leading to a series of tonal centers that are not tonic. The piece wanders from I to vi to V/ii to ii and then stays in V/ii for a while (measures 36-41). It seems the piece has modulated to ii at this point and remains there until m. 68, where the terminative section begins.

The melody is reexposed in measure 41 in the left hand, as well as m. 47 and then 48 in the middle voice.

Measure 68 begins the terminative section, which just reinforces the tonal center of F. I bet it sounds relieving b/c the piece went through so many keys to get there. Also, the cadence leading up to the return of f was very extended. Beginning in measure 61, it goes:
V7/IV, IV, V65, V7/IV, II6, V7 (though I6 is hinted at in m. 66), V43, and finally I.

Fugue 11 in F Major

Ok... I'm still not sure of myself on analyzing these, but here goes nothing:

Ok, The expository section obviously begins at the beginning and lasts through measure 30. I am really, really unsure of cadences because it is so busy and the sixteenth notes always carry through. But, it seems like there is a cadence at measure 13 during the expository section. Other than that, I am not sure. The initial statement of the subject lasts until measure 4. I found the subject used 12 (I think) times throughout the piece... I'm sure I missed a few though. There are 3 voices, all of which are very very busy... and things get a little mushy.
The developmental/modulatory section lasts from measure 30- around measure 60. Throughout this section he plays with the subject (or "noodles around" with the subject) but you can still here it in there very obviously. There are a few shifts in tonality. I think there are cadences in 46 and 56?
The terminative section lasts from 60- the end. There is obviously a perfect authentic cadence at the very end of the piece.

fugue 11 in F major, bach

This is a fugue with three voices; when I started looking at this, for some reason I thought the end of the subject was on measure 7...but I afterwards analyzing the piece i looked up the online analysis from timothy smith, and it makes sense. Measures 1-7 looked like a big chunk to me, and this motive was repeated in different voices...but having the subject end on measure 4 makes sense to me now because it ends on the dominant.

anyway, the subject is four measures long, and begins in F major. There are hardly any structural phenomena except for a couple of changes in key and also in register. After the expository part, the parts of the subject break up into fragments (i think they do...?)The two cadences I noticed are very small IAC's (measures13 and 29) that are moving very fast. It modulates to D major around measure 33, and ends on a very noticable PAC on measure 46. Then it moves to g minor right on meausure 47, ending on a very noticable PAC in g minor as well. It sounds really cool. The ending cadence is finally ended with a PAC in the original key. I counted 13 subjects...who knows though?

Wednesday, April 06, 2005

Fugue 11 in F Major, BWV 856

This piece begins in the key of F major (as it states in the name). The subject lasts until m. 4 and is stated two more times besides the initial statement. Therefore, this fugue is made up of three voices. I found that the subject is in this piece 14 times. I'm having a hard time figuring out where exactly the cadences are, but I definitely feel cadences at measures 13, 46, 56, and of course the last measure. The expository section obviously starts at the beginning of the piece and lasts until m. 30. The modulatory section is from m. 30-65. I'm not sure if this is correct, but it seems to finally get back to the original key at m. 66.

Bach Fugue 15 in G major

This subject of this fugue is a four measure phrase with the outer two measures with eighth note four sixteenth note pattern and the inner two with four eighth notes one quarter note. Then the real answer happens in bar five through eight in the second voice a fourth lower and the upper voice does the counter subject which has some similarities to the subject. This is followed by a two bar transition into the subject being played by the third voice an octave lower than the original subject. The piece then goes into some sequences and finally the subject returns in measure 25 but this time it is inverted. There is also an IAC in G in the measure prior to this. The bass voice also does an inversion in measure 29 and the top voice does an imperfect inversion of the countersubject. Then there is another sequenced section the modulates into e minor and the subject begins again in this new key in bar 39. This is followed by an inversion of the middle voice starting on G, me in the key. The similar sequence happens again and then in bars 53 and 54 an interesting thing happens with the two voices switch measures from within the subect in a sort of call and response thing. Then the two voices are parellel for two bars reaching an IAC in b minor in bar 57. There's some more shadows of the sequences, which are all similar to what happened in the two bars between the end of the second voice's real answer and the enterance of the third voice. Then the top and bottom voice once again do some echoing of the subject. There's some more inversions of the subject and it finally returns to G nine bars from the end where the top two voices do the subject in intervals of the third and the bass voice does an imperfect inversion on the third. This eventually arrives at the last PAC in G.

