FORMS IN MUSIC

 To understand and appreciate classical music, it is important to understand musical form.  A small number of forms seem to cover the majority of the music in what is referred to as the Common Practice Period (refers to the music spanning from about Bach (1700) to the end of the 19th century (Brahms, Mahler, Wagner)), though they are not unique to this time period.  These forms are as follows:

1. Binary

2. Rounded binary

3. Ternary Form

4. Rondo

5. Theme and Variations

6. Sonata-Allegro Form

7. Sonata-Allegro Form in the Classic Concerto

8. Sonata-Rondo

Another organizational device that is sometimes not officially categorized as a “form” is compositions written over a ground bass (refer to Dido’s lament from H. Purcell’s opera entitled “Dido and Aeneas”).  This is sometimes categorized as a sort of “theme and variations”

1.  BINARY FORM

Binary form is common in the Dances of the Baroque period and afterward.  Binary form movements are written in two sections, each repeated.  Thus, it is an AB structure that is performed AABB.  This is one of the most common forms.

• Key thing is that there is some kind of contrast between A and B.

• Most baroque dances

FORM = A A B B

2.  ROUNDED BINARY

         Rounded binary is a variant on binary form.  Essentially, the “B” section of binary form is ended with a repetition of the A theme (with a different ending than the original A section).  So the structure can be represented as follows

• two sections of music

• So with the repeat of the A section and the repeat of the BA section

FORM = A A   BA   BA

3.  TERNARY FORM

         Ternary structure is A B A, a simple principle of presentation of a theme, a second or contrasting theme followed by a return of the first theme.  Generally, the contrasting B theme will also emphasize a different key than that of the A theme.

• The most common use of ternary form is found in the Da Capo Aria  (in opera) and,  in instrumental genres, in the Minuet and Trio or Scherzo and Trio

De Capo Aria

• In the Da Capo Aria, the A and the B sections are of contrasting character and in contrasting keys (often, if the A section is in major key, then the B will be in minor …...and vise-versa).   In the Da Capo Aria, the return of the A section is usually ornamented by the singer.

                                  A                                         B                              A

                     Main mood set up               contrasting mood      Return of main mood with

                     Home Key                            contrasting Key         Added virtuosic vocal ornamentation

 Minuet and Scherzo

• In these the Minuet or Scherzo would represent the A section, the Trio becomes the contrasting B section, and the return of the Minuet or Scherzo marks the return of the A section

• It is referred to as an extended ternary, as each section (Minuet/Scherzo and Trio) is a ternary or rounded binary form in its own right.

• It is two binary forms played one after the other and then the first binary form is repeated (like a Da Capo aria form, except with binary form A and B sections)

• FORM = a a b b c c d d a b

                      Minuet/Scherzo      Trio         Minuet/Scherzo

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoFebNkdpd4 

4.  RONDO

• Rondo form is an ancient musical structure in which a refrain continually alternates with contrasting material.

• The A part of the music is the returning theme in the following schematic. The other letters represent contasting materials

• A schematic for this form is as follows:

A B A B A

or

A B A C A

or

A B A C A B A

• The general style of this movement is typical of the lively rondo and tends to be lighter and more jovial in spirit than does a movement in sonata-allegro form.

5.  THEME AND VARIATIONS

• Just as it sounds, theme and variations is a set of variations on a theme

• The theme can have a form (such as binary or rounded binary)

  • In such cases each variation usually has the same form

• Each variation generally becomes progressively more complicated as more ornamentation and transformation is applied. 

• The addition of a coda after the last variation (this is optional) gives extra weight to the end so that it sounds like the variations have reached an appropriate ending.

 Several types of variation techniques can be used.  For example:

1. the bass may stay constant (ground bass)

2. the harmonies may stay constant

3. the melody may stay constant and harmonies may change (or counter melodies added)

Why discuss form in music?

• To understand and appreciate classical music, it is important to understand musical form.

• Form is a term that is used to describe the musical structure of a single movement of a composition

• Sometimes multi-movement compositions can have overarching forms as well as forms for each movement

• (e.g. symphony in late 1700 is most ofthen a four movement format: 1) a fast movement, 2) a slow movement, 3) a menuet and trio, and 4) a final fast movement…such symphonies area four movement FORMAT)

• A small number of forms seem to cover the majority of the music in what is referred to as the Common Practice Period (refers to the music spanning from about 1700 to the end of the 19th century though they are not unique to this time period.

