Aylesford Pieces No. 19 - Minuet (Trio)

About this work

This Minuet, marked Trio, is in A minor and 3/4. Its Andantino establishes a multi-voiced texture: the upper melody advances in measured steps while middle lines answer above a regular bass. Numerous chromatic notes briefly darken or brighten the harmony. The main challenge is to animate these movements without thickening every chord.

Both sections are repeated. An E in an inner voice remains tied across bars 13 and 14. The second section brightens into C major in bars 9–16; sharps reappear with the return towards A minor in bars 17–18. Some sounds belong to a line that continues while the hand is already playing the next chord; their full duration structures the discourse.

Practise voices in pairs, first upper line and bass, then each inner line with the bass. Mark sustained notes and avoid restriking them when only their harmonic function changes. Direct chromatic movement quietly towards its resolution. Once the texture is combined, feel one broad motion per bar and let the repeats confirm the balance rather than push the tempo forward.

Score and files

1-page PDF typeset by Bas Wassink for Mutopia, with a MIDI file. The Mutopia record names the Schott edition of 1930 as its source and declares this typesetting public domain. The PDF retains the markings of the Mutopia engraving.

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