Music description - section B, bars 79 - 232
Melody
Bach uses variations of the subject. The opening melody of section B contains the same Individual melodic or rhythmic fragment that makes an important contribution to the structure of a piece of music. that is heard in the very first bar but transposed to a new key. This time the melody has a held note in bar 80 instead of the A group of three equal length notes played in the space of two, eg three quavers played in the space of two quavers. quavers heard in the original subject in section A, giving a lyrical feel to the music.
There is a A pattern of musical notes that are repeated moving up or down the scale. in the harpsichord in bars 114 - 118, utilising a short motif. This three-note motif begins on G# and is replicated using the exact melodic shape, beginning on A and then rising up the scale to D.
The harpsichord accompanies the flute with a rising sequence
Bach devises a When an identical melody begins at two or four bars distance to the initial melody and works harmonically with it. between the two hands of the harpsichord part in bar 163. Notice how the left-hand line is an exact replica of the right-hand line, played one octave lower and one bar later.
A canon is played in the right and the left hand of the harpsichord
Harmony and tonality
Section B opens with a Held or repeating note on the same pitch, while the chords change above it. note of B in the bass - played on the first beat of each bar. A pedal is an example of a A method of achieving a particular harmonic effect, such as to end a phrase, create tension or to enforce the harmony of a key. - another example is a The sequence of chords used to end a musical phrase.. This indicates that the piece has moved to B minor, the The minor key that has the same key signature as a major key. to D major, which creates a contrasting feel in the middle B section within the ternary structure.
Texture
There are moments of A texture based on chords. texture, such as bar 155 where all instruments are playing together. There is also dialogue between instruments here.
| 155 - 156 | 157 - 158 | 159 - 160 | 161 - 162 | |
| Upper strings and flute | Rest | Subject | Rest | Subject |
| Harpsichord | Running quavers | Trills decorate and sustain the length of the notes | Running quavers | Trills decorate and sustain the length of the notes |
| Upper strings and flute | |
| 155 - 156 | Rest |
| 157 - 158 | Subject |
| 159 - 160 | Rest |
| 161 - 162 | Subject |
| Harpsichord | |
| 155 - 156 | Running quavers |
| 157 - 158 | Trills decorate and sustain the length of the notes |
| 159 - 160 | Running quavers |
| 161 - 162 | Trills decorate and sustain the length of the notes |
The harpsichord becomes a solo instrument in section B from bar 163 - there are extended solo passages. In section A, the harpsichord accompanied the soloists as part of the The bass part in Baroque music - typically played by a cello, and used by chordal instruments such as the harpsichord. .