What to Listen For
Handel: Water Music, Suite in D Major, Alla hornpipe
Here’s what to listen for in Alla hornpipe from Water Music, an orchestral suite by Handel.
■ Triple-meter dance in a fast tempo played by orchestra
This dance is in triple meter, in a fast tempo, and played by an orchestra comprising woodwinds,
brass, strings, and percussion [0:00– 0:25].
■ Instrument groups exchange melodic ideas
As you listen to this dance, notice how groups of instruments exchange melodic ideas. Listen to this
first section, where the strings and woodwinds play the first melodic idea: [0:00– 0:15]. Then, the
brass play the same idea, like this: [0:15– 0:25].
■ Three-part form (A-B-A); A in a major key, and B in a minor key
This dance is in three- part form (A-B- A). The first section (A) begins like this and is in a
major key: [0:00– 0:25]. Then the second section (B) begins in a minor key: [0:57–1:46]. And
then the first section (A) returns: [1:46–2:12].
So remember to listen for an orchestra playing a quick, triple-meter dance. Different groups of
instruments trade off melodic ideas. And the entire dance is in three-part form (A-B-A), where
A is in a major key and B is in a minor key.
What to Listen For Tutorials by Jennifer Hund for The Enjoyment of Music, by Kristine Forney, Andrew Dell’Antonio, and
Joseph Machlis
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