Bach, Fuga XVI

The fugue begins with the theme in the tenor line from measures 1-4. The alto takes over from meausre 5-8 while the tenor plays some cute accompaniment. Soprano line comes in at measture 9 and has the theme until 12. 13-16 is the bass entrance and thematic moment.

Now that all four parts are in, Bach lets us soak up the four part texture for 3 measures before bring the theme back in the tenor line from measures 20-23. When then have 8 measures of four part texture before bringing the theme back in the sopranos measures 32-35. Basses m. 36-39. This time there are 5.5 measures of four part texture before the middle voices (alto/tenor) bring back the theme in measures 45-48. 57-59 the soprano and alto has it, while 59-62 is the bass/tenor moment.

For the entire last page Bach just plays around the rhythms of the theme and throws those in, but never fully gives us the theme for the rest of the fugue.

Fugue in B-flat minor- BACH

I like this fugue alot, I guess when I normally think of a fugue, very rhythmic and structured are characteristics that come to mind, and this one was cool because I almost felt like there was rubato in some sections and more concentration on the phrasing.
The fugue has three voices, the upper voice begins in m.1 and the middle voice comes in repeating the main motive in m.3, the lowest voice comes in witht the motive in m.10 for the first time. I feel like there was definately an exposition kind of quality to this opening with the statement of the theme in all three voices and very standard motivic repetition going on everywhere.
Suddenly though, around measures 24-25, things start to change and become more dense and the texture has changed almost completely. The main motive is now split into the right and left hand, with half notes in the bass and quarter notes in the treble, its almost like its all crammed together, and the texture starts to get thicker here. This section seems to be full of expression and more of a different take on the motive, I guess I would call it the B section of the piece kind of.
There are somewhat identical cadences in m.37 and m.55 which could signal the end of small sections or phrases, they are very strong and easily recognizeable cadences so that is the biggest reason I can see to have written them.
I counted the motive 15 times, but I might be off by one or two either way, I think I might have forgotten what number I was on when I was trying to count.
Even looking at the music it was difficult at times to really identify the cut and dry motive, which I felt like were the two half notes, quarter rest and six quarter notes. Sometimes like around m.25 as I mentioned, the motive was inverted, and there were a few examples of some augmentation of the motive and retrograd which wasn't always easily identifiable for me..

Bach: Fugue in Bb Major

Now that we're all just fuguing around I thought I'd do one of the fugues we talked about today, at least I think this is the same one. This fugue has 3 voices and what I heard as 9 subjects (or 8, I can't decide if one of them is a true subject or not). The trouble with these is really finding a way to break them up, since we really lack concrete cadences until the very end. The subject lasts 4 measures and is introduced in the order of top, bottom, then finally middle voice. An interesting idea is how Bach takes basically 3 segments (the subject and 2 countersubjects) and weaves them in and out. Each voice picks up where the other left off, spreading up and down the voices, much like a waterwheel. This pattern is interupted twice however, in measures 19-22 the middle voice drops out entirely and the bass plays the first measure of the subject over and over again in a descending sequence. It's funny sounding, like the fugue is stuttering over lines, before coming back in to the subject and 2 countersubject pattern. This interruption happens again in measures 30-33 only inverted, as the top voice has the descending sequence of the opening measure. The subsequent measures confuse me, as it seems that the inner voice does have the subject, but it moves away towards the countersubject too soon. I want to call it a subject, especially listening to it, but since it doesn't have all 4 measures I guess I can't technically classify it. I really like the flowing nature of this fugue as it seemingly flows out effortlessly. We have a return of that stuttering motion at the very again, signaling out final cadence, a PAC.

