Harmonic Analysis

Although this suite appears to be written in F major, upon listening it is clearly not. The movement actually begins with the feel of G minor, or Dorian mode. The instability of this movement in addition to the lack of a clear tonal center makes this piece very difficult to analyze harmonically. At m11, there is a change in harmony, with the D in the bass. The open fifths foreshadow the clanging of the anvil, beginning in m19. With the first cornet entrance at the pickup to measure 15, the melody reappears, only this time beginning on fa, the fourth degree of the scale. Listeners feel a pull toward “home” at m23, and for the first time, listeners hear the F in the bass. However, we then receive a recapitulation of the familiar melody and an unexpected ending on a D major chord.