Brahms - Symphony No.3 - Poco Allegretto
THIRD MOVEMENT - Poco Allegretto
FORM: Ternary form
KEY: C minor This movement is essentially a wistful and melancholy waltz in C minor. The main theme (Ex. 8) is stated by the cellos:
Ex. 8
The full strings section then answers in the major (Ex. 9):
Ex. 9
The woodwind introduce the central Trio section (Ex. 10):
Ex. 10
This is answered by the strings (Ex. 11):
Ex. 11
Chromatic modulations lead to the return of the main theme (Ex. 8), this time played by the horn, then passed to the oboe. The major key theme returns (Ex. 9), and the main theme is stated for the last time by the full strings section. The coda reaches a heart-wrenching climax, before ending in C minor.