Form and Analysis

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• Form and Analysis

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• Sectional variations Continuous variations
• A theme elements (fixed and variable)
• Handel suite No. 5
• Key E
• Mode major
• Form simple continuous binary
• Length
• Basic tonal structure Precise harmonic sequence
• ? I ?V-I/ of V ? I ?V-I ?
• Tempo
• Melody
• Bass
• Texture homophonic, mostly four-part chordal
  style

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• Sectional variation
• A theme elements
• Handel suite No. 5
• Ornamental, Double 1 eighth to sixteenth
• Simplifying, Double 2
• Figural, Double 3, 4

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• Sectional variations
• Bach Goldberg Variations, Aria
• Contrapuntal
• Imitative
• Canonic
• Fugal
• Additive
• Characteristic
• Vari. 7, a gigue
• Vari. 19, minuet
• Vari. 16, French overture

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• Form in Sectional variations
• Form of the theme
• Two-reprise form
• Form of each variation
• Form remain unchanged
• After 19th century, an independent development on
  some motive or other distinct feature of the
  theme
• Development of a theme
• Finale most brilliant da capo fugue coda
  developmental coda

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Benjamin Britten

• Young Peoples Guide to Orchestra (Variation and
  Fugue on a theme by Henry Purcell

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• Shape in Sectional variations
• Rhythmic crescendo note in smaller and smaller
  value
• Grouping 1, 2sixteenth 3, 4 triplet 5,
  balancing the theme
• Schematic order Goldberg variation
• Every third variation is a canon, 10 groups
• A characteristic vari. on one keyboard
• Brilliant variation written in manner of an
  etude, or technical study, for two keyboards
• A canon

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Harpsichord
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• Shape in Sectional variations
• Other Schematic orders
• Haydn, Britten, Beethoven
• Schematic order aided by
• Increasing complexity Haydn Quartet, op. 76,
  no. 3

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• Modification of Sectional variations
• On two theme
• Rondo A B A C A
• Isolated modification
• Beethoven Eroica
• Uses both strict and free variations
• Theme preceded by an intro.
• Melody is not introduced until third vari.
  Gradual in crease complexity rhythmic crescendo
  

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• Summary
• Sectional the theme and each variation is a
  complete little piece in itself. Usually there
  will a distinct stop between variation
• strict variations keep the form of the theme
  and, normally, the key and length as fixed
  elements.
• No variation is necessary limited to only one
  category.

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• Continuous variation
• Historical note from 17th c.
• Ground bass ostinato bass ostinato harmonies
• Chaconne passacaglia
• Bach's Violin Chaconne in d YouTube - Heifetz
  Bach Chaconne
• Purcell Didos lament 1, 2, 3, 4
• Romanesca

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Ground-Bass Characteristics

• Melody normally in the lowest voice, is repeated
• Ornamentation of the bass melody may or may not
  be introduced
• Short, a single phrase, no more than 8 bars
• Not transposed to different pitch
• Support other voices a changing fabric above
• The supporting voices often change cadence at a
  different point from the bass

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• Handel
• Suite nr 7 Passacaille Listen
• A theme, a single phrase,
• Distinct melody and bass line, not necessary
  fixed elemnets of the successive variations.
  Rather, the precise harmonic sequence constitutes
  the fixed element. Slight changes occur.
• Follow each other without a perceptive break,
  insuring a continuous flow
• Any of the types of sectional variations are
  likely to occur, but emphasis is on those
  homophonic texture

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• Shape in continuous variations
• Short with many variations. Extremely important
• Shape give a unifying impression to the movement
  as a whole. More coherent than in sectional form.
• J. S. Bach Passacaglia in C-Minor Analysis p. 88

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• J. S. Bach Passacaglia in C-Minor Analysis p.
  88
• Twenty variations
• Three parts
• Part one (1-12) gradual increasing intensity and
  excitement. Rhythmic crescendo toward vari. 6,
  vari. 9 introduces a new and vigorous motive
  which leads to brilliant run in vari. 10.
• Part two (13-15) decrease in volume, less and
  less complex
• Part three (16-20) return of the ground bass,
  finale a double fugue

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Ground-Bass

• Special applications
• Ostinato figure
• Free ground bass
• Soprano ostinato

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• Summary
• Variations on a ground bass
• Variations on ostinato harmonies
• Different Application of Ground Bass
• Ostinato figure
• Free ground bass
• Soprano ostinato