Section VII, measures 180-213: Almost entirely in the home-key, thus emphasizing the sense of finality. The bulk of this section is furthermore identical with Section I, thus affording a fine example of the principle of restatement after contrast.
Altogether this is a most interesting movement. In the great effect made with simple means we recognize again, as we did in the case of the invention and the fugue, the splendid power of Bach's mind. The principles of imitation of motives from voice to voice, of transpositions of a single motive in a single voice giving rise to the many sequences, and of restatement after contrast, all discussed in the first chapter, are illustrated more brilliantly than by any other composition we have thus far examined. Finally, in the variety of key of Section V, placed in the middle of the piece, and in the unity of key of the first and last sections, we get a striking anticipation of a principle of construction which we shall later see to be at the root of the most important of modern forms, the sonata-form.
After listening to such a movement as this we naturally wish to relax a little; and we are, therefore, pleased to hear a series of dances of various rhythms and qualities of expression, cast in simple "binary" or "ternary" forms, and either frankly homophonic in style or not too elaborately polyphonic. It is impossible to describe in detail here all the dances found in suites, but the table on page 68 will give an idea of the more important ones.
The gavotte studied in the preceding chapter gives an excellent general impression of the livelier dances used, which may be farther defined by a glance at such typical pieces as the bourr?s of the first and second English Suites, and the gavottes of the third English and fifth French Suites. There is generally also to be found in Bach's suites, introduced for the sake of contrast and in order to represent the more emotional side of musical expression, a sarabande or other such slow, stately, and sometimes truly noble movement. Let us take, as an example of this element, the Sarabande from the second English Suite.
FIGURE XIX. THE CHIEF DANCES USED IN SUITES
| NAME | ORIGIN | METER | FORM | CHARACTER |
| Allemande | German | 4-4 | Usually "binary" | Brisk, fluent. |
| Courante | French | 3-2 or 3-4 | " "binary" | Merry, energetic. |
| Sarabande | Spanish | 3-2, 3-4 | " "binary" | Stately, serious, sometimes noble. |
| Bourr? | French | 4-4, 2-4 | " "ternary" | Lively. |
| Gavotte | French | 4-4 | " "ternary" | Moderately quick, well-marked. |
| Minuet | French | 3-8, 3-4 | " "ternary" | Well-regulated gaiety, courtly. |
| Passepied | French | 3-4 | Animated, brisk. | |
| Loure | Old French | 6-4 | Slow, stately. | |
| Anglaise | French | 2-4 | Lively, energetic. | |
| Polonaise | Polish | 3-4 | Dignified, but animated. | |
| Pavane | French | 2-4 | Stately. | |
| Rigaudon | French | 2-4, 4-4 | Very lively, gay. | |
| Gigue | Doubtful | 6-8, 12-8 | " "binary" | Very rollicking and merry. |
EXAMPLE FOR ANALYSIS, No. 6.
Bach: Sarabande in A-Minor from English Suite II
The melodic germ from which the piece is developed is the following very serious and earnest phrase:
