IM 1: 1700-1820: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5

Front

What is the Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major (3rd movement)?

Back

It is the final movement of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5—a concerto grosso sent to the Margrave of Brandenburg in 1721, compiled from earlier works.

Front

When was this concerto composed and published?

Back

Composed in 1721 for a small court orchestra, it was likely never performed at Brandenburg and was not published until 1850, a century after Bach’s death.

Front

What period and genre does this work belong to?

Back

It belongs to the Late Baroque period and is an example of a concerto grosso.

Front

What instruments make up the concertino (solo group) in this concerto?

Back

The concertino consists of a flute, a principal violin, and a harpsichord.

Front

What is significant about the harpsichord part in this concerto?

Back

This is the first concerto to feature a solo part for the harpsichord, which Bach may have written to showcase a new instrument at the court. In other sections, it also plays as part of the basso continuo.

Front

How is the overall structure of the movement organized?

Back

The movement follows an A–B–A structure: the A section is a fugato, the B section has a ritornello form, and the final A repeats the opening material (indicated by “Da Capo”).

Front

What characterizes the A section of the movement?

Back

It is a fugato in D major where the opening tune (the subject) is imitated by each instrument in turn, with overlapping entries and even a stretto near the end.

Front

Describe the B section in terms of key and structure.

Back

The B section begins and ends in B minor and uses a ritornello structure where short episodes—based on the first four notes of the subject—alternate with contrasting ritornelli from the A section.

Front

What does the “Da Capo” marking indicate in this movement?

Back

It instructs the performers to repeat the first section (A) at the end, reinforcing the ternary form (A–B–A).

Front

How does Bach create contrast in this movement’s tonality?

Back

Although the movement is in D major, Bach modulates to the dominant (A major) in the A section and shifts to B minor (relative minor) in the B section, relying on key changes and texture rather than entirely new melodies.