close

Gurlitt, Cornelius : Album für die Jugend In der Kirche

Work Overview

Music ID : 72034
Instrumentation:Piano Solo 
Genre:for children
Copyright:Public Domain

Commentary (1)

Author : Kumamoto, Ryohei

Last Updated: May 30, 2025
[Open]
Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

The Prelude and Chorale are distinct works, lacking direct motivic or thematic connections. Both are in the key of G major.

Prelude

The Prelude is in a single-part form:

  • a (measures 1-4) + a1 (measures 5-8)

The Prelude is structured by an ascending dominant phrase spanning four measures, followed by a descending phrase that leads to a perfect authentic cadence. In measure 7, it chromatically descends from a secondary dominant of a non-diatonic chord to a dominant seventh chord, concluding the piece. Compared to the Chorale, the Prelude is predominantly characterized by eighth notes, resulting in a more active musical texture.

Chorale

The Chorale is in a two-part (binary) form:

  • A [a (measures 1-4) + a1 (measures 5-8)]
  • B [b (measures 9-12) + c (measures 13-16)]
  • Coda (measures 17-21)

The Chorale features a plagal cadence with a fermata in measure 4, creating a distinctly chorale-like atmosphere. In section B, it modulates to A minor, reaching a deceptive cadence in measure 12. These types of cadences, characteristic of the Baroque era, evoke a religious connotation.

No videos available currently.