Fugue in 11 in F major

Ok i'm still trying to get the hang of analyzing Fugues, so bear with me. The piece begins in F with the subject beginning in the left hand for the first three measures. The right hand then picks up the subject also at measure 5. This is the expository section. The subject is stated again in C at measure 17, notice the b naturals. This piece is really busy, so I could be wrong, but I feel like the modulatory section comes around 31. It seems that Bach moved away from the main subject a little and put it on the backburner. It's still there, really obviously a few measures after at 36. Looking at the piece you can tell the terminative section is reached at 62, when the eb's go away. But to me, it sounds like 61, maybe because the eighth note acsension starts on a C major chord, which is the dominant of F.

fugue in B flat major

this fugue from book 1 of the well tempered clavier consists of 3 voices and a subject that is revisited several times throughout the piece. (I counted about 14.) The expository statement, or the subject rather, begins the piece and lasts four measures until the next voice begins and reinstates the first motive. the second time the subject is played, it is transposed down a 5th, so the starting note is b flat and no longer f. about the 6th time the subject enters, it is inverted, as seen in measure 19 in the bass line.
the fugue also has two countersubjects that appear, the first one appearing after measure 9 anda again after measure 25.

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Bach Invention 4 in d minor

Sorry about the repetition kids... but I only have the Burkhart. So here we go... short and sweet:

The expository section begins with measures 1 and 2. This section consits of the motive being passed between the left and right hands... it is very fugal sounding. Measures 7-10 seem to develop the motive... or "noodle around." The left hand then takes the motive until measure 18, where we have a PAC in F Major.
The second section begins at measure 18 and goes until measure 37. The left hand carries the motive until measure 22, where the right hand takes over. Again, lots of just passing the theme back and forth. There is some scalar action going on... and the piece modulates to a minor... at least I think :-) There is a PAC in measure 37.
The final section ends on a PAC in d minor. It feels like it is coming to a PAC in 48... but instead we get a 4 measure cadential extension.

Invention 4 in d minor, by Bach

ok, i was going to try to do the bartok, but it's 2 oclock in the morning, and you can't find that piece anywhere online! sooo, bach it is...
This invention is divided into 3 main sections. The main motive is expressed in the first 2 measures, serving as the expository function. The right and left hands switch turns doodling sixteenth notes, and the left hand follows the right hand's lead most of the time. The first section starts out in d minor, but measure 9 seems like it has modulated to F major on a V chord, and stays in F; the 1st section ends on a PAC in F

The second section starts with this really harsh trill for 3 measures in the right hand with the left hand doodling underneath. It seems to act as a transitional function, as well as a development in the invention, because I think it modulates to a minor in measure 26. The left hand decides to mimic the right hand again and begins playing the harsh trill with the right hand doodling above it. This section ends in a Pac in a minor.

The last section is back to d minor, leading back to the expository section. There's a cadential extension for four measures in measures 48-52. It finally ends on a PAC in the original key.

Bach invention in D minor

Bars 1-2 are expository as the main motive of this section is passed from the right hand, to the left hand, then back to the right hand. Development ensues culminating in a PAC in bar 18 which begins a new sections. Notice the trill in the right hand here then in th eleft hand in bar 29. Bar 38 there is a PAC in a minor and this begins the third section as more development ocurrs then it finally becomes terminative. Notice the passing of the subject in bar 38 in the right hand to bar 40 in the left hand. It ends in a PAC in D.

