No. 6 in F-sharp minor, HWV 431

Like No. 2, this work takes the form of a keyboard sonata. The structure, which includes a prelude and features two slow movements followed by fast movements (a fugue and a gigue), and which also exhibits characteristics of a trio sonata, has precedents in Corelli's sonata works. This work was completed by 1717-1718, and its original Prelude, HWV 570 was replaced with a new one in 1720.

Prelude

In the Prelude, the music progresses through the interplay of short motives among four voices, and the movement concludes with a clear arpeggiated cadence. The three voices other than the one presenting the motive generally only progress in accordance with harmonic changes, often sustaining the same note for extended periods.

Largo

In the Largo, sections alternate where the uppermost voice predominantly spins out the main melody over a uniform dotted-rhythm accompaniment, engaging in responses with other voices, and sections where the uppermost voice progresses harmonically with other voices in a dotted rhythm. The final cadence of the movement is on the dominant chord, not the tonic chord of the main key of F-sharp minor, and the uppermost voice becomes the opening note of the Fugue in the third movement.

Allegro (Fugue)

In the Allegro Fugue, the subject and countersubject are presented simultaneously from the beginning of the movement and develop into complex counterpoint. At the entries of the third and fourth voices, the opening motive of the subject appears in succession, suggesting a stretto, but strict imitation does not continue here. A more substantial stretto appears in the latter half of the movement (from m. 57).

Gigue

The Gigue's subject, characterized by a trill on the second beat, originates from the chorus 'Happy We' in the masque Acis and Galatea, composed in 1718. While the uppermost voice is dominant in the main melody, voice exchange with the lowest voice becomes frequent in the latter half. Furthermore, the sound of parallel thirds between both voices becomes exposed due to the overall two-voice texture, characterizing this movement. While the melody in the first half ascends to G-sharp and then uniformly descends to a cadence, in the latter half, after descending, it rises again to A, creating a musical climax that effectively leads to the convergence of the music at the end of the movement.