The piece I have chosen to analyse is the Handel-Halvorsen Passacaglia written by George Frederic Handel. Originally composed as a harpsichord suite and published in 1720, the piece is now more commonly heard as the arrangement done by Norwegian violinist Johan Halvorsen for violin and viola. Here is a link to the score: http://conquest.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/9/96/IMSLP23970-PMLP29933-IMSLP12367-Passaglia_score.pdf
Step 2: Aural Analysis
- General Texture - The piece is mainly homophonic, with the melody being handed off between the violin and viola throughout the piece.
- Tonality - The piece is written in the key of G minor
- Meter - The meter is in duple simple
- Tempo - The tempo changes throughout the piece with every section, ranging from a largo to an allegro moderato.
- Instrumentation - Violin and viola (chordophones)
- Overall Structure - This piece is composed of variations on the same main theme, often separated by ritardandos and fermatas.
Step 3: Deciphering the Score
- Passacaglia - A continuous variation form. The basis for the form is a four bar ostinato over which variations are written in the other voices
- Suite – A set of dances. Usually contains an optional prelude, followed by the allemande, the courante, the sarabande, the intermezzi, and the gigue. The intermezzi consisted of two to four dances, containing a minuet, a gavotte, or other styles of dances
- Largamente - A directive to perform designated passage of a composition with a broad, full sound
- Decrescendo: A directive to a performer to smoothly decrease the volume of the specific passage
- Accent: moderately sharp attack that can be used at any dynamic level from pianissimo to fortissimo
- Crescendo: A directive to a performer to smoothly increase the volume of a particular phrase or passage
- Espress. – Espressivo; A directive to a musician to perform a certain passage with expression.
- Dolce - A directive to musicians to perform the indicated passage of a composition sweetly, softly, or with tender emotion.
- tr. – Trill; An ornament that consists of rapid alternation between one tone and another tone either a step or a semitone away from the first tone
- Con agilitá – with liveliness/agility
- Legato line - A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition in a smooth, graceful, connected style indicated as accent mark with a line over the notes to be performed
- Staccato mark - A style of playing notes in a detached, separated, distinct manner indicated by dots directly above or below the note head.
- Spiccato - Separated or detached. Typically referring to a performance technique on a bowed stringed instrument. The directive implies that the notes are to be played in the middle of the bow with the bow bouncing naturally off the string. This produces a fast and light staccato effect.
- Slur - A sign in musical notation consisting of a curved line drawn over or under a series of notes, indicating that those notes should be played legato. The slur also indicates the grouping and phrasing of a passage in a composition.
- Con grazie – with grace
- Section repeat sign - A repeated section in a composition is designated with a repeat sign at the beginning and end of the section to be repeated
- Arco - Directive for a musician to play a stringed instrument with a bow
- Pizz. – Pizzicato; A directive to a bowed string instrument performer that the indicated notes are to be plucked with the fingers
- Fermata - A notation marking directing the performer or ensemble to sustain the note of a composition affecting all parts and lasting as long as the artistic interpretation of the conductor allows. The fermata is marked above the note or rest to be held.
- Un poco marc. Ma espr. – A little accent, but with expression
- Sim. – Simile; A directive to perform the indicated passage of a composition in a similar manner as the previous passage; similarly
- Mordent – A series of two or more grace notes played before the principal note. This ornament usually consists of the principal note, the note below, and the principal note again.
- rit – Ritardando; A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition with a ritard the tempo, to gradually delay the tempo.
- Ardante - A moderate tempo marking between Largo and Moderato. This tempo typically has between 76 and 108 beats per minute
- Breath mark - A directive to the performer to break the phrase at that point in the composition and breathe, thus assisting in the production of a smooth phrase consistent with the composer's wishes
- Broken chord – A chord in which the notes are not played simultaneously but rather they are played successively
- Capriccioso – lively and free
- Sul ponticello – At the bridge
- Flautato - A technique in which the sound of a flute is imitated by bowing near the end of the fingerboard
- Saltando sempre - To always use a technique of bouncing the bow across the strings, producing a rapid, staccato arpeggio
- Molto energico – very energetic/strong
- Ottava - When written above a passage in a composition, this term indicates that the passage should be performed one octave higher than written. When written below a passage in a composition, this term indicates that the passage should be performed one octave lower than written.
- Poco a poco spicc. Sempre al. – little by little, always spiccato
- Allegro con fuoco - A fast tempo marking between Allegretto and Vivace; with fire
- cresc. molto e stringendo – big crescendo and stringendo (A directive to perform the indicated passage of a composition with a pressing forward or acceleration of the tempo)
- Link to PDF: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qytQMyrE1uTi1Xa0I2OUVsZk0/edit
- This duo for violin and viola is a passacaglia, meaning that its form is a continuous variation. The chord progressions are the same in each phrase, yet are presented differently each time (i.e. rhythm changes, tempo changes, which part carries the melody, dynamic differences). Each phrase also repeats the same patterns, such as omitting the 5th of every other chord. This piece presents different elements from what we analyzed in class because it is not in SATB style. However, it seems to follow the same elements of 17th Century part-writing that we studied. The most enjoyable aspect of this piece was its structure. Although each phrase has the same chord progression as its previous, the way that the phrase is written helps to avoid sounding repetitive. Each phrase also ends in a half cadence, leaving it to sound incomplete, which helps the piece to move along.
