Corelli -Trio Sonata in D, Op 3 Mvt IV

-One of th emost important and influential composers of the Barique period

-All of his music = written for instruments

-Compositional techniques are frequently cited as a model for students of Baroque counterpoint and harmony

-Op.3 Trio Sonatas dedicated in 1689 to Duke of Modena

-This sonata = 'Sonata da Chiesa' (church sonata); typically four movements (slow-fast-slow-fast) and the style = broadly contrapuntal

-No.2 is in D maj and all four mvts (grave-allegro-adagio-allegro) are in that key

-No melodic link between the mvts

-Violin 1, violin 2, violone, organ

-First violin (probably for Corelli himself) and second part are equal in terms they share a tessitura; violin I covering two octaves and a semitone. Violin II covers a 4th

-Frequently imitate each other and are constantly crossing parts and exchanging ideas

-First violin always states material first in this mvt but b.43 (end) second violin = above 

-Idiomatic writing

-Only twice does the piece require either player to play beyond first position (b.11-13 and b.34), and not using the bottom string until the penultimate note in the first violin part

-Violone = similar to bass viol and pitch range is two octaves

-Continuo part is provided by the organ; player would've been expected to improvise the inner harmonies by providing suitable chords above the bass line

-Organ is given a simplified version of the bass part (b.7 and b.22)

-Typically contrapuntal; three-part texture with the violone part joining the counterpoint for most of the mvt

-Opening section is fugal in style

-Violin I states the subject (monophonic) and second providdes answer a 4th lower (a 'real' answer) but both are parallel 3rds by b.5

-Stretto entries (where parts come in more closely), show imitation in b.11-13 are followed by a closing passage where the violins sustain an inverted pedal (briefly doubled in b.16-17)

-Often the parts are polarised with the two violins close together above a bass much lower in pitch (b.18-19) but more evenly spaced at the start of b.27

-Violin 2 and violone are often in parallel 10ths (b.8-9) although later in the mvt the imitation is confided to the violins and the violone provides more of a distinct bass line (b.28-end)

-Texture is obviously homophonic at cadence points (b.26-27, b.42-43

-Mvt is in the style of a gigue; more common in the Sonata da Camera

-Time sig= 6/8 compound duple

-Strongly rhythmical character of the music = enhanced by the phrasing in dotted crotchet beats in opening subject (b.1-2) and cadence points in b.2-4

-Violone entry in b.6 starts half way through the bar (all subsequent entries are at one bar's distance - b.11-12, b.21-22)

-Syncopatuin in the 1st violin part in b.26-27

-Hemiolas in b.27 and b.31 with the harmony changing on the 1st, 3rd and 5th quavers of the bar giving a 3/4 feel

-The theme consists of quaver and semiquaver rhythms and they are prevalent throughout; occassionally rhythms of longer duration occur in the upper parts e.g. b.15

-Binary; A (rep) & B (rep)

-Mvt is broadly monothematic the structure is defined by the repeat marks and tonality

-A section = b.1-19

-B section = b.20-43

-b.41-43 could be regarded as a Codetta

-A section = D major and modulates to A maj (tonic to dominant) (A = b.1-19)

-B section begins on dominant with the same melodic material (inverted) and modulates through various related keys before returning to the tonic at the end (B = b.20.43)

-b.1-2 = subject, D maj (tonic)

-b.3-4 = answer, A maj (dominant)

-b.5-11 = inversion of main theme, with the third entry of the subject starting in b.6 in the tonic, modulating to the dominant

-b.20-22 = entries on the dominant

-b.23-28 = entries on the tonic before modulating to the relative minor (B min)

-b.28-32 = A 4 bar contrasting section in E min (subdominant of the relative)

-b.32-41= imitative entries of a modified subject passing through A,D and G maj before returning to tonic

-Entirely functional and diatonic

-Harmony is largely consonant and mainly uses root position chords and first inversion chords

-Dissonance occurs through prepared suspensions (7-6 on the first beats of b.9-10, and a 4-3 in b.40) and double suspensions (9-8 and 7-6 simulateneously in b.29-30)

-Suspension also occurs in organ part alone (b.23)

-First violin leaves dissonance of suspension unresolved in b.39

-Frequent perfect cadences which define the phrase structure (b.4, 10-11, 18-19) and changes of key (B min in b.27-28 and E min in b.31-32); latter examples are masculine cadences whereas earlier examples = feminine cadences

-Chord progression through cycle of 5ths b.32-35

-Tonic pedal notes at end of sections b.15-16 and b.39-40

-Monothematic

-All material based on opening three-note motif (on rising 3rd)

-Develops the motif in a number of ways:

>rising sequence with added passing notes (second half of b.1)

>further sequence of this embellished version (first half of bar 2)

>an inversion (b.5)

>falling one-bar sequence with embellishments removed (2nd violin and violone b.8-10)

>extended falling sequence (b.15-17) and descending sequence at b.27

>Addition of an anacrusis to the motif for the entries starting in b.32

-occassional octave leap (first violin in b.7)