This minuet is just sheer perfection

Schubert's Minuet in A major, D334, is one of those gems of utter melodic beauty where every note seems delicately placed in just the perfect spot. The minuet follows a very simple A:||BA':|| with balanced antecedent-consequent phrases that help to conserve the pristine formal equilibrium. Motifs can really be narrowed down to only 2 or 3, the first being an expressive octave leap that begins the melody and a 3-note descent that morphs into different shapes later on. Perhaps the harmony is the most interesting aspect - apart from the majority of the harmony revolving around V and I chords, Schubert carefully selects opportune moments of tension and colour by using various secondary dominant harmonies. Each phrase tonicises a different degree to produce a contrasting shade of harmonic colour: V, ii, IV, vi (which reminds me of Schumann's Träumerei that uses a similar principle.) Recording(Volodos):    • Arcadi Volodos plays Schubert's Minuets D ...