Bach- Inventon 4 in d minor

The exposition begins in measure 1 and 2 with the motive being played in the RH by itself. Then the motive is passed to the LH and then back to the right. In these four measures same accompaniment is also passed between hands. Then the motive is varied slightly with a descension into a cadence commanded by a trill in measure 17. This Is an interpolation, as the end of this expository section also begins the new section. The next section is from 17- 37, and its function is t develop the motive and its tonality is unstable. The cadence and interpolation is again marked by a trill. The A motive returns exactly in m. 44 in the RH and then passes it to the left hand. There is then a short terminative passage to end the piece.

Bach Invention no. 4 in D Minor

Bach's motive is all over the place in this piece in many different forms and variations. It begins with only one voice with the motive and the second voice joins with the same motive in bar 3 and at that time, the initial voice has already moved on. The first voice is given the motive again and it just keeps going and going... More variants are added later. For example, instead of the eighth note pattern that was introduced in bar 3 in the first voice is changed to a trill later on. There is a lot of development of this theme in the middle of the piece. The only places that cadences seem to be are after the dotted eighth - sixteenth note pattern. Otherwise, the piece progresses so quickly from motive to motive and voice to voice that it's hard to tell. The motive that we got to listen to first is played back toward the end in measure 43 as it was originally, without any variants.

Bartok: Mikrokosmos, Vol. 4, No. 101, “Diminished Fifth”

Bartok: Mikrokosmos, Vol. 4, No. 101, “Diminished Fifth”
No. 1...I like this piece because it’s only one page long…
No. 2...I like this piece because it only has two voices….
As I listen to this the voices are very close and by looking at it, it seem that the combination of the two voice forms the motive. One line always has the leading note which is sustained, and the other always has a moving line that is passed back and forth from bass to treble..I believe that I heard and see the motive (moving line) brought back in 7 times..
1st-treble-m.1
2nd-treble-m.6
3rd- bass-m.12
4th- bass-m.16
5th- bass-m.20
6th- bass-m.26
7th- bass-m.35
Every time the motive is reintroduced, the eighth notes that follow the first 2 and a quarter beats are always different and developing the main motive…the accompaniment line that plays at the same time as the motive is usually the same in many ways, just modified to develop at the same rate as the motive…

Inventio XIV (B flat major) - Bach

This invention is in Bb major, and is based off of a thirty second, five note do re mi re do (just off the beat) motive followed by an answering sol me do sol motive in sixteenth notes, which is then promptly inverted in the second part of the measure with a contraction of the last interval. In the next measure, this is basically repeated but based off of the IV of Bb instead of tonic, and then sequences again down a fifth in the next measure to repeat the material around the note of a, but still in the key of Bb, since there are no accidentals. There is pseudo cadence on the first beat of m4 (IAC), which then is followed by a sequence composed of only the first motive of the invention, the lower voice using the contour of the original motive, while the upper voice using the inversion. This ends in a HC on V in Bb at m5 with a diminuendo.

M6 has a change of dynamics to piano and switches the voicing of the invention to the lower voice, though keeping it on the F (dominant). In m8 we have made a successful transition to FM which seems to pause a moment and give us a HC (which it crescendos into) on a C chord. At nine, the voices start alternating measure for measure, and we move from mf to p and out pops what I believe to be a fi in cm, and by m 10 it's obviously in c. It cadences at m12 in an IAC in cm. At twelve we also start a new sequential passage, this time it moves upward and involves a switch off of the modified first motive, with only the last gesture being inverted as it transitions yet again to a new texture, but no cadence as far as I hear it. We've also been moving back to Bb, and now at m15 the voices move in perfect, concerted parallel motion for the next two and a half measures still playing with the first motive. On beat two of m17, we get an IAC in Bb where the upper voice begins an almost exact restatement of the original two measures--hence a reexposition, only the lower voice is much more active and plays the inversion, countering the upper voice's first motive with the second and the second with the first until they join in a mirror of the first motive in the second beat of the penultimate measure and then finish on a PAC in Bb.

