![]() ![]() Although the late 18th century witnessed the most exemplary achievements in the form, above all from Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a compositional theory of the time did not use the term "sonata form". The definition of sonata form in terms of musical elements sits uneasily between two historical eras. Nonetheless, this multi-movement sequence is not what is meant by sonata form, which refers to the structure of an individual movement. Conversely, in the late 18th century or "Classical" period, the title "sonata" is typically given to a work composed of three or four movements. As the title for a single-movement piece of instrumental music-the past participle of suonare, "to sound", as opposed to cantata, the past participle of cantare, "to sing"-"sonata" covers many pieces from the Baroque and mid-18th century that are not "in sonata form". Īlthough the Italian term sonata often refers to a piece in sonata form, it is important to separate the two. It also carries with it expressive and stylistic connotations: "sonata style"-for Donald Tovey and other theorists of his time-was characterized by drama, dynamism, and a "psychological" approach to theme and expression. However, as what Grove, following Charles Rosen, calls a "principle"-a typical approach to shaping a large piece of instrumental music-it can be seen to be active in a much greater variety of pieces and genres, from minuet to concerto to sonata-rondo. As a formal model it is usually best exemplified in the first movements of multi-movement works from this period, whether orchestral or chamber, and has, thus, been referred to frequently as "first-movement form" or "sonata-allegro form" (since the typical first movement in a three- or four-movement cycle will be in allegro tempo). Even works that do not adhere to the standard description of a sonata form often present analogous structures or can be analyzed as elaborations or expansions of the standard description of sonata form.ĭefining 'sonata form' Baroque binary forms roots in sonata form : 57Īccording to the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, sonata form is "the most important principle of musical form, or formal type, from the Classical period well into the 20th century". : 359 Accordingly, there is a large body of theory on what unifies and distinguishes practice in the sonata form, both within and between eras. Each of the sections is often further divided or characterized by the particular means by which it accomplishes its function in the form.Īfter its establishment, the sonata form became the most common form in the first movement of works entitled " sonata", as well as other long works of classical music, including the symphony, concerto, string quartet, and so on. ![]() ![]() In addition, the standard definition recognizes that an introduction and a coda may be present. The standard definition focuses on the thematic and harmonic organization of tonal materials that are presented in an exposition, elaborated and contrasted in a development and then resolved harmonically and thematically in a recapitulation. There is little disagreement that on the largest level, the form consists of three main sections: an exposition, a development, and a recapitulation : 359 however, beneath this general structure, sonata form is difficult to pin down to a single model. The teaching of sonata form in music theory rests on a standard definition and a series of hypotheses about the underlying reasons for the durability and variety of the form-a definition that arose in the second quarter of the 19th century. While it is typically used in the first movement of multi-movement pieces, it is sometimes used in subsequent movements as well-particularly the final movement. It has been used widely since the middle of the 18th century (the early Classical period). Sonata form (also sonata-allegro form or first movement form) is a musical structure generally consisting of three main sections: an exposition, a development, and a recapitulation. Sonata form, optional features in parentheses Musical structure of three main sections Early examples of sonata form resemble two-reprise continuous ternary form. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |