Intermezzo in a Major by Brahms

Intermezzo in A Major (Op. 118, No.2) by Johannes Brahms is a small ternary form of piano music. In this music, it is clear to see that Brahms is fond of using the motivic ideas. This paper will explore the motivic idea and how this is developed throughout the music. Also, it will include the phrase structure of the piece.

First of all, the A section (mm. 1-48) includes a single period (mm.1-16) and some phrase chains which are prolongation to the period and some sequences (mm. 17-48). The single period in this A section is a parallel period since two phrases are very similar (Phrase 1:mm. 1-8, Phrase 2: mm. 9-16). This period contains the main motive which will develop and extended throughout the music. The main motive is the step-step-leap motion in the melody (C#-B-D). This main motive is important because other melodies are built out of this main motive. After the figuration of the main motive, it is significant to know how Brahms develops and extends this main motive throughout the music. In mm. 2-3, the melody (C#-B-A) uses the same idea of step-step-leap, but there is a intervallic change. There is bigger leap in the second time (mm. 2-3). And then, the next melody has different rhythm and ornamented more, but has the same idea of step-step-leap of main motive (mm. 3-5). This can be heard in many places in the Period 1 which ends on m. 17. The Phrase 2(mm. 9-16) has almost similar melody motives