The minuet
Section A
Texture
The music starts with a two part texture, where the violins play the melody and the viola and cello accompany. The violins play in octaves until bar 6 where they go into thirds and sixths. The texture progresses and becomes mostly homophonicA texture based on chords..
Melody and dynamics
There is use of ornamentation with an appoggiaturaAn ornamental leaning note in which the ornament takes half the value of the note it proceeds. in bar 4 and trillTwo adjacent notes that are played rapidly one after the other. in bars 6 and 7. The melody consists of both conjunctA melody that moves by step. and disjunctMoves in leaps. movement and there is a descending sequenceA pattern of musical notes that are repeated moving up or down the scale. in bars 6 and 7. There is double stoppingOn a stringed instrument playing two strings at once, plucked or bowed. on the viola at the end of the section. This means two notes are played at the same time.
The dynamics are forte throughout section A.
Harmony and tonality
The section starts in G major and uses a mix of root position and first inversion chords throughout. The chords change nearly every beat and there is use of the dominant 7th (V7) chord. The section ends on a perfect cadenceA type of cadence where the chords played are chord V then I. This progression sounds complete. (V7 - I).
Section B
Dynamics
The section starts with piano to contrast with section A but goes back to forte at bar 12.
Texture
The texture is thinner using melody and accompanimentA type of texture where there is only one clear melody and an accompaniment that plays different notes and rhythms but is supporting the melody. with two parts. There is contrary motion between the violins and cello at bar 13. The texture changes to four-part harmony for the cadence at the end of the section.
Melody
The melody is much more conjunct than section A, with a fluid quaver movement and has a two- bar descending sequence. The trills from section A return at bar 14 and the end of the section is a repeat of the end of section A.
Harmony and tonality
The section starts in E minor - the relative minor - and moves through D minor, ending back at the tonic - G major for the end of the section. The section ends on a perfect cadenceA type of cadence where the chords played are chord V then I. This progression sounds complete. (V7 - I).