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Johann Sebastian Bach Composer
Discussion and Introduction to Bach's 'Brandenburg' Concertos Nos.4 and 5 (Naxos): Narration by Jeremy Siepmann
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Discussion and Introduction to Bach's 'Brandenburg' Concertos Nos.4 and 5 (Naxos): Narration by Jeremy SiepmannPr. Instrument: Narrator
- The Brandenburgs as concerti grossi
- Introduction: Melody, Theme and Motif; Bach's opening gambit
- Onwards and upwards: Motif No.2 and its function
- The two elements of Motif No.2 and its function
- The 'motto' rhythm hidden even within the opening bar
- Motif No.3 introduced by the recorders, has a kind of 'hovering' character; its repetition in risi
- Motif No.3 repeated for a second, 'directed' listen
- Bach reminds us of the opening
- Motif No.4 - a steadily rising derivative of Motif No.1
- Motif No.5, a lovely, bouncy, syncopated flourish, in which all instruments join
- Opening Ritornello (complete)
- Episode 1 begins with virtuoso energy of the solo violin, made up of alternating arpeggios and risi
- Motif No.3 returns, courtesy of the recorders, recently sidelined by the violin, which now accompa
- Ritornello 2, a varied repeat of Ritornello 1, arrives after much harmonic movement, this time in E
- Episode 2, Part 1, preceded by the 'fanfare' motif from which its first theme derives
- Episode 2 continued, with more bravura dazzle from the solo violin; key shifts from A minor to C ma
- Repeat of section for purposes of hearing the harmonic movement
- Ritornello 3, with the prominent participation of the soloists
- Episode 3 proves retrospective, featuring transposed repeats of earlier material
- Ritornello 4, not altogether what it might seem; solo violin takes 'motto' motif, orchestral violin
- Episode 4. Cue to part 1, focusing on 'soloistic' counterpoint provided by the continuo
- Return to Ritornello 4 to hear sources of Episode 4, Part 2
- Episode 4 continued, with emphasis placed on conversational interchanges between orchestral violins
- Return to opening Ritornello in order to enhance awareness of the contrast between G major and B mi
- Ritornello 5, beginning
- Ritornello 5, continued with emphasis on the determined banishment of B minor
- Cue to complete performance of First Movement
- First Movement (complete) #1.
- Introduction: Rhythmic Motif provides basis for whole movement; the kernel from which much of the m
- The melody not much to write home about; nor is the meek 'answer' offered by the soloists
- Putting the two together, thereby establishing a relationship
- Contrast and syncopation - their relationship in opening section
- Listening from the 'bottom up'
- The intertwining and alternation of solo and orchestra; the irregularity of metrical groupings
- The next orchestral phrase; slowing the pace but not the tempo
- The First Section (complete)
- The next section; foreground symmetry and background variety
- The central section's groupings are hugely asymmetrical
- Cue to Second Movement as a whole
- Second Movement (complete) #1.
- Introduction to the Third Movement...
- Fugue subject
- First counter-subject
- Second counter-subject
- Bass entry of the subject
- Exposition (complete)
- First Episode; the use of fragmentary derivatives
- The difference a detail can make!
- Harmonic Rhythm defined; back to the beginning to find the seed...
- ...and now the blossom
- The First Solo Episode; a confusion of terms; onwards, the the introduction of the solo episode, th
- Ritornello 2 complete
- Solo Episode 2 dominated by thrilling virtuosity from the solo violin
- Ritornello 3: highly contrapuntal and dominated by subject-derivatives, with much harmonic fluidity
- Ritornello 3 continues: engine of harmonic motion repeated at higher pitch
- More on Ritornello 3: the use of long, sustained, slightly syncopated notes in upper strings and re
- Ritornello 3 (complete)
- Solo Episode 3 - less solo than earlier ones, what with (albeit very discreet) orchestral accompani
- The two recorders converse in canon, accompanied for six exhilarating bars by cello 'continuo'
- Finishing Solo Exposition 3: orchestral cellos introduce what sounds like it's going to be the comp
- Approaching the final Ritornello; stretto explained
- Cue to Final Ritornello, noting tension-building 'pedal point' in cellos and double bass
- Coda - the 'tail-piece', with its surprising 'hammer strokes'
- Cue to Third Movement
- Third Movement (complete)
- Opening Music; analysis and phony analysis; Shaw quote; Motif No.1
- Music, energy and relationship
- The outlines of a melody emerge
- The opening bar again
- Motif No.2: ta / dee-ya, dee-ya, dee-ya
- Motif No.3, and an important feature of its rhythm
- Beethoven Fifth Symphony (opening)
- Motif No.4
- Motif No.5
- Motif No.6
- Episode 1: a 'Love Duet'
- Episode 1 continued; violin and flute reverse direction of their theme; the 'love song' Motif answe
- 'False' Ritornello; soloists interrupt; rising 'sighing' motif; harpsichord continues downwards
- Four things going on at once, in violin, flute, harpsichord right hand, harpsichord left hand
- The orchestra returns, picking up at exactly the spot where it was interrupted
- The harpsichord intervenes with derivative of Motif 4; key shifts from A major to B minor
- The orchestra returns to the foreground and brings this section to an end
- Harpsichord emerges as virtuoso; a series of expectations are frustrated
- A backwards look; blurred distinctions between soloists and orchestra; 'Mozartian' development
- Out of the Twilight Zone; a sequence of surprises
- The epoch-making harpsichord cadenza and the final Ritornello
- Cue to the First Movement
- First Movement (complete) #2.
- Introduction; the opening of Ritornello
- The first bar; the first main building block
- The flute motif
- Opening of the first solo episode
- An important motif; the second main building block
- The second main theme
- Ritornello 2; violin and flute as 'orchestra'
- Episode 2; inversion of the original motifs
- More on Episode 2
- Episode 1 and Episode 2 compared
- Episode 2; key shifts from D major to F sharp minor
- Ritornello 3; an exact transposition of Ritornello 1
- Episode 3 contrasted with Episode 1
- Episode 3 described in detail
- Ritornello 4; second main theme's first appearance in a Ritornello
- Episode 4: dominated by inversions
- Cue to Second Movement
- Second Movement (complete) #2.
- Introduction: Ritornello 1
- The Fugue Subject: close juxtaposition of contrasting elements
- Flute takes the 'answer', with countersubject in the violin
- Contrary motions as a contrapuntal device
- Contrary motion as a listening aid; a new theme
- Playing with the counter-subject; a musical game of tag
- Hidden rhythms: background variety behind foreground uniformity
- Fugal writing and the compatibility of parts; the Exposition
- Episode 1, taken by soloists, contains important 'seeds'
- The orchestra enters at last, but by stealth
- Stretto and musical football
- Key changes to B minor, introducing extensive Middle Section
- The Middle Section a precursor of the Mozartian 'development'
- The Fugue Subject out in force: first four immediately consecutive entries yet
- Ambiguity of mode and a Scottish twist
- Middle Section continued; harpsichord dominates
- Cue to Last Movement
- Last Movement (complete)
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