>In this assignment, we had to choose a piece that was used so far in the course, and write a short description from the Referential listener’s point of view.

Air from Suite No.3 in D by J. S. Bach

from Basic Musical Concepts: “What Type of Listener Are You?”

Referential:

I’m particularly fond of violin as it is. This piece builds, and sweeps me away, being carried further by the harmonizing of the strings.

It’s meant to relax, gives one an opportunity to think, remeniss. I’m immediately taken to past memories and images of nature, trees catching the breeze, and large fields of grass all swaying in unison to the “wind”. If Bach was intending on giving an auditory representation of ‘air’, he succeeded, and swept me away with it.

“Idea” Form

It uses a few basic melodies in a pattern. It has unity of the strings playing in unison, and variety as it’s changed using volume and timbre. The harmony of the strings gives this piece it’s “feel” for me, coming in for accompaniment at mid-thought, and building to a peak with escalating volume and timbre it makes me feel as if I am being lifted with the heightening notes.

This is programme music, it’s meant as a piece of a whole.