J. S. BACH’S USAGE OF THE HARPSICHORD CONCERTO MOVEMENTS AS THE INTRODUCTORY INSTRUMENTAL MOVEMENTS, SINFONIAS
J. S. BACH’IN KLAVSEN KONÇERTO BÖLÜMLERİNİ SİNFONİYA GİBİ BAŞLANGIÇ ENSTRÜMENTAL BÖLÜM OLARAK KULLANMASI

Author : Ahmet SÖNMEZLER
Number of pages : 119-127

Abstract

The three-movement instrumental piece sinfonia was used as an introductory instrumental movement to precede the Italian opera in the Baroque period (ca. 1700) which did not necessarily have a musical relationship with the opera itself. The sinfonia was played like a string quartet. It was merely used to get the audience’s attention. The preeminent Baroque composer J.S. Bach took this approach to a further level where he has integrated the introductory sinfonia with the inner movements of some of his cantatas. However, the first movements of Bach’s harpsichord concertos are quite longer and bigger in the formal structure compare to Scarlatti’s İtalian opera overtures which shows Bach’s progressive approach to sinfonia. In this study we examine some of Scarlatti’s Italian Opera overtures as well as some of Bach’s harpsichord concerto movements where he used them to serve as sinfonias in some of his Leipzig church cantatas including BWV 169, 49, 146, and 156.

Keywords

Cantatas, sinfonia, bach, overture, harpsichord, concerto, baroque, scarlatti

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