Corelli - Trio Sonata in D, Op. 3 No. 2: Movement IV - Instrumental

• Published in 1689 - standing on the borderline between middle and late BAROQUE

• Last movement of a four-movement sonata. It is stylistically like a Gigue
• One of a set of 12 Trio Sonatas
• Although described as a trio sonata, the work requires four players: two violins, violone (equivalent to cello) and an organ continuo. Violins were new at the time.

• The organ supplies harmonies as indicated by figured bass
• The use of organ makes it a sonata di chiesa (church sonata), but can be performed with any suitable coninuo instrument (e.g. harpsichord) and in any performance venue. 

• In rapid 6/8 time, in the style of a Gigue

• Basic motif is made up of quavers and semiquavers, with occasional longer notes in the upper parts

• Syncopation at bars 26-27

• Feeling of 3/4 in bar 27 from an arising hemiola

• Basic motif composed of 3rds and stepwise movement, used for the basis of the whole movement

• Inversion at bar 20

• Sequence at bars 8-10

• Inverted in 2nd Section

• Funcational
• Diatonic, with chords mainly in root position and first inversion
• Perfect cadences

• Some dissonance with suspensions that are always prepared and resolved by step e.g. bar 9: 7-6 suspension
• Inverted pedals e.g. bars 15-18, violin II

• Chords indicated by figured bass

• D major with modulations to related keys:

- A major (dominant) at bar 19

- B minor (relative minor) at bars 27-28

- E minor (supertonic) at bars 31-32

• Ends in tonic D major

• Simple Binary form, with each section repeated

- A: Bars 1-19 (repeated)

- B: Bars 20-43 (repeated)

• Writing for violin is idiomatic , though Corelli avoids lowest registers and anything above third position

• Texture is often 'polarised', i.e. two high violin parts and a low bass line

• Contrapuntal an fugal elements, although the writing is also frequently homorhythmic e.g. bars 3-4

• Stretto is used at bar 20, where the imitation comes after only one bar.