Bach Questions

Post by Jordan Smith.

David Smooke graciously responded: This is a very interesting example b/c of the harmonic rhythm. The fact that the harmony doesn't change between the anacrusis and the downbeat makes the latter feel significantly less strong. Then the V6-I on beats 2-3 of the first measure appear to clarify the meter (making the entire measure a prolongation of the tonic), but the following measure messes everything up again by modulating and coming back to the A Major sonority but now tonicizing D and now on the weak part of the measure. So, if you count from the A Majors, you get A-A-other; A-other-other; A, which almost seems to give a triple meter feel to the passage. Of course, it's all in how Bach harmonized it. [The G Major Chord] totally comes out of nowhere, and if you think in terms of strong beats, then the skeletal voice leading gives parallel 5ths (A/E - G-D) between the bass and tenor going into that chord.