Sonata

Question 1

What was a Baroque Keyboard Sonata like and how was it different from a Classical one?

Answer 1

Baroque Sonatas were usually single-movement works in binary or rounded binary form. However, the sonata later incorporated the Sonata cycle and it became a multi-movement work (Classical)

Question 2

What was the term Sonata first used for?

Answer 2

To reference instrumental rather than vocal works (Classical)

Question 3

What are the outer movements of a Sonata cycle used to convey?

Answer 3

Technical brilliance (Classical)

Question 4

What are the inner movements of a Sonata cycle used to convey?

Answer 4

Lyricism (Classical)

Question 5

What is a Sonata?

Answer 5

An instrumental genre for 1 or 2 instruments, usually with 2 or more contrasting movements. In the Classical era, generally at least 1 movement was in Sonata form (Classical)

Question 6

What is rondo form?

Answer 6

A formal structure in which the opening theme appears 2 or more times, contrasted by other material (Classical)

Question 7

ALL CHARACTERISTICS OF BEETHOVEN VIRUS ORIGINAL

Answer 7

Genre: Piano Sonata
Composer: Beethoven
Date: 1798
Structure: 3 movements
Performing forces: Solo piano (Classical)

Question 8

Musical Characteristics of Movement 1(Pathetique)

Answer 8

Epic introduction with extremely dissonant and slow homorhythmic chords that merges into a cadenza-like passage into the exposition.
It immediately begins off with a rocket that leads into the modulating bridge into the second theme a. This is a very playful melody that changes into second theme b which prepares for the epic codetta. The development then continues in a g minor version of the introduction that generates lots of suspense as it goes, moving along all of the previous parts with a lot of modulation and added rhythmic and harmonic activity finally converging back to the first theme in the recapitulation. The bridge has been eliminated and replaced by an expanded first theme while both second themes, now in different keys serve as precursors to the codetta and coda, which end the piece off on a dissonant, reminiscent, then dramatic note (Classical)

Question 9

Musical Characteristics of Movement 2

Answer 9

Very lyrical with the melody getting extended by simply raising it higher and repeating. In section B, there is new melody and accompaniment that soon transitions back to section A. Section C is very different, being quite active and rhythmic as opposed to the other sections. Section A is brought back once again, this time with the triplets from section C. The coda ends the piece off with a very modified section A (Classical)

Question 10

Musical Characteristics of Movement 3

Answer 10

The Section 2a from movement 1 comes back slightly embellished with different accompaniment. In Section B, there is a simple homophonic melody that modulates from f minor to e flat major. Section A then returns without modification. Section C is kind of like a contrapuntal duet that turns into preparation for the penultimate return of Section A. Section A1 is just section a with a transition instead of an authentic cadence, B1 starts in C major instead of F minor and modulates to C minor but is slightly shortened. A2 is very shortened and leads directly into the very interesting coda that brings the piece into a dramatic end (Classical)