The 18th Century Phrase

The piece that I chose is the very famous Eine kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart. This song keeps a energetic feel and upbeat rhythm throughout the whole piece, in quadruple meter (4/4). There are a few parts where the tempo seems to slow down a bit and lower in volume to add to the dramatic effect of the piece (allowing the forte's to seem louder) but it will quickly return back to the faster tempo and forte/fortissimo dynamic. It is definitely not as dark as Beethoven's pieces. This particular piece was written for string instruments, but is not a string quartet. It starts out with the violins playing the melody, and then shortly after adds in the violas and chello's (and possibly bass) to add to the texture. I believe that the particular section that I chose is actually in sonata form. The first part of the piece that we hear is the Exposition. The first phrase in the exposition I believe is a sentence. We are able to hear the two basic ideas and then the continuation. I was a little unsure if it was actually a sentence because the continuation is a bit longer, but that I think is the coda. The first sentence ends with a imperfect authentic cadence that sounded to me like it was on sol. That is followed by a phrase that ends in what sounded like another half cadence ending on mi and then a perfect authentic cadence that comes back home to do. The second two phrases are able to combine to form a parallel  interrupted period.

Here is a diagram of the phrase structure that I heard:

I believe that the first sentence is just an intro into the piece, but it is still part of the first idea in the exposition

I said earlier that I thought that the piece that I selected was in sonata form. The part that I drew my phrase diagram was the first theme in the exposition(0-.30), we are then able to hear the moving part(.31-.47) that takes us to the second theme which is in a new key to add to the tension(.48-1.01), and then it transitions into a second, second theme(1.02-1.27) which then leads to the closing of the exposition(1.28-1.32), a small coda(1.33-1.35) and a repeat back to the beginning(1.36-3.13). After the exposition the piece then moves into the development(3.14-3.47) where we are able to hear much more tension and are able to notice many of the themes that were played in the exposition. This part of the piece adds the most tension and brings us to the recapitulation(3.48-end) which repeats the exposition but all in the tonic key. 

I think that this piece is a great example of enlightenment music. In the exposition we are able to hear the introduction of the music and many additional ideas that are added. The instruments are working out the musical ideas, like how the philosophes would debate and work out their ideas in the salons. When we get to the development we are able to hear how they are trying to solve the problem, and that they are coming up with many solutions that might work. We are able to hear this through the many different keys that they use to play the ideas that were presented in the exposition. Finally after a long time of debate they are finally able to get to he recapitulation which has taken all the ideas and resolved (solved) them. Even in the phrases that I diagramed we are able to hear the first idea and how it has tension, which is signified by an open cadence. Then it is able to be resolved through the use of a closed cadence.