SONATA FORM STRUCTURE

INTRODUCTION ( Bars 1-39)

2 flutes

2 oboes

2 clarinets in Bb

2 bassoons

The movement starts with a drum roll on Eb hence the title.

2 horns in Eb

2 trumpets in Eb

Timpani on Eb, Bb

Violin 1

Violin 2

Viola

Cello, Double Bass

slow

It begins with a low 12 bar theme with two 6 bar phrases.Note the pattern in bar 2 and 3: Eb, C, Ab, F, D, Bb – use of pitches a 3rd apart

• Brief modulation to Bb ( dominant)

• The answering 6 bar phrase begins at a higher pitch and begins on the subdominant chord ( Ab)

Addition of horns

• The first violins repeat the opening 6 bar phrase with a rhythmic countermelody played by 2nd violins in syncopation.

Perfect cadence in dominant key - Bb

3, Bb’s

New longer phrase in violin 1

Perfect cadence - Eb

• Use of semi-tones in this phrase like the start. V –I in Ab dim7 to Fm dim7 to G

6 bar unison idea

Dim 7th chord in bar 28 for example consists of the notes G, Bb, Db, E –all minor thirds

Exposition Section ( 40-93) First Subject Section: S1(Bars 40-46)• in Eb major – theme is

7 ½ bars long in 6/8• clear Q and A• piano dynamics• texture light and

homophonic• 1st 5 notes = S1a• last 6 notes = S1b

Perfect cadence Eb major

Transition passage ( Bars 47-78 )

• The transition passage links the first and second subject

• Tutti section – all playing

• 32 bars long• A 1 bar pattern is

repeated 3 times. This is indicated by the green blocks.

Tonic pedal - Eb

40

50

• At bar 50 the flute and violin present a 1 bar idea heard in sequence

• Sustained dominant note in flute and horns from bar 55

• Change of texture at bar 58

• In bar 59 the first oboe plays fig S1a

• Unison forte semiquaver idea in wwand strings runs down to A natural on first beat of bar 61

• Repeat of scalic fig. to end on Bb in bar 63

60C min at bar 60

• Dominant pedal in bass, trumpets and timpani

• At bar 67 the F# takes us briefly to G major

70

• ff diminished 7th chord at bar 70 ( notes E, G, Bb, Db)

2nd subject ( Bars 79-93 )

80

• The previous dominant chord resolves onto chord I of the dominant key of Bb

• The new theme played by the oboe and violin has a bright waltz-like melody. It is 7 bars long. The 2nd violins provide an oom-cha accompaniment with pizz bass on the main beats.

• Homophonic texture

• Syncopated rhythm at bar 87

• 4 repeated perfect cadences in the key of Bb conclude this section

90

Development Section ( 94-158)

• The development section uses ideas from exposition section

• Bar 94 begins with imitative entries of subject 1

PROCESS 1 ( 94-111)

Eb major Ab major F minor

100

• In bar 99 all the strings echo the semitone interval

• Subject 1 played alone by viola • Second beat of bar 103,

a fuller statement of S1 is heard in the violin accompanied by a syncopated pattern in the lower strings

• This is now in Ab major

• Ww join in with imitative presentation of S1b

• Build up in C minor • Imperfect cadence and

pause

PROCESS 2 ( 111 after pause – 142 )

110

• A reference to the introduction is heard in lower strings starting in Ebmajor

PROCESS 2 ( 111 after pause – 142 )

120

• A reference to the introduction is heard in lower strings starting in Ebmajor

• It is played pp• Note that violin 1

plays below violin 2

C major

• Transition material

• 2 note quaver rhythm based on dominant 7th of F minor

130

• Brief reminder of Sub 1a• Inversion of same figure

in cello and bass and bassoon

• Followed by a pause• The same figuration

continues after figure 3

• Dominant pedal sustained in double bass

140

PROCESS 3 ( 143 – 158 )

• Move to Db major• Material mainly S2

PROCESS 3 ( 143 – 158 )

• Db major• Material mainly S2• It is clearly based

on bars 79-86• Bar 145 – the

oboes echo the descending idea from the 2nd bar of S2 using thirds and augmentation

150

• Sudden loud Bb 7th chord bar 149

• Bar 150 – Eb minor

Recapitulation Section ( 159-200)

160

First Subject Section: S1Bars 159-165 = bars 40-46

170

Transition passage( Bars 166-178 )

2nd subject( Bars 179-200 )• Eb major• Note the

addition of the horn

180

190• Tutti ff at 188 • Ab major ( note Ab pedal)

• Semi-quaver strings quickly dying down (decrescendo)

• Bb 7th chords in second inversion are heard in the manner of the accented two-note pattern identified in bars 127-128

• The violin 1 part travels upwards across the notes of the dominant chord

• The passage ends in strings and solo clarinet combining onto a paused dim 7th

chord in bar 200

200

CODA ( Bars 201-228)

The opening drumroll re-appears.

