Sforzando
An accent showing that a note or chord should be played with greater force than other notes surrounding it.
Classical Era
c.1750 – 1810
Romantic Era
c.1810 – 1910
Sonata form
A large scale form invented in the Classical era comprising three sections – exposition, development, recapitulation.
Development
Central section, composers develop one or both of the subjects from the exposition.
Recapitulation
The final section. The composer ‘recaps’ (states again) the first subject in the home key as before.
First Subject
The first theme or melody – always in the home key and usually the most lively and dramatic.
Second Subject
The second theme or melody – a contrast in terms of mood and the key is usually different as well – usually the dominant, relative major or minor.
Bridge Passage
A linking passage often used to change the key of the music (to modulate) in preparation for the second subject.
Coda
A section sometimes added at the end of a piece or movement. A sonata form movement often ends with this short rounding-off section.
Homophony
A texture comprising a melody part and an accompaniment.
Diminished Seventh
A four note chord made up solely of minor-third intervals.
Codetta
A short coda concluding a section
Interrupted Cadence
Chord V - Chord IV
Pedal
A sustained or repeated note in the bass. It may clash with harmonic changes above it.
Transition
A section used to take the music from one key to another by modulation. Sometimes also called a bridge section.
Staccato
Played in a detached fashion
Legato
Played in a smooth fashion – as opposed to staccato
Alberti Bass
A figuration commonly used in the Classical period, made up of broken chords used as an accompaniment.
Enharmonic
Two identically sounding pitches with different names
Augmented
Doubling or more of the original note durations.
Dominant Preparation
A passage focused on the dominant chord to create expectation for a return to the tonic.