Structure Flashcards
What is Sonata form?
Common for first movement of Sonatas and Symphonies, particularly in the Classical period.
Three main sections : Exposition, Development and Recapitulation. Often a coda or codetta too.
eg. Beethoven
What is a Coda?
Closing section at the end of the piece.
Codetta is end of a Section rather than piece
Beethoven has a Codetta at end of Exposition and Coda at end of Recapitulation
What is the first Section of Sonata form called and what can we expect to hear?
The Exposition
We hear the First and Second Subjects. First Subject is in the Tonic key and the Second in another but closely related key - typically the dominant or relative minor.
Transition is music that connects 1st and 2nd Subjects
The Exposition usually ends with a Codetta
Beethoven follows the structure, but with some surprise elements.
eg the Slow Intro
eg Second Subject doesn’t begin in Eb major as expected, but Eb minor (modulating later to the expected key).
What is a fugue?
A type of music form/structure that has 3 sections:
Exposition, Middle, Final
Characterised by having Contrapuntal/ Polyphonic Texture.
Often begins with a single voice or instrument playing the subject, then other parts take and repeat later and different times/pitches, often overlapping each other.
eg Brandenburg has fugue qualities, but it doesn’t follow all the rules of a fugue. It is therefore referred to as fugato.
What is the third Section of Sonata Form called and what can we expect to hear?
The Recapitulation.
The composer typically “recaps” the First Subject of the Exposition in the home/tonic key.
A transition section follows before the 2nd Subject appears again, but also now in the tonic key.
Recapitulation will often end with a Coda.
Beethoven again follows this structure, although the 2nd Subject surprisingly starts in the Sub-dominant (F minor) before returning to the home/tonic key.
What is periodic phrasing?
Paired phrases of similar length that sound like question and answers. Often 4 bars long
eg Beethoven bars 11-18 of 1st subject
What is Ternary form?
3 sections : A-B-A
B is usually a contrasting Section, before the piece returns to Section A to finish.
eg Brandenburg
What is the second Section of Sonata Form called and what can we expect to hear?
The Development
Composer “develops” one of both of the Subjects from the Exposition.
New melodies may use fragments of the original Subjects to come up with new variants.
Will typically modulate into different keys and can be quite adventurous and changing.
Eg Beethoven - very adventurous, using material from the Slow Introduction. Goes into quite distant keys from original. Does develop 1st and 2nd subjects but also takes music from the transition.
What is a verse and chorus form?
Song structure, common in pop and rock.
Verse has same music but different words
Followed by a contrasting chorus which always has the same words and music.
Other section in “Verse and Chorus Form” may include
Intro
Outro
pre-chorus
Bridge
Instrumental
Killer Queen is written in this form
What is a ground bass structure?
Structure where music is written above a repeating set of bass notes.
Typical of Baroque Music, it is often played by the “basso continuo”.
Music for a While has a Ground Bass structure.
What are irregular phrases?
Where phrases differ in length, also known as “unbalanced phrases”
eg Killer Queen Verse 1 & 2 has 4-bar, 5-bar then a 3-bar phrase.
