Hummel string quartet op. 30 no.

- G major tonic, the first 3 chords outlines the chord of g major

- Exposition from bars 1-98
- Development bars 98-162
- Recap 162- 268
- Within the exposition, the piece begins outlining the tonic chord
of g major and presents the first subject area. The first subject
area is until bar 24, this is where the transition begins.
- In bar 16 there is a use of sequences, this is framed in falling
thirds, from c, a, f. The same articulation is used on each to
create the sequence, first 2 notes slurred with the next 2 notes
staccato.
- At bar 20 we hear the first subject area tune again with the three
chords in g major, however with the inclusion of the c sharp in
the melody it hints at the initial subject that will appear in d
major.
- The transition section begins in bar 24, you can hear the
modulation beginning to move from the tonic of g major to the
dominant, d major.
- There is a rising figure going between the second and first violin
in bars 26-29 which moves down to the viola and second violin
in bar 30, while this is happening the cello is playing a rising
chromatic sequence, D, E flat, E natural, F natural in bars 28-29.
- The dotted quaver and semiquaver motif that appears in the
cello’s chromatic sequence is mirrored in the viola as well.
- The second subject area then appears in bar 45, where it begins
in D major with the pedal note of D outlining the new key.
- In bars 54-68 there is a question and answer motif between the
first violin, the question, and the second violin and viola, the
short answer.
- The second subject area continues through until the double bar
line at bar 98 to mark the end of the exposition.
- At bar 79 the cello introduces a scalic sextuplet pattern which is
then passed between the first violin and then back to the cello in
increments of a bar.
- However 3 bars before the repeat there is a small transitional
section, the sforzando marks this change in direction.
- The development begins in bar 99, in d major, the dominant of g
major. This is clearly outlined by the first violin playing a d
major chord in bar 100.
- The cello and viola are playing a sequence of a dotted quaver
with a semi quaver, similar to the sequence they played together
in bars 26-29.
- In bar 105 there is a transition period where there is a set of
modulations, that leads to the first subject area material of the
three chords in the key of b flat major.
- At bar 120 the first subject area material appears again in the
key of c minor.
- In bar 126 it begins to go through another series of modulations,
with a repeating motif passing through each of the instruments
allowing for the change of keys to become more apparent
through each instrument, until bar 141 when all 4 instruments
play the motif in unison to lead us back into d major.
- In bar 142 we return to d major with the cello keeping a constant
pedal note D to build the suspense of the dominant pedal.
Meanwhile the question and answer motif is being passed
between the two violins and viola.
- Between bars 142-161 the tune revolves around the dominant
pedal note D which is reinforced by the sforzando note D in the
cello in bar 162. This then leads to the recapitulation which is
the return of the tonic key of g major.
- The recap then begins in bar 162 returning to the opening
material of the three chords in the tonic key of g major.
- From bars 162-169 it is the exact same as the opening, until bar
170 where it alters.
- The first subject area is altered in length in the recap as the
transition appears in bar 175, the transition is different to the
exposition as it is not moving towards the dominant or the
relative major, but back to the tonic.
- It briefly modulates into the dominant in bar 190 where the cello
outlines the chord of d underneath the main tune but then
transitions back into g major for the second subject area.
- The second subject area is then in 198, using the same material
from the exposition, however this time in the tonic instead of in
the dominant as it was seen before.
- The repeated motif of the dotted crotchet-semi quaver appears
again towards the end of the transition and into the second
subject area which is passed between the instruments. This is
reminiscent to the motif being heard in the development.
- In bars 217 and 218 there is a sequence played in the first and
second violin, this sequence is played in falling thirds and each
violin is playing a third apart.
- In bar 220 a sextuplet motif is played by the viola and then
shortly after imitated by the first violin in bar 224. This motif is
then passed on to the second violin in bar 228. This was
previously seen in the second subject area in the exposition.
- In bar 243 the violin takes over the dominant voice with the
other instruments accompanying, it is then passed to the viola in
bar 247, with the other instruments carrying on the
accompaniment.
- In bar 256 the first violin introduces a pattern characterized by
an interval of a third followed by a descending scale. This is
then imitated by firstly the cello, then back to first violin with
ornamentation then viola and then returns to first violin.
- The ending reminisces on the three opening chords except this
time the leading voice falls to the tonic instead of rising to the
dominant as we saw in the opening, in turn giving a sense of a
resolution.