Invention 4 in D Minor

In just two measures, Bach outlines the motive for the rest of the piece. The first two bars serve as the expository, and are quickly mimicked by the left hand. Measure 18 brings us to a conclusive Perfect Authentic Cadence, and marks the end of the expository section.
The long trill in the right hand suggests to me to be a transitional section, leading the performer to a developmental section. It sounds as if the piece has modulated to the minor dominant of a minor. The motive is evident in measures such as 26-27. Measure 38 brings us to a PAC, ending the second section.
Doodling and chromaticism leads us back to the recapitulation in measure 44, where we hear the expository section back in the key of d minor. Ending on a PAC, the short invention comes full circle.

invention in d minor

ok-here goes nothin'

Measures 1 and 2 begin the expository section of the piece with the opening motive. in the next two measures the left hand mimics exactly what the right hand has done. Measures 3-4 of the right hand are in the left hand measures 5-6. This opening theme of the invention is very fugal. The PAC in F Major at measure 17 and the first beat of 18 marks the end of this opening expositional theme.

The second section is from measures 18-37 and uses the scalar passages to modulate to what sounds like a minor. there is a PAC in a minor at measure 37. in this section the melody has been passed from the left hand to the right hand while the other plays an accompaniment (an obnoxiously long trill).

The third section, which seems like a recapitulation ends on a PAC in d minor. There is a cadence at measure 48 and then what seems like a cadential extension for the next four measures to end on another PAC in d minor.

the song seems to be in a rounded binary form. nice, short, to the point...this is what i like to see.

two part invention no. 4 in d minor

So this is the first time o've actually been able to get into the blog...or maybe its just the forma nd analysis site...i dunno but my listening isn't working for some reason...So, after a long night of puonding out rocky horror rock and roll..this bach is very difficult to listen to. The beginning of this two voice invention starts our with the right hand playing the motive, then shortly followed by the left hand playing the motive. After the main motive is played in the first six measures, the right hand moves up and down in 16ths while the left hand keeps to the 3 eith note pattern. The left hand brings back hints of the motive in mm. 18 while the r.h. trills above it, but the l.h. is a 3rd higher than the original motive. Then in mm. 29 the l.h. truills under the r.h., and then picks up the eith note pattern again,. The r.h. takes the motive and becomes recognizable in mm. 40, but the motive is a bit more ornamented, and then the l.h. picks it back up after towo measures, and then the r.h. again. And then it all comes together in a nice unison PAC in the end. I liked how I could hear the motive and then everything would run alomng and develop and after all this chromatic stuff and runs up and down, then the motive rings through in either hand as almost a little respite to bring it back to its core. I could definitely tell when the end was coming b/c it seemed that everything was build to that sudden I chord. I like this piece...its...cute.

Bach, Two Inventions, No. 4 in d minor

Unfortunately, many people have analyzed this piece, but the Bartok seems way to hard and all I have with me here is the Burkhart anthology.

Anyhow, the two motives of significant importance, it seems to me, are m. 1-2 (motive 1) and 3-4 (motive 2) in the right hand. Most of the rest of the piece can be analyzed as some form of those two ideas.

For example, mm. 7-10 in the right hand are just a development of motive 1 (played again in the right hand). After that, the left hand begins to play with motive 1 much like the right hand had been doing, while the right hand plays a new idea twice in a descending sequence (m. 11 & 13). The left hand continues playing motive 1 until m. 18, when I hear a major structural phenomenon: a PAC in F major.

After this, the left hand continues with motive 1 until measure 22, when it plays the idea from the right hand m. 13, repeating it in a sequence one step down. At this point (m. 22), the right hand again picks up with motive 1, this time inverted (I believe). The music is then very much like m. 13-21, except there is a textural inversion - this time the left hand accompanies the right.

