Classical String Quartet
Third Movement – Minuet and Trio

Definition

A chamber work written for a group of four string instruments, consisting of two violins, one viola and one cello.

String quartets became popular during the Classical period. The genre symbolizes four individuals engaging in an intellectual conversation. 

A Classical string quartet typically consists of four movements. The styles and ordering of the movements are similar to that of a Classical symphony:
First movement fast tempo; generally in sonata form
Second movement slow tempo; more lyrical and song-like; often in ternary form (ABA), theme-and-variations form, or sometimes sonata form
Third movement dance-like; minuet-and-trio form (scherzo-and-trio for Beethoven)
Fourth movement (Finale) fast tempo; often light-hearted in mood; generally in rondo form, sonata form, or a mixture of both (sonata-rondo form); theme-and-variations form

Minuet and Trio

A minuet and a trio, followed by a return of the minuet (without repeat). 

 

Listening

Mozart, String Quartet No. 19 in C major, K. 465 ("Dissonance")

Third Movement – Minuet and Trio
Minuet

7:32  Section A

  • A generally quiet section that is punctured by occasional tutti of all four instrument and accents (sforzando ).
  • Less chromatic than the famous introduction, which earned the name Dissonance Quartet . The minuet also features chromatic appoggiaturas that decorate the melody.
  • High degree of interactions between players, as in the echoing entrances from first violin to cello from bar 8 to bar 11.
  • Typical binary form. Section A begins in tonic key and ends in dominant, which repeats the entire Section A as appropriate.

    • 18:17  Section B

  • Stylistically similar to Section A, with tutti and echoing phrases that push the music forward.
  • Minuet theme reappears in first violin of bar 39, compounded with echoing phrases from all other three instruments.
  • Typical binary form Section B that begins in dominant and ends in tonic, which repeats the entire Section B as appropriate.
    • Trio

    19:55  Section A

  • Main theme in first violin, accompanied by repeated chords in second violin and viola.
  • Typical in binary form, Section A that begins in tonic key and ends in relative major, which repeats the entire Section A as appropriate

    • 20:29  Section B

  • Stylistically similar to Section A, with first violin still dominates the melody.
  • Some melodic exchanges happen between the first and second violin, and the cello plays a more prominent role in supporting the main theme.
  • Typical in binary form, Section B bridges the relative major beginning with an ending in tonic, where the entire Section B is repeated as appropriate.
  • After playing Trio, repeat the Minuet section as instructed (Menuetto da capo ).

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