The large-scale tonal and form-functional organization of sonata form is analogous to the small ternary form. Sonata form resembles the rounded binary version, because the exposition is normally repeated and the development and recapitulation are sometimes repeated together.
The portioning of sonata form into bipartite and tripartite sections has been debated. Different modes of organisation generate characteristics of both in sonata form.
The constituent parts of the musical material conventionally include a main theme, transition and a subordinate theme. These elements are introduced in the exposition and form the bedrock of the thematic material, which will be developed and transformed throughout the course of the work.
Phrases ending in an IAC m. The transition section begins on an elided cadence , a phrase overlap in which the concluding tonic of one phrase also serves as the beginning of the next phrase. Again, the transition section is marked not only by a cadence ending the opening section but also by a shift in figuration. In this case, the octave scales in mm.
Since this piece begins in major, we can expect it to modulate to the dominant somewhere before the secondary theme area. Since the dominant of C major is G major, the telltale accidental will be an F. To the listener expecting a half cadence in the new key, the arpeggiated dominant seventh chord in m. The new theme in m. The only problem is that it does not last. After just four bars we find another large half cadence: a highly unstable V 7 chord in third inversion marked by a fermata and followed by rests in both staves.
This is the true medial caesura—the arpeggiated dominant in m. As mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, sonata form was exceptionally popular during the common practice era. We may understand moments such as these, then, as composers having a bit of fun, playing with the expectations of an informed listener. In this piece, the secondary theme area beginning with the pickup to m. We hear a set of three four-bar phrases—mm. Cases such as this are why some analysts use the term second theme group.
Beginning in m. As was the case with Example 38—5, we may hear the terminative passage that follows this cadence as a closing theme mm. The development in this sonata begins with material that is reminiscent of the secondary theme area but distinct enough that it may be heard as a new melody—compare, for example, mm.
When this ends in m. In this case, though, they end on G and lead to a new melody in A minor, the relative minor of the home key mm. After a pronounced half cadence in m. Only minor alterations are made in the recapitulation, mostly in the form of omissions. In the primary theme area, for example, we hear only the second half of the double period that opened the piece. The transition section is much shorter, too, consisting of only the false secondary theme from m.
The first eight bars of the secondary theme area are cut entirely in the recapitulation, but the material from mm. Listen for a change in character in which the clear presentation of a melody shifts to arpeggios and passagework. Listen for the standout cadences: HC in m. G major to G minor to B b major to C major. Sonata forms almost invariably end with material from the end of the exposition transposed to the home key. One of the most surprising features of this sonata form is the repeated delay of the secondary theme area.
Following a pair of parallel phrases in the primary theme area, the transition begins in m. Since this piece begins in C major, we may expect to find F s indicating a move to the dominant. We find the first of these in m. The next F , at the end of m. This may at first seem like the medial caesura.
It is even followed by a new theme. But this melody is still in the home key and so must be considered a part of the transition. The cadence in m. Another tonicized half cadence appears in m. The listener might wonder if this is the medial caesura.
F s appear once again beginning in m. When the listener hears the prolonged arpeggiation of a D-dominant-seventh chord in m. A fermata at the end of the measure helps confirm that this is finally the end of the transition. At this point, however, the end of the exposition is near and the secondary theme area consists of just a short G-major melody in octaves ending with a conclusive PAC in the secondary key, a closing theme to complete the exposition.
The effect is as though time has run out and skipping over the secondary theme was done out of necessity, or perhaps that the melodies that should have been played in G major were accidentally put in the home key. Regardless, the way the exposition unfolds in this piece seems almost like a parody. This kind of playful self-awareness, however, is common in sonata forms. It happens so frequently that it may be better understood as characteristic of the form and not just as an occasional anomaly.
The development section begins in G major and passes through several surprising keys on its way back to the tonic. A half cadence in m. This passage features a new theme, first in octaves on the upper staff mm.
A sequence in mm. Although coming after the sequence it may not be heard as such, it soon becomes clear that this is another half cadence. It leads to a familiar melody compare m.
As is often the case, this development section balances new material and new keys with old material presented in new ways. The development retransitions back to the home key by tonicizing the ii C minor chord in B b major.
The recapitulation in this sonata form is much shorter than the exposition. The primary theme in mm. The transposed closing theme appears after the fermata in m. In some cases, these tricks and variations are common enough to warrant names. Composers will sometimes include, for example, a false recapitulation.
In such pieces, the listener will hear an instance of the primary theme in the midst of the development, but rather than starting the recapitulation, it will lead instead to more developmental material.
In other cases, the development may lead to a subdominant return , a recapitulation in which the entire exposition appears intact but transposed down a perfect fifth. With the recapitulation starting in the key of the subdominant, the modulation that led up a fifth to the dominant in the exposition will instead lead up a fifth to the home key, the proper harmonic goal at the end of the piece. As you listen to and analyze sonata forms you should keep in mind that the form is flexible, and twists like these make it appealing to composers and listeners alike.