The next structural phenonenon occurs in m. 38 with a PAC in A, though the tonality quickly shifts into a developmental section that wanders from key to key (g minor then F major) before arriving solidly in d minor again in m. 44 with motive 1 in the right hand and motive 2 in the left. The piece approaches a cadence in m. 49, but deceptively resolves to Bb (the relative major) before winding its way back to d minor for the end.

Monday, April 04, 2005

two inventions in d minor by bach

ok well obviously this is an invention and in d minor. The piece starts out with the right hand only playing a 16th note idea in the first two measures. The same idea is then imitated in measure three in the left hand. The left hand then goes into an accompaniment of eigth notes while the right hand takes the first 16th note idea and takes the idea further until measure 12 where the left hand becomes more prominant with the same added-on idea and it seems that the right hand is accompanying. At measure 18 there is a cadence in the key of F. This next section is a little more developmental as the first was expository. We see tid bits of the introduced ideas in this section but changed or altered. Again, they are passed back and forth between the left and right hand and in measure 38 there is another cadence in the dominant of d. Here we start to see the light with a repetition of the expository two measures from the beginning, first in the right hand then to the left with the piece finally ending in the original key of d minor.

Bartok - Diminished Fifth - Mikrokosmos, No. 101, Vol. IV

Hahahaha! So, here's what I get for ending Bat Boy rehearsal late. You can't get to the library before it closes, and the only recording you can find is of the VERY dissonant Bartok piece. Here we go!

The piece uses two voices, close in register (think alto and tenor voicing - that's the only way I can describe it). Therefore, it's hard to follow the voices separetely. It sounds like they are blending together to create one voice. Often, while one voice holds a note, the other is playing part of the main motive, creating a feeling of one motive being handed back and forth between the voices.

I didn't recognize any distinct cadences, but the diminished fifth is used a lot at the end of motives, hence the title. For example, it's used at the end of M. 4. This could suggest the end of a phrase, especially since there's an eighth note rest in both voices. The other obvious place that the diminished fifth is used is the last chord of the piece, where the opening motive returns, starting M. 36.

The alto voice begins the main motive, with the tenor voice playing an inverted form of this statement. I loved the descending line that alternates between the two voices from M. 15-22.

Best I could do!

Bach's Invention in d minor

It seems that this is the popular blog of the night. This is a good first invention to analyze. It makes me miss playing inventions. The three/ eight time makes this piece seem danceish. The first subject lasts for two measures. It's neat how it's written. The subject is actually like an ascending and descending scalar passage. The only thing that deviates it from this is the lower octave placement of the c sharp which breaks up this 7 tone pattern. Finally there is a strong IAC cadence in measure 12 that pushes it into the developmental section. The trills and turns is this section add excitement and flurry. In the development, some of the subjects are inverted. Then in measure 44 both subjects are restated first in the right hand and then in the left hand. The piece ends on unison octaves on a PAC.

Bach, Invention Number 14 in Bb Major

This piece begins in B flat major (duh!). The main motive throughout is a do-re-mi-re-do in the rhythm of sixteenth note rest, three thirty second notes sixteenth note (the tempo is quite slow) that is immediately inverted on the third beat with the same rhythm but on tones sol-fa-mi-fa-sol.

The first cadence is an IAC in B flat on the downbeat of measure 4. This is followed by a feeling of half cadence in the second half of measure five, but when the theme occurs again in this key, it is obvious that the piece has modulated to the dominant key of F. The crecendo in measure 5 helps to emphasize this.

Another cadence is not reached until bar 12 that is an IAC in c minor. There is a weird transition to this with bass note going from F to F sharp to G to C, but the F sharp chord is minor and the G is mostly minor to, only switching to major just before the cadence.

The return to the tonic key occurs in the second half of bar 16 with an IAC. This transition is anticipated by first having the motive switch between the voices every beat followed by two and a half bars of both voices doing the motive on every beat. This change in voicings builds the excitement to return to the tonic key. A PAC is finally reached at the end in the key of B flat.

This is a fun little piece that shows how a short piece of material can be manipulated.

