Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 2.djvu/346

334 often followed in more modern works. Another example of the same relation of keys will be found in the fourth of the so-called 'English Suites'—the only one which contains a minuet. Here the first minuet is in F and the second in D minor. Of the six French Suites four have minuets, two of which are worth noticing. In the second minuet of the 1st Suite the latter half is not repeated—a very rare thing; and in the 3rd Suite we meet with a genuine Trio in three parts throughout, and at the end the indication 'Menuet da Capo.' Though it was always understood that the first minuet was to be repeated after the second, it is very rare at this date to find the direction expressly given. One more interesting innovation of Bach's remains to be mentioned. In his great Concerto in F for solo violin, two horns, three oboes, bassoon, and strings, will be found a minuet with three trios, after each of which the minuet is repeated. (Bach Ges. xix. p. 27). We shall presently see that Mozart, half & century later, did the same thing.

The historic importance of the minuet arises from the fact that, unlike the other ancient dances, it has not become obsolete, but continues to hold a place in the symphony (the descendant of the old Suite), and in other large instrumental works written in the same form. The first composer to introduce the minuet into the symphony appears to have been Haydn; for in the works of this class which preceded his (those of C. P. E. Bach, Sammartini, and others) we find only three movements. And even with Haydn (as also in many of the earlier works of Mozart) we find the minuet at first by no means of invariable occurrence. On the other hand, we sometimes see in the same work two minuets, each with a trio, one before and one after the slow movement. Examples will be met with in Haydn's first twelve quartets (ops. 1 and 2) and also in some of Mozart's serenatas, divertimenti, etc. (Köchel's Catalogue, Nos. 63, 99, 204, 247, and others.) The detailed examination of the numerous minuets which Haydn has left us in his quartets and symphonies would be deeply interesting, but would lead us too far. Only a few of the prominent characteristics can be mentioned. While in general retaining the old form of the minuet, Haydn greatly changes its spirit. The original dance was stately in character, and somewhat slow. With Haydn its prevailing tone was light-hearted humour, sometimes even developing into downright fun. The time becomes quicker. While in the earlier works the most frequent indications are Allegretto, or Allegro ma non troppo, we find in the later quartets more than once a Presto (ops. 76 and 77). These minuets thus become an anticipation of the Beethoven scherzo. Curiously enough, in one set of quartets, and in only one (op. 33), Haydn designates this movement 'Scherzando,' in Nos. 1 and 2, and 'Scherzo' in Nos. 3 to 6. As the tempo here is not more rapid than in the other minuets, it is evident that the term only refers to the character of the music, and is not used in the modern sense. As we learn from Pohl's 'Haydn' (p. 332) that the composer carefully preserved the chronological order of the quartets in numbering them, we are in a position to trace the gradual development of the minuet through the entire series. We find one of Haydn's innovations in some of the later works, in putting the trio into a key more remote from that of the minuet, instead of into one of those more nearly related (Quartet in F, op. 72, No. 2—minuet in F, trio in D♭; Quartet in C, op. 74, No. 1—minuet in C, trio in A major). This relation of the tonics was a favourite one with Beethoven. In only one of Haydn's quartets (op. 9, No. 4), do we find a trio in three parts, though the name is always given to the second minuet. A curious variation from the ordinary form is to be seen in the quartet in E♭, op. 2, No. 3. Here the trio of the second minuet has three variations, one of which is played, instead of the original trio, after each repetition of the minuet.

It is no uncommon thing in the works of Haydn to meet with another variety of the minuet. The finales of his smaller works are often written in a 'Tempo di Minuetto.' Here the regular subdivisions of minuet and trio, sometimes also the double bars and repeats, are abandoned. In the piano sonatas and trios many examples will be met with. A well-known instance of a similar movement by Mozart is furnished in the finale of his sonata in F for piano and violin. Haydn's predilection for the minuet is further shown by the fact that in several of his sonatas in three movements the minuet and trio replace the slow movement, which is altogether wanting.

With Mozart the form of the minuet is identical with that of Haydn's; it is the spirit that is different. Suavity, tenderness, and grace, rather than overflowing animal spirits, are now the prevailing characteristics. It is in Mozart's concerted instrumental works (serenatas, etc.) that his minuets must be chiefly studied; curiously enough, they are singularly rare in his pianoforte compositions. Of seventeen solo sonatas, only two (those in E♭ and A major) contain minuets; while out of 42 sonatas for piano and violin, minuets are only found in four as intermediate movements, though in the earlier works a 'Tempo di Minuetto' often forms the finale. In many of the earlier symphonies also we find only three movements, and even in several of the later and finer symphonies (e.g. Köchel, Nos. 297, 338, 444, 504) the minuet is wanting. On the other hand, in the serenades and divertimenti, especial prominence is given to this movement. Frequently two minuets are to be found, and in some cases (Köchel, Nos. 100, 203, 250) three are to be met with. The variety of character and colouring in these minuets is the more striking as the form is approximately the same in all. One example will suffice in illustration. In the Divertimento in D (Köchel, 131), for strings, flute, oboe, bassoon, and four horns, there are two minuets, the first of which has three trios and the second two. The first minuet in D major is given to strings alone; the first trio (also in D major) is a quartet for the four horns; the second (in G) is a trio for flute, oboe, and bassoon; while the third (in D