Trio Sonata in D

Op. 3 No.2

Texture
Typically contrapuntal, in a 3 part texture with the violone part joing in the
counterpoint for most of the movement
Opening section is in a fugal style, first violin states the subject (monophonic)
and the second violin provies the answer a 4 th lower (real answer).
Bar 5 2 violins start inverted version of the subject in parallel 3rds, violone
complete the original subject starting midway through bar 6.
Stretto entries in bars 11-13, follower by inverted pedal point by violins above a
moving bass line.
Parts are polarised with 2 violins close together above a bass much lower in
pitch e.g. bars 18-19. However, more evenly spaced out at the start of bar 27.
Violin 2 and violone works together in parallel 10ths bars 8-9.
Texture is more obviously homophonic at cadence points e.g. bars 26-27, 42-43.
Corelli draws the movement to a close by dropping all 3 parts down an octave
for the final 3 bars.

Structure and Tonality

Binary Form: AABB
Broadly monothematic, structure is defined by the repeat
marks and the tonality.
A section (bars 1-19) starts in D modulates to the dominant
A.
B section (bars 20-43) begins on the dominant with the
same melodic material (inverted) and modulates through
various related keys before returning to the tonic at the
end.
Bars 41-43 could be regarded as a Codetta.
See table.

Harmony
Entirely diatonic, all accidentals are related to a change of key.
Harmony is largely consonant and uses mainly root position chords
and first inversion chords.
Dissonance occurs through carefully prepared suspension e.g. 7-6
on the first beats of bars 9 and 10
Suspensions also occur in the organ part alone (bar 23) and as
part of a iib7- V progresion (bar 18)
Frequent perfect cadences which define the phrase structure (bars
4, 10-11 , 18-19) and the changes of keys (B minor in bars 27-28)
Strongly functional harmony is also evident in the cycle of 5ths
progression (bars 32-35) + Pedal points at the end of sections
(bars 15-18)

Melody
Monothematic with all the melodic invention deriving
from the opening 3 note motif based on a rising 3 rd.
He develops this by:
Rising sequence with added passing notes (bar 1)
Embellishment (bar 2)
Inversion (bar 5)
Extended falling sequence in the violone (bars 15-17)
Anacrusis to the motif for the entries starting in bar 32

Due to the motif, almost all of the melody is based

on the interval of a 3rd and stepwise movment.
Occasional octave leap e.g. 1st violin bar 7.

Rhythm and Metre

Written in the style of a gigue, lively dance in compound time.
2 main beats per bar
Strong rhythmical character of the music is enhance by the
phrasing in dotted crotchet beats in the opening subject (bars
1-2).
Corelli plays around with this regularity of metre to add
interest and buoyancy to the movement.
Violone entry in bar 6 starts half way through the bar.
Syncopation in the 1st violin part in bars 26-27
Hemiolas in bars 27-31, with the harmony changing on the 1 st,
3rd, and 5th quavers of the bar.