Menuet Vs G Major Essay

The Menuets from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major explores the tonality of G Major and what can be done to make it sound engaging, dance-like, and captivating. Both Menuet I and Menuet II function as individual movements, yet they contribute to and complement one another. Both explore different rhythmic patterns and tonal aspects, all the while staying and maintaining in the same realm of G Major. I will be talking about rhythm and how it drives the melody forward, shift of tonality and tonicization and how it materializes the movements, and cadences and pauses and how it balances characters from both Menuets. The first point I like to discuss is rhythm. The rhythm helps make the line light and dance-like. In the first Menuet, Bach explores a number of rhythms, yet they hold some body to them. There is rhythmic pattern of two eighth notes, one quarter note, one eighth note, and two sixteenth notes that are used sparingly, which leads the melodical line to the next measure. There are the six eighth notes, the “body” or “essence” of the Menuet. The quarter notes and half notes suggest a pause, almost even functioning like a cadential figure. Even the dotted quarter note in measure sixteen, the only one in the movement, acts as a “break point.” Only one dotted half note appears: the end of Menuet I, closing with a perfect authentic cadence. This suggests, then, shorter durations of rhythms travel to a destination spot, while longer rhythms act as a stopping point or at least a breath mark. Bach tells a story not only with the notes but also by implicating the use of rhythmic motives. Like with the first Menuet, the second Menuet uses shorter rhythmic patterns that propel the movement forward, while longer duration of notes give a sense of pause or cadence. In this case, eighth notes drive the rhythmic bus. There are two instances in which harmonic activity slows down, and that is to signify the mark of the cadences, a half cadence in measure eight, and an authentic cadence in measure twenty-four. The “middleman,” or the quarter note, serves to bridge the eighth notes and cadences together as well as function as giving the movement moments to breathe, almost like a quasi-cadence. Interestingly enough, the quarter notes outline the tessitura of each phrase. Sometimes, the quarter note is a fourth or fifth apart from notes of the phrase. All rhythmic patterns in both the Menuets interconnect to create a smooth melodic line to transition to the cadence, the end goal. My second point I like to elaborate on is the tonal shifts. Music has a starting and ending point. What is different for all composers and their compositions is the middle. In the Baroque period, the piece generally begins on tonic, modulating to the dominant, transitioning back to tonic. Bach follows these conventional standards, yet he is able to invent music in such a way that his counterpoint is able to reflect interest and attention in his …show more content…
Although cadences and pauses are not the same as rhythm and tonality, they connect and correlate to one another. The notes presented have been discussed earlier in the paper; however, I want to discuss more about cadences as it should stand on its own thought process. Cadences indicate closure. Generally, they are present at the end of a movement, a repeat, or a phrase. In Bach’s case with both Menuets, cadences occur in all three situations, which is typical. There are some instances, nonetheless, that feel like a cadence, but it is not quite there. Sometimes, the phrase keeps going. Sometimes, the notes of the movement take a break, only for a brief while. Whatever the case, they do not qualify as a cadence because it lacks complete closure, yet there exists a pause, some sort of breath mark, to suggest a “pit stop.” These “pit stops” give time for the performer to not necessarily stop (as this insinuates a total break) but rather a yield, surrendering just a little bit of time. Additionally, the “pit stops” provide the listener a mental break by cleaning the auditory palate. In both Menuet I and Menuet II, cadences are the complete stop, while the pauses are the “cruising stop” that keeps