• Form affects the imaginal level of listening Form makes instrumental music intelligible to a listener Form is a cultural value in art and music

6.  SONATA-ALLEGRO FORM

Sonata-allegro form is usually the form used in first movements of Classic period symphonies, string quartets, sonatas, and other multi-movement instrumental works.  It can also be found in some slow movements or finale movements of these

Sonata-Allegro form is the most complex of musical forms. It originated during the Classical period (1750 - 1800).  However, don’t get sonata-allegro form confused with the general term sonata:

• sonata-allegro = a single movement form

• sonata= a multi-movement instrumental composition (the word sonare = “to sound” in Italian

The following diagram will explain the typical sonata-allegro form, but take into consideration that this is a paradigm, an abstraction of what commonly occurs in sonata-allegro form.

(Introduction) |:  Exposition  :| |:   Development. / Recapitulation   (Coda) :||

    (optional)           Theme 1           any or all             Theme 1      (optional)

                               Transition          themes                  Transition

                               Theme 2     developed          Theme 2

                    Closing Theme  Retransition  Closing Theme

EXPOSITION:

• The purpose of the exposition is to present or expose main thematic material of the movement.

Theme 1:  The exposition begins with a first theme (or group of themes)--can be anywhere from four to forty measures (or more) in length, easily singable and memorable enough to be recognised when it returns in the recapitulation.

Transition: The aim of the transition (or bridge, as it’s sometimes called) is to carry the music from the key of the first theme (called tonic) to a new key (usually the dominant (V) or the relative major (III) if the piece is in a minor key) and to prepare for the arrival of the second theme, which will then be presented in the new key.

Theme 2: Introduction of a new melody in a new key.  It often contrasts in mood with the first theme.  It is characterised by stable harmonic material and the focus lies in the melodic movement.

Closing Theme:  The second theme usually gives way to a closing theme that is often characterised as being light and carefree in style.  The harmony is static and there is often repeated terminal cadences, which signal the end of the exposition           

DEVELOPMENT

• The development is a section in which there is further working our, or developing, of the thematic material presented in the exposition.  It tends to have unstable harmonies and there are rapid modulations from one key (or tonal area) to another. Often features contrapuntal textures.  Only toward the end of the development, in the area called the retransition does tonal stability return.  This section serves to prepare the ear for the return of the tonic key and the restatement of the first theme. Often you will hear a sustained or reiterated (a “Pedal Tone”) pitch in the lower instruments (on the dominant pitch – V) at the end of the retransition and just before the recapitulation

RECAPITULATION

• The recapitulation, though not an exact note-for-note repetition of the exposition, presents the same musical events in the same order.  The only change that occurs is in the transition where instead of modulating to a new key, the material of the transition serves to keep the music in the tonic key, so that the second theme is then presented in this home key, and thus the piece will end in the same key in which it started.

The following two elements are optional to sonata-allegro form:

INTRODUCTION

• Many pieces in sonata-allegro form have a brief introduction before the exposition begins.  It is not considered part of the exposition as it is never repeated.

CODA

• A coda (Italian for tail) is a section added to the end of a sonata-allegro movement.  It may be just a few measures long or it could be expanded into an independent section the size of the development.  The melodic material maybe merely a short motive extracted from the first theme, the closing theme, or it may be a newly created motive.  It is characterised by thematic repetition and static harmony, thus signalling the end of the piece.  

7) SONATA-CONCERTO FORM

• Concerto form (exemplified in Mozart’s concerti) combines the idea of a Baroque Ritornello form with Sonata-Allegro form. 

• Essentially, the orchestra plays the full exposition of main and subordinate themes a la sonata-allegro form (but without change of key at theme 2). 

• This material will function as a ritornello.  Then the piano plays the exposition over, with orchestra accompanying (this time with a change of key at theme group 2). 

• Then development follows with piano and orchestra interacting, followed by return to the Recapitulation section. 

• There is also a cadenza played prior to the final Coda.

8) SONATA-RONDO FORM

1) this form results from an infusion of sonata-form principles into the simple rondo form. 

• The rondo theme (A) becomes the main theme of a sonata form.  The theme of the first episode (B), which is usually prepared by a full transition, becomes the sonata form’s subordinate theme in either the dominant key in major mode or the relative major in minor mode. 

• The central episode (episode C in the simple rondo form) takes on many of the characteristics of a development section with quick moves through various keys and a generally unsettled, often stormy character, featuring contrapuntal textures. 

• The rondo theme A and episode B then return in the tonic forming a recapitulation.  A will usually return after B’s statement in the tonic in the recapitulation to initiate a coda.

Sonata VS Sonata-Rondo

The main difference between Sonata form and Sonata-Rondo form is the return of A (the main theme) in the tonic after the first statement of B (the subordinate theme) in the dominant in the exposition.  Usually sonata form goes straight on to the development after the end of the subordinate theme and its closing section.        

2) like rondo form, sonata-rondo form is usually found as the form of last movements of sonatas, symphonies, string quartets, concertos, etc.

3) Form