Sonatas

Question 1

What does the word sonata actuallymean?

Answer 1

“To be sounded”

Question 2

What is a sonata? How many movements? (Not the Baroque period, the earlier sonatas were quite different)

Answer 2

It is a piece for instruments rather than singers, in the classical period the word sonata came to mean a piece for one instrument (or orchestral instrument with an accompanying keyboard instrument) in 3 or 4 movements

Question 3

What was the structure and style of each movement?

Answer 3

1) fast movement in the tonic key
2) slow movement in a different but related key
3) if present, a minuet and trio (or later scherzo), usually in the tonic key
4) fast movement in the tonic key

Question 4

What was the form of the first movement of a sonata?

Answer 4

Usually (now called) sonata form

Question 5

What is sonata form an extension of?

Answer 5

Binary form

Question 6

What sections of sonata form are there?

Answer 6

Exposition, Development, Recapitulation, Coda

Question 7

What is within the exposition?

Answer 7

First subject, Transition (sometimes called bridge), Second subject, Codetta

Question 8

Exposition: first subject:

Answer 8

A main tune in the tonic

Question 9

Exposition: Transition:

Answer 9

Music which changes key, modulating to the dominant (if piece in a major key) or relative major (for a piece in a minor key)

Question 10

Exposition: Second subject:

Answer 10

Another main tune: Dominant or relative major

Question 11

Exposition: Codetta:

Answer 11

A short section to end the exposition, dominant or relative major

Question 12

What happens in the development?

Answer 12

Melodies and motifs from the exposition are developed by being presented in different ways, sometimes in rapid succession

Question 13

What is the key of the development?

Answer 13

A range of keys, usually fairly close related to the tonic

Question 14

What happens in the recapitulation?

Answer 14

First subject, Transition, Second subject

Question 15

Recapitulation: First Subject

Answer 15

This may be an exact repeat of the first subject in the exposition, or there may be some changes, in the tonic key

Question 16

Recapitulation: Transition

Answer 16

This is different from the transition in the exposition, as it needs to end in the tonic, (key is tonic)

Question 17

Recapitulation: Second subject

Answer 17

(In the tonic key), since this is now in a different key there will be some changes, though further changes may be made too

Question 18

What is the Coda

Answer 18

A section to end the whole movement, in the tonic key

Question 19

The whole exposition is usually…

Answer 19

Repeated

Question 20

Was “sonata form” it’s official name?

Answer 20

Classical composers did not call this structure sonata form, it is a concept which was applied by later theorists, however most of the first movements you will study (and some final movements and slow movements) follow this pattern

Question 21

Which composers wrote solo piano concertos?

Answer 21

All three, often as pieces for teaching their pupils

Question 22

How many movements did Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven write sonatas in?

Answer 22

M&H = usually 3 movements
B = usually 4 movements

Question 23

How many sonatas did Haydn compose, when did he stop writing them? Were they popular?

Answer 23

Until the last ten years of his life, producing about 62 sonatas in total. His earlier works not always called “sonata” but were given that title when published. Although now not as popular as the sonatas of Mozart and Beethoven, Haydn’s piano sonatas show his development as a composer through his lifetime

Question 24

When Haydn began composing did he use the piano?

Answer 24

The piano was in its infancy and harpsichords and clavichords were more usual. It is likely that Haydn’s early piano music was written for the harpsichord or clavichord and as fortepiano became more popular he began to write more for this new instrument

Question 25

What was exciting about the piano?

Answer 25

Ability to play quietly and loudly

Question 26

How was the early piano very different from the modern piano?

Answer 26

The keyboard was much shorter, the touch was lighter and initially there was no sustain pedal

Question 27

What are really pianos often called?

Answer 27

Fortepianos

Question 28

How many sonatas did Beethoven write?

Answer 28

32, which now form part of any serious pianists repertoire

Question 29

What sort of names were given to Beethoven’s later works?

Answer 29

Evocative names, either by Beethoven or others. The Moonlight sonata (Op27 No2 in C# minor) begins with a famous slow movement

Question 30

What is the structure for a minuet and trio?

Answer 30

A - Minuet: 2x a, 2x b (a) - a binary or ternary form section
B - Trio: 2x c, 2x d(c) - contrasting section (usually new key and with a change of structure) in binary or ternary
A1 - Minuet: a b (a) - the music of the minuet played again without repeats

Question 31

What is the structure of the whole minuet and trio ?

Answer 31

Ternary, Beethoven often added a coda at the end

Question 32

What was typical for an ‘accompanied’ sonata?

Answer 32

Popular in the later 18th century, many composers writing for solo keyboard/ piano and an accompanying instrument such as violin

Question 33

What the difference between Mozarts earlier accompanied sonatas and later ones?

Answer 33

Mozart began to make the instrumental parts more balanced and equal, and Beethoven wrote for two equal performers. Earlier: violin mostly accompanied the keyboard, but later: two performers equally as important

Question 34

Who did not write any accompanied sonatas?

Answer 34

Haydn

Question 35

In the romantic period what changed with accompanied sonatas?

Answer 35

Write sonatas for an orchestral instrument with the piano taking a more accompanying role