Musical Features
Structural Features
Contextual Features
- melodies of the movement are simple broken chords and scalic motion
- 4 common motifs all based around thirds
- triple time signature 3/8
- Bach's use of sequence often results in super-melodies that move slowly along passages e.g. the peaks of phrases in bars 13-23 known as Fortspinnung.
- Chords not in root position are almost always in first inversion.
- Dominant 7ths are frequent
- Music is generally homophonic but changes to counter-point.
- Continuo is ever present - adds density to the piece
- Frequent parallel 6th and 3rds.
Structural Features
- Ritornello form in G major
- Include modulation that signify the different stages of the form.
- Alternates between Ritornellos and Episodes whilst changing key from G-E-C-Bmin-G major.
Contextual Features
- One of 6 Brandenburg concertos written.
- Concerto Grosso - written for a group of soloists and an orchestra.
- Influenced strongly by Vivaldi.