The first eight measures present the thematic material that will be the basis for the entire movement. It is repeated with variations in measures 39 to 46 at the end of the movement. We find four sections of development between each ritornello. Click on the sections for a detailed analysis.
The red motif will undergo numerous variations through the movement. This video shows how the theme develops from the red motif:
Measures 31 to 39:
In measure 54, the red motive passes from the violins to the violas and cellos.
The passage concludes by affirming the key of E minor. It is the first minor key in the movement.
From measure 70 on, the red, blue, and green motifs reappear in the violas, cellos, and continuo.
The key of B minor is affirmed.
A short coda at measure 74 concludes this section.
A series of dominants leads us through different keys.
A pedal tone of E, A minor dominant, starts in measure 93.
|58 to 77||E||A||D||G||B|
|77 to 101||A||E||A||D||G||B|
The progression turns out to be ascending (D - G - E - A) and takes us to the vii degree of G minor in measure 112.
A pedal tone of D, G major dominant, starts in measure 115.
Finally, we arrive at G minor at measure 119. The climactic point is similar to that of measures 97 onwards.
The section ends by affirming the key of G minor.