Emily Werner

Dr. John Peterson

MUS 241

September 17, 2019

Analytical Write-up of Farrenc, Trio II

The second movement of Farrenc’s Trio for Flute, Cello, and Piano begins with a

flute melody and piano accompaniment in the key of C major. It is quiet and calm with a

pastoral air. The flute melody seems like it will follow the predictable route of an

antecedent (basic idea followed by contrasting idea), but the accompanying piano not

only doesn’t cadence, but it has an intentional flat 6 in the middle of the chord

highlighting the non-cadence. A few bars later the cello enters with a sustained root

pedal tone which then ascends chromatically highlighting the tonicization in the piano

and adding a sense of foreboding underneath the sweet flute melody. The cello line

continues to double the bass line in the piano, focusing on the deceptive motion in the

last measure of the second system.

In the next section, the flute and cello have an intertwining duet while the piano

stays on five and cadential six four chords. It feels like the two melodic voices are

playing a game of tag or running down a hill together, because there is a sense of

motion and a need to continue to try and get back to the tonic. Instead of returning to do

however, the cellp drops back to harmony and the flute has a new melody in the

beginning with a flat major three chord and then continuing in the parallel minor for a

few measures. This mixture highlights the flute’s unfamiliar melody. It is almost like they
were playing but suddenly got lost. The written score then seems to resolve in G major,

but the cadence is not very strong.

The flute then has a solo chromatic ascent and descent before returning to the

original melody with chords in the piano and an arpeggiating accompaniment in the

cello. The cello part is strong and fairly independent. In the seventh measure of the

second system, it nearly becomes counterpoint to the flute melody. It then fades back to

help the resolution, before an aggressive leap into A. A is suddenly in c minor and it has

a completely different feel to the gentle beginning. It is loud, rough, and choppy. That is

where our excerpt ends, but it would be interesting to see the rest of the movement and

the relationship between the original flute melody and this new section.