Some alterations to sonata form are substantial enough that we may think of them as creating an entirely new form. One example of this may be found when a sonata form is set at a slower tempo: in a sonatina or slow-movement form , the development section is greatly reduced or omitted altogether. After the repeat of the exposition, the listener hears a brief retransition followed immediately by the recapitulation—or, where the development is omitted, just the recapitulation:.
Note: In the interest of conserving space we will not include examples of the forms discussed in this section. Readers are advised to analyze the following pieces to see sonatina form in action:. In each of these two movements, the second large-scale section features a brief retransition leading directly into the recapitulation.
Neither has a substantial development. So you go on to the next section. Actually this whole exposition we've just heard is like a drama, the drama of running away from home—a pulling away from that magnet we call the tonic.
Now the next act coming up, the development, intensifies that drama, wandering even farther away from home, through even more distant keys, but then finally giving in and coming home in the third act—or recapitulation.
That's the drama of it all. So in the second part, or development section of this Mozart sonata, the composer lets his imagination roam free; the themes he has stated in the exposition wander around in one foreign key after another—like a trip around the world. Now because this particular sonata of Mozart's is a very short one, the development section is also very short. In fact the only theme Mozart does develop is that little fanfare tune we just heard—the closing theme of the exposition.
Which brings us to the third and last section of this three-part sonata form—the recapitulation. And this is the moment when that magnet we were talking about finally wins out and draws us back home, to the tonic; and the whole exposition is repeated or recapitulated.
Only this time we must hear it all in the tonic key, even the second theme and the closing theme, which we originally heard in the dominant; so that when the movement is over, we are safely at home, in C major where we began.
Of course Mozart, like all geniuses is full of surprises. He doesn't always play the game according to the rules. In fact he often gives us more musical pleasure by breaking rules than by obeying them. In this C-major Sonata of his, where the recapitulation should be in the tonic in the key of C, Mozart holds out on us; he is still resisting that magnet of the tonic; and so he gives us the recapitulation in the unexpected key of F.
But now Mozart yields, and the magnet wins after all. The rest of this little movement is all safe and warm, back home in C-major. Now that wasn't too terribly hard, was it? It's certainly hard to play.
It sounds easier that it is. But it's not very hard to follow the form. Do you see now what I mean by balance and contrast? The balance of the three-part form the exposition, the development, and the recapitulation , and the contrast of the tonic with the dominant. Of course there's much more to it than we can explain in this brief hour: The contrasting key is not always in the dominant; rules get broken right and left.
And then there's the whole business of introductions and codas—which means extra sections at the beginning and end of a sonata movement; but you've got plenty of time to learn about those.
What matters now is that you see the two main things: the magnetic effect of the tonic, and the A-B-A form. Armed with only that information, you should be able to recognize and follow any classical sonata form movement. Just to see if I'm right, I'm going to throw you a curve and play you the last movement of Prokofiev's Classical Symphony—a modern work, but a deliciously spoofing imitation of the 18th-century classical sonata form.
It has an exposition consisting of a first theme in the tonic, a second theme in the dominant, and a closing theme in the dominant.
Then that whole exposition section is repeated exactly; then a development section in which these themes are tossed around; and then finally the recapitulation which is the whole exposition again, only all in the tonic. It is a perfect example: sonata form at its simplest and clearest A-B-A.
See if you can follow it. I hope I was right in thinking you were able to follow the form of that movement by Prokofiev. If I was wrong, you'll have another chance in a moment to try your luck. If I was right, you are well on your way toward being a real music listener. Because, as I said before, anyone can enjoy a tune or a rhythm, that's easy. To enjoy the form of a piece of music is much harder. Then you have to be a real music listener. But a real music listener can see or hear the form of a piece just as clearly as a person can see the three-part form of a bridge.
Now, confident that you are all new experts on the subject of sonata form, we're going to keep our promise and play for you the opening movement again of the Jupiter Symphony with which we began this program, the great C-major symphony. This exploration can be accomplished by any of the following:. Recapitulation function does this by progressing one last time through the thematic cycle, but this time bringing it to a satisfactory completion: a PAC in the home key, called the essential sonata closure ESC.
As hinted at above, sonata form is anchored around several important cadences. They serve as signposts for the formal structure, as well as goals of the music leading into them. We will note these cadences using a Roman numeral for the key relative to the home key followed by a colon and the type of cadence.
Rather than being simply a norm, though, this cadence is essential to the form. The recapitulation has a corresponding cadence, also familiar from small ternary form: a PAC in the home key, which tends to correspond thematically with the EEC. The development section, like the contrasting middle in small ternary form, typically ends with a HC in the home key I:HC or a dominant arrival in the home key, which prepares the arrival of the recapitulation.
Commonly, the exposition and recapitulation each have an additional cadential goal that is not shared with other small-ternary-like forms. These goals each occur between the beginning of the module and the cadential goal EEC or ESC , and they often—though not always—involve a pause or stoppage of melodic or harmonic motion. Thus, each of these halfway cadences is called a medial caesura MC.
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