Ein feste burg
Musical elements
Melody Hmony and tonality
• The cantata is based on a cantus firmus
written by Martin Luther - bar 1/2 of his 1529
• Chords are diatonic and functional
hymn • perfect cadences are frequent and confirm
• In movement 1, the cantus firmus is sung with modulations to new keys.
an altered rhythm and added passing notes. The
melody is predominantly conjunct, with small • there is a rare example of an imperfect cadence in
leaps of a 4th or 5th. There are some bar 10 of the eighth movement.
sequences, which tend to be ascending. Much of
the melody is diatonic but there is some • there is a pedal note for 4 bars at the end of the
chromaticism. The choir covers a large range first movement.
• in movement 2, the soprano soloist sings an
ornamented version of the chorale melody. The
• typical of baroque music there are lots of
lines are highly scalic. The bass part has many suspensions, such as a 4-3 in mvmntl, b16.
melismatic semiquaver passages and is seen to
• secondary and dominant 7ths appear frequently
be more ornate than the soprano melody. There
are a few rare examples of sequencing. The • most chords are in root or first inversion, with
ranges of the voices are very large, and the second inversion being used infrequently.
bass covers nearly 2 octaves. There are also
some trills for both voice and instrument • The tonality in each movement is fairly strict, with
• in movement 8, the melody bears the most modulations being controlled and to related keys.
resemblance to Luther's hymn tune. The melody
is highly conjunct and diatonic. The choir covers • there are brief, passing modulations that add
a fairly narrow range (3 Oct). harmonic interest.
Structure Sonority
• Cantata - a medium-length baroque composition for
voices and instruments in several movements
• Written for SATB soloists,
• movement 8 is a chorale - the rest of the melodic material
choir, 3 oboes, 2 violins, cello/
is based on this
cembalo and violine e organo
• movement 1 uses a cantus firmus - a melody from mvmt
- unusual!
8.
• mvmnt1 - SATB choir and
• movement 2 is a ritornello aria, which is a duet.
tutti orchestra
• all three studied movements are based on the 9 chorale
• mvmnt 2- duet for soprano
phrases.
and bass accompanied by
strings and oboe (doubling
soprano)
• mvmnt8 - 4 part SATB with
Dynamics orchestra doubling vocals.
• This piece does not have any scored dynamics. it
uses terraced dynamics.
Musical elements
Melody Hmony and tonality
• The cantata is based on a cantus firmus
written by Martin Luther - bar 1/2 of his 1529
• Chords are diatonic and functional
hymn • perfect cadences are frequent and confirm
• In movement 1, the cantus firmus is sung with modulations to new keys.
an altered rhythm and added passing notes. The
melody is predominantly conjunct, with small • there is a rare example of an imperfect cadence in
leaps of a 4th or 5th. There are some bar 10 of the eighth movement.
sequences, which tend to be ascending. Much of
the melody is diatonic but there is some • there is a pedal note for 4 bars at the end of the
chromaticism. The choir covers a large range first movement.
• in movement 2, the soprano soloist sings an
ornamented version of the chorale melody. The
• typical of baroque music there are lots of
lines are highly scalic. The bass part has many suspensions, such as a 4-3 in mvmntl, b16.
melismatic semiquaver passages and is seen to
• secondary and dominant 7ths appear frequently
be more ornate than the soprano melody. There
are a few rare examples of sequencing. The • most chords are in root or first inversion, with
ranges of the voices are very large, and the second inversion being used infrequently.
bass covers nearly 2 octaves. There are also
some trills for both voice and instrument • The tonality in each movement is fairly strict, with
• in movement 8, the melody bears the most modulations being controlled and to related keys.
resemblance to Luther's hymn tune. The melody
is highly conjunct and diatonic. The choir covers • there are brief, passing modulations that add
a fairly narrow range (3 Oct). harmonic interest.
Structure Sonority
• Cantata - a medium-length baroque composition for
voices and instruments in several movements
• Written for SATB soloists,
• movement 8 is a chorale - the rest of the melodic material
choir, 3 oboes, 2 violins, cello/
is based on this
cembalo and violine e organo
• movement 1 uses a cantus firmus - a melody from mvmt
- unusual!
8.
• mvmnt1 - SATB choir and
• movement 2 is a ritornello aria, which is a duet.
tutti orchestra
• all three studied movements are based on the 9 chorale
• mvmnt 2- duet for soprano
phrases.
and bass accompanied by
strings and oboe (doubling
soprano)
• mvmnt8 - 4 part SATB with
Dynamics orchestra doubling vocals.
• This piece does not have any scored dynamics. it
uses terraced dynamics.