Invention 4 in d minor

There are two different motives that appear in this piece. Motive #1 (M1) is the first two measures of the right hand. This will be the primary motive that I will explore in this analysis. Motive #2 (M2) is the arpeggiated eighth notes in measures 3-4 of the right hand. The first 6 measures are the exposition where the motive is introduced.
I feel like the development officially starts with the half cadence in measure 12. In measures 13-16 there's a short sequence in the left hand similar to M1. There's an IAC (could be a PAC, but it doesn't sound perfect enough....) in measure 18 and we start the modulation to a minor (?). Also in measure 18 M1 returns modulated in the left hand in a sequence for four measures. In measure 22 we start an inverted version of M1 for four measures in the right hand. Then the next two measures after that is the return of M1 in the current tonic key. Things similar to motive also appear, although scaler, the second part does not closely resemble M1 enough to consider it the actual motive.
We cadence with an IAC (maybe PAC) in measure 38. We then return to the original tonic. In measure 44 we get the original M1 in the original key in the right hand, then in the left hand in measure 46. We end on a PAC.
YEAH!

Bach: Invention No. 4 in d minor

Hooray for short, two-voice pieces! I like this small little invention. We start with the right hand coming in with the subject with the left hand echoing it starting in measure 3. We quickly move back and forth, each voice playing off the other. The first 18 measures seem to be expositional, as the initial subject is tinkered with slightly. The left hand spends most of the time in accompaniment mode, playing simple quarters over the faster 8ths and 16ths of the right hand. This is then switched as a balance of movement. We have a definitive cadence at measure 18, and move from there into new material. I would consider this section as developmental, as the original material reappears at different points, although changed. We have two distinct things going on here, as each hand has a trill while the other continues the line. This is an effective device to bring out the texture, eliminating some distractions while still sounding busy and suspenseful, we have another cadence at measure 38, returning somewhat to the expository material, but differing slightly as it turns into a terminative function. We do slip through a number of different keys, but we begin and end in d minor, and I believe the main part of the section section is in a minor. This piece feels very cyclical as it continues to ebb and flow up and down in scales over and over.

2-part Invention No.4 in D minor- BACH

This little two voice fugue was interesting to try and follow. The first voice started out in the right hand with the motive and shortly after was followed by the second voice in the left hand. Its tricky though because the left hand, over the course of the movement switches fairly smoothly between the motive, or in this case a chunk of it, and then accompaniment like a normal keyboard style composition.
So the second voice begins to follow the first voice in the third measure, but it doesn't complete the motive... It does this several times throughout.
It was easier for me to hear the motive when played in the right hand, maybe I thought that it would be more dependable after the tricky left hand switching, I don't know.
I felt like there was kind of an exposition with both voices attempting to expose the main motive, then a middle section where things were shaken up a little bit but not tonally or harmonically at all... then there was a third section that was almost terminative, I could definately tell that the end was coming up pretty soon.

Bach Two Part Invention--No. 4 in d minor

The title pretty much gives it away that there are only two voices in this piece. it is, however, a pretty sweet invention.
the right hand starts off alone in the first two measures, playing straight 16th notes. the left hand comes in in measure 3 and perfectly imitates what the right hand had previously played. by measure 8, the left hand acts as the accompaniment, rather than simply repeating short, primary motives as it had before. it begins to repeat these motives again around measure 12, providing a rather contrapuntal feel. at times, the right hand plays a static note and the left hand has the moving line, and vice versa. again, this just shows how certain expository lines are repeated over and over again.
as far as structural divisions go, i would say this piece has 3 large-ish sections: one starting at the beginning and ending around measure 18; measure 18 until 38, and measure 38 until the end of the piece. the first section is expository. the last two sections feel slightly like the first, yet developmental, like they are playing with the initial motive, but adding on a few new ideas. I wouldn't call each of these sections periods, per se, but maybe phrases will do.

peace out