• The coda begins with the first 12 bars of the intro at it’s original speed

• Bars 201-205 = bar 1-5 but with the addition of the viola

• Bars 206-207=bars 6-7 but with addition of clarinets, horns and upper strings. The fuller orchestration adds depth to emphasize the perfect cadence into Bb major but the dynamic marking is still p

• Bars 208-213 = bars 8-13 with the additional instruments as above

• Bars 213-228• Back in 6/8 metre and

played forte• Starts with the intro

thematic material heard in diminution

• The strong unison movement in strings and solo bassoon above sustained tonic pedal in other parts above a timp roll on Eb

210

220

• Reference to subject 1 by horns in fanfare style

• Then imitated by wwand strings

• Subject 2 heard in bass at 222 accompanied by a syncopated pattern in violins reminiscent of bar 195/6

• Mvt ends with 3 perfect cadences in Eb with a further 2 repetitions of the tonic chord to conclude the mvt.

This movement has two themes – A and B which alternate. Each theme has two sections – a and b. The themes have two variations each.

STRUCTURE

‘Double variation set’

Part A ( a:II: b a : )Part B ( c:II: d c : )Part A1 ( varied )Part B1 ( varied )Part A2 ( varied )Part B2 ( varied and developed )

Two themes are presented prior to variation. This structure is sometimes described as a mixture of ‘rondo’ and ‘variation’ form. Sections A and B are in two parts, each repeated.

Part A – minor theme: Bars 1-26Section ‘a’ ( bars 1 - 8 )

• Key of C minor• 2 part texture as violins play

in unison and violas are heard in octaves with cellos and basses

• Theme ‘a’ is heard in violins• The opening harmony clearly

uses the tonic and dominant chords of C minor

• Some accidentals used as chromatic decoration although they do suggest the tonicisation of F minor (bar 5) and G minor (bar 6).

Interesting features of the score include :

• The low C’s in the bass line ( The double bass usually has E as the lowest note so these instruments were either tuned to a low C or would have used 5 string instruments).

• The clarinets are not used at all

• The inclusion of the violin solo is of particular interest, composed as it was for Giovanni Basttisa Viotti, a

famous violinist of the time.

C minor

motif x

I V I V

VII I Cadential progression in Eb major

Section ‘b a’ ( bars 9-26 )

• Begins in key of Eb major• Texture now in 3 parts• In bar 12 F minor tonicised

via a diminished chord (E natural and Db)

• Back to C minor at bar 16• Theme ‘a’ is now heard in the

violas and bass in octaves against the continued idea in violins also in octaves until bar 20 ( 2 part texture again)

• At bar 21 the texture becomes varied and becomes imitative as the dotted motif is echoed through the texture

• The final few bars are clearly modelled on section ‘a’ with distinctive dotted rhythms but they do not simply repeat the material

• Section ends with a perfect cadence in the home key of C minor

Part B – major theme: Bars 27-50Section c ( bars 27-34 ) 2 minutes

• Key of C major• This theme is introduced in

violins and oboes • Similarity to theme A with

dotted rhythm• Delivered in violins , beginning

in unison and moving in 3rds and other intervals

• Oboes play in harmony• Sustained tonic and dominant

notes in the horns creating an open interval of a perfect 5th

• Tonic pedal in bass which continues under the consequent phrase which begins in bar 27

• Section ‘c’ concludes in G major• Scoring expanded• Fanfare type figuration and trills

at cadence points

Section ‘d c’ ( bars 35 - 50)

• Begins in key of C major but on sub-dominant chord ( F natural in violins 2)

• The texture is antiphonal as the trill motif in section ‘c’ is used in dialogue.

