Why are the Brandenburg concertos so good?
Why are the Brandenburg concertos so good?
The Brandenburg Concertos (so called because they were dedicated to the Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt) are not only some of the liveliest and most colourful orchestral works of their day, they were also groundbreaking, generating new sounds and new possibilities that Bach’s contemporaries could not ignore.
Which composers includes six Brandenburg Concertos?
Johann Sebastian Bach
Brandenburg Concertos, six concerti grossi by Johann Sebastian Bach, considered masterful examples of balance between assorted groups of soloists and a small orchestra.
What is unusual about Bach’s Brandenburg concerto No 5?
Concerto No. 5 in D Major features the bright, virtuosic trio of violin, flute, and harpsichord. One of the most interesting aspects of this piece is the way it shatters our expectations of the traditional concerto grosso.
How many concertos make up Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos?
six concertos
Bach composed this famous collection of six concertos (BWV 1046-51) between 1708-1721, although they weren’t known as the ‘Brandenburg’ Concertos until 150 years later. For a gateway into the world of Baroque music you can do no better than Bach’s ‘Brandenburg’ Concertos.
Why did Bach compose the Brandenburg Concertos?
Bach composed the Brandenburg Concertos in 1721 at a time of transition in his life: He’d enjoyed a tremendous run as music director in the court of the German Prince Leopold, but his job security was beginning to look uncertain.
What key are Bach’s first two Brandenburg?
Concertos
| Concerto | Key | Solo |
|---|---|---|
| Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 | G major | 3 violins 3 violas 3 cellos and harpsichord |
| Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 | G major | 2 recorders violin |
| Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 | D major | flute violin harpsichord |
| Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 | B-flat major | 2 violas 2 violas da gamba cello violone harpsichord |
What are the main roles of the harpsichord in Brandenburg Concerto No 5 3rd movement?
In bar 110 the harpsichord plays triplet quavers, which are three quavers played in the space of two quavers. The triplet quavers are groups of three notes, creating a sense of 123, 456 rhythm against the written 2/4 time signature. The third movement employs a fugue structure and texture.
What is the form of Brandenburg Concertos?
concerto grosso form
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major, third movement, is in concerto grosso form. This means that the work uses groups of solo instruments – the concertino – rather than a single soloist. Overall there are three main groups of instruments – the concertino , the ripieno and the continuo .
When did Johann Sebastian Bach write the Brandenburg Concerti What is it a great example of?
The Brandenburg Concertos are excellent examples of music from the Baroque Era. Bach wrote these sometime before the year 1721 — he met a music lover named Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg who asked Bach to send him some concertos.
What is unique about the Brandenburg Concertos?
These six concertos are considered among the pinnacle of Baroque composition. Each one uses a different combination of instruments and shows off different musical styles popular during Bach’s lifetime, from the French minuet to the counterpoint for which the composer himself is so well known.
How would you describe Brandenburg Concerto No 3?
Typical concertos follow a three-movement format: fast, slow, fast. The Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 also follows the three-movement format, but instead of one soloist, it is written for three violins, three violas, and three cellos, and a continuous bass.
Can you hear Trevor Pinnock’s solo in Brandenburg Concerto No 5?
Trevor Pinnock’s wonderfully sizzling harpsichord solo in Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 is breathtaking, and must be heard to be believed. When I began listening to this album for the first time on my 30-year old CD player with its 5-disc changer, and my 5.1-channel home theater system, I was amazed by the superb audio quality.
What makes Brandenburg Concerto and orchestral suite so good?
Each Brandenburg Concerto and Orchestral Suite possesses a wonderfully clear, warm, and well-balanced sound. I could easily hear every plucked string of Pinnock’s harpsichord, every drawn bow over violins, violas da gamba, and cellos, and every note sounded from horns and woodwinds.
Who is Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert?
Trevor Pinnock and The English Concert, a period-instrument orchestra that Pinnock helped found in the mid-1970s, exhibit a joyful enthusiasm and an obvious love of the music they are playing. This is readily evident in every note they play.
