in the adagio in triple time, the violin plays the cantabile melodic line in dotted rhythms in its lower and middle registers as if an alto solo. at first declamatory in the "forte" passages, the "piano" responses are expressive but subdued. bach's knowledge of the expressive qualities of the violin is shown in the opening phrases, written so they can be played on the g string, the lowest string on the violin, regarded as having a "noble" tone. as explains, citing the opening of bwv 1017/3 as an example, the g string's "energy and powerful voice make it a whole instrument in itself and the lower this voice is, the more opportunity it gives to expression to attain the sublime." around the violin melody, in the same registers, the right hand keyboard part weaves a dreamy accompaniment of broken chords in triplets. below them the bass part punctuates the melody with a fragmented continuo-like accompaniment in quavers and crotchets. as comments, the complex and contrasting juxtaposition of rhythms, if played as annotated, has a magical effect. in the course of the movement there are six "forte" phrases of increasing complexity and length in the violin part each followed by a proportionate "piano" response. in the concluding four bar coda, the violin and harpsichord play semiquaver figures imitatively as the tonality modulates to g major, leading into the final allegro. describes the mood of the movement as "verinnerlichte und vergeistigte"—inward-looking and spiritual.