New publication: Part 3 of Form Functions in Mozart Menuets

I have just published a new essay on Texas Scholar Works: Formal Functions in Menuets by Mozart, Part 3: A Comparison with Johann Christian Bach. Link.

Here is the abstract:

This essay charts formal functions (after Caplin) in named menuets by Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782) and compares them with menuets by Mozart. Bach is notable for exploiting the “galant theme,” presumably because of its ability to emphasize melody and to maximize contrast, in accordance with aesthetic ideals of the galant style.

The repertoire includes, in chronological order, WC 49-54: Concertos, op. 1 (1763); WB 43-48: Trios (keyboard), op. 2 (1763 or earlier); WA 1-6: 6 Sonatas, op. 5 (1765); WB 2-7: Sonatas with violin, op. 10 ; WC 1-6: 6 Symphonies, op. 3 (1765); WC 55-60: Concertos, op. 7 (1770); WB 51-56: String quartets (1770); WB 57: Flute quartets (year?); WB 70-75: 6 Quintets, op. 11 (1772); WC 17b-18b: 3 Symphonies, op. 9 (1773); WZ_6 Trios (Bach, Abel, and Kammel) (1775-76); WC 62-67: Concertos, op. 13 (1777);WA 21: Sonata 2 pianos (1778); WB 10-15 Sonatas (c. 1780); WB 30-35: Trios (1780); WA 7-12: 6 Sonatas, op. 17 (c. 1780); WA 16-20: Sonatas, op. 18 (year?).

Menuet survey summary

A longer-term goal of the menuet survey—which still needs entries on J. C. Bach and Mozart—has been a large documentation essay to be published eventually, like others, on the Texas Scholar Works platform. At this mid-point in the series of posts (I plan to examine a large number of menuets by Mozart), a summary of the argument might be useful:

This essay historicizes hybrid themes (after Caplin) in terms of first strains in named menuets and (secondarily) first sections in instrumental movements clearly based on the menuet. The antecedent-continuation theme is renamed "galant theme," and—for the purpose of the dance—the list of eight-bar themes is reduced to four: period, sentence, galant theme, and presentation-consequent. This last I sometimes refer to as the "6+2 theme."