Performing and composing ideas
Here are some of the techniques in which J.S. Bach used in the Brandenburg Concerto No.5, third movement. Consider how they can be used in performance and composition.
| Performance | Composition | |
| Soloists, ripieno and continuo | Consider the role each group of instruments has in a Baroque-style performance and be conscious of dynamics. | Use different groups of instruments to create a dialogue back and forth between them. |
| Gigue | Perform triplet quaver rhythms in 2/4 and give a sense of the subdivision of the prominent 1, 2 pulse into 3, creating a 123, 456 feel. | Experiment with compound time signatures or if asked to write a piece of music for a historic dance, research the typical time signature of the dance. |
| Fugue | Play each subject boldly so that it is brought out of the texture. Listen carefully to how it is then used by the composer later on, in other parts and in other forms, eg transposed to a higher pitch. | Ensure that the subject is repeated at different pitches, especially the dominant. |
| Contrasting textures | Writing polyphonic and homophonic sections can create an interesting contrast in compositions. | |
| Modulation | Pay attention to new sharp and flat notes when moving between different keys. | Modulation can be used to change the mood of a piece, eg modulating to the relative minor indicates that something sad has happened. |
| Ornamentation | Decorate the melody - a device that is especially useful in a solo. | Ornamentation can give variation when repeating a section. |
| Soloists, ripieno and continuo | |
| Performance | Consider the role each group of instruments has in a Baroque-style performance and be conscious of dynamics. |
| Composition | Use different groups of instruments to create a dialogue back and forth between them. |
| Gigue | |
| Performance | Perform triplet quaver rhythms in 2/4 and give a sense of the subdivision of the prominent 1, 2 pulse into 3, creating a 123, 456 feel. |
| Composition | Experiment with compound time signatures or if asked to write a piece of music for a historic dance, research the typical time signature of the dance. |
| Fugue | |
| Performance | Play each subject boldly so that it is brought out of the texture. Listen carefully to how it is then used by the composer later on, in other parts and in other forms, eg transposed to a higher pitch. |
| Composition | Ensure that the subject is repeated at different pitches, especially the dominant. |
| Contrasting textures | |
| Performance | |
| Composition | Writing polyphonic and homophonic sections can create an interesting contrast in compositions. |
| Modulation | |
| Performance | Pay attention to new sharp and flat notes when moving between different keys. |
| Composition | Modulation can be used to change the mood of a piece, eg modulating to the relative minor indicates that something sad has happened. |
| Ornamentation | |
| Performance | Decorate the melody - a device that is especially useful in a solo. |
| Composition | Ornamentation can give variation when repeating a section. |