• Perfect cadence into C major in bar 38

• Bar 40, diminished harmony resolves onto D minor chord which becomes the dominant of G major by use of F# in ascending bass part

• This section is more imitative

3 bars of dominant pedal

• Bar 39 – pp descending staccato figuration in strings and 1st oboe reminiscent of bar 29 section ‘c’

• End of bar 42, the F natural in 2nd violin scale leads back to return of section ‘c’ in bar 43

• Perfect cadence in C major

Part A1 ( variation 1 )Bars 51- 66Section ‘a’ variation 3.42

• Based on bars 1-8• Begins with strings and

same harmonic foundation

• First oboe added and joins in with rhythmic and melodic figuration in bar 57/58

• Flute and bassoon then added

• Flute solo makes use of motif ‘x’

Bars 67- 84 (based on bars 9 – 26 )Section ‘b a’ variation• In bar 67, the first flute

merges the trill idea with the rhythm of ‘motif x’

• The bassoon is introduced here

• At bar 75, the viola and bassoon join the melody, above reminders of the trill motif in the cello this time

• Woodwind and strings join in an assertive homophonic passage to bring this section to an end

Part B1 ( variation 1 )Bars 85 - 92Section ‘c’ variation

• Based on bars 27 – 34 with similar structure

• Solo violin decorates the main theme with semiquaver sextuplets and adds some decoration i.e. The turn in bar 85

• Material for the strings is based on the initial theme and now functions as an accompaniment to the solo though some material is omitted

Bars 93 - 108Section ‘d c’ variation

• In the variant of section ‘d’, the violin continues with its decorative treatment of the theme

• Two quiet minim cadences in the tonic key of C major are heard in bassoons/horns

• From bar 101 a tonic pedal of just over 5 bars is played by two horns an octave apart

• The music stops on a pause chord in bar 105

• Bar 105 -106 = plagalcadence ending on tonic chord of C major ( 1st inversion)

• Violin solo has a decorative arpeggio following ( double stopping – playing 2 notes at once)

• Pizzicato cadence in three part strings and triplet idea echoed by viola

Part A2 ( variation 2 )Bars 109 - 116Section ‘a’ variation 2

• Based on bars 1-8• Played tutti with the

theme heard in violins 1 arco ( an octave higher than originally) and now doubled in the flute and oboe.

• The 2nd violins play the theme at the original pitch, all accompanied by a scalic semiquaver countermelodic idea in the viola, lower stings and bassoon

• This is further emphasised by the ffdynamics and fanfare type idea on the tonic and dominant notes of C min in brass and timpani

• The phrase ends in unison on G

• In bars 113 – 116, there is a sudden reduction in tempo and volume

• Just the violins play, violin 1 continues with the theme and violins 2 play a pedal Ab

• This leads to a short imitative exchange of the rhythm of motif ‘x’

• This section concludes in Eb major

• The texture reduces to strings with the 1st

violins taking the theme and the lower strings dropping out after just 1 bar.

Bars 117 - 134Section ‘b’ variation 2• This variation re-

introduces the woodwind to the mix as the first violins play descending demisemiquaver scales for the first 2 bars

• The flutes and bassoons emphasise the dominant pedal in different rhythms still based over tonic and dominant harmony in Eb major

• At bar 124 just the 1st

violins are left with a trill like figure

• This leads to a forte section by the full orchestra which establishes the return of section ‘a’ in the lower strings

• In bars 129 – 131, there is another contrast in texture back to a three part , piano, link, based on the trill motif in violins and viola

syncopation

• The full orchestra plays for the last 3 bars restoring the fuller texture and ending with a perfect cadence in C minor

Part B2 ( varied and developed )Bars 135 – 142 based on 27 - 34Section ‘c’ variation 2

• This begins with the thematic material played in harmony as before in the oboes accompanied by pianopizz chords over a tonic pedal in bassoons with solo flute decoration

Section ‘ d c’ variation 2Bars 143 – 150 based on bars 35 - 42• The scoring has been

expanded to doubling of parts, semiquaver ascending arpeggios in the cello, minims outlining the tonic and dominant harmony in brass and timpani.

• At bar 151, section ‘c’ returns presented over a tonic pedal decorated with a lower auxiliary note in the lowest strings.

• The last quaver beat of bar 156 is extended slightly by a pause before the woodwind and brass extend the cadence without any strings.

CODA : BAR 160 - end

• A bar of semiquaver notes played on middle C by cellos acts as a quiet link to the entry of the violins with the major theme

• The pedal note of C is sustained as the thematic material is echoed in bar 163 in the 1st oboe and then the viola

• The music fades to pp with a short descending sequential motif consisting of the first few notes of the major theme from section ‘c’

• With a sudden twist, the music unexpectedly introduces the dominant of Eb by bar 174

• Although there is another sudden contrast in dynamics and texture after just 2 bars – (176)

• pp staccato notes of descending arpeggios played by 1st violins

• Fragments of the ‘c’ theme in oboes and flutes

• Bars 187 – 196 are based upon 151 – 160

• The movement concludes with two perfect cadences in C major played ff by whole orchestra