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Classical Music Structure Guide

The document discusses the Classical period of music between 1750-1825 and provides details on the common sonata cycle form and sonata-allegro form that were prevalent in symphonies, sonatas and other works during this era. The four movement sonata cycle typically consisted of a fast first movement in sonata-allegro form, a slow second movement, a dance-like third movement in minuet and trio form, and a final fast movement often in rondo form. The sonata-allegro form contained an exposition with two themes, a development section that fragmented the themes with modulation, and a recapitulation that brought back the themes in the home key.

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136 views15 pages

Classical Music Structure Guide

The document discusses the Classical period of music between 1750-1825 and provides details on the common sonata cycle form and sonata-allegro form that were prevalent in symphonies, sonatas and other works during this era. The four movement sonata cycle typically consisted of a fast first movement in sonata-allegro form, a slow second movement, a dance-like third movement in minuet and trio form, and a final fast movement often in rondo form. The sonata-allegro form contained an exposition with two themes, a development section that fragmented the themes with modulation, and a recapitulation that brought back the themes in the home key.

Uploaded by

Mike Dines
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Classical Period

1750-1825
Sonata Cycle

• Four movement plan common in


symphonies, sonatas, and other
works of the Classical period -
FSDF
Sammartini Symphony
• First Movement
• An immature version of Sonata Allegro
Form
• Exposition is repeated, and has two
themes, but they are very short
• Development and Recapitulation are
repeated (not typical later on)
Sammartini Symphony
• First Movement
• Classical characteristics?
• Frequent pauses
• Changes of themes
• Crescendo/decrescendo
• Binary form brings back the original
theme in original key
Sonata Cycle
• Fast - most sophisticated movement -
more sections - twists and turns.
• Slow - usually a Theme and Variations, or
ABA form. Easier to listen to and follow.
• Dance-like - triple meter Minuet and Trio
form. Even easier to listen to.
• Fast - often Rondo - easiest of all to listen
to.
Sonata Cycle

• Four movement plan common in


symphonies, sonatas, and other works
of the Classical period - FSDF
• Philosophy - Hit the listener with the
hardest material first while their brain is
still fresh!!!
Sonata-Allegro Form

• Also acceptable to call it just


Sonata form - See the book on pp
125-131 for a description and
diagram
Sonata Allegro
Form
• - The form (formula) that you
will find for the first movement
of EVERY work from the
Classical Period. Consists of
three main parts: Exposition,
Development, Recapitulation,
and smaller Coda ('tail').
Exposition

• First section, where the keys and


themes are “exposed” for the
listener. Theme 1 in home key,
transition modulates, Theme 2 in
new key, closing section. The
exposition is played twice.
Development
• The second section. Themes 1 and 2
are fragmented and made into motives.
Constant modulation with NO
occurrence of the home key. Lots of
tension, and even polyphonic texture.
At the end of nearly every development,
you can sense that it?s "running out of
steam".
Recapitulation
• The third section. You hear the home
key coincide with Theme 1 again. Your
ear remembers this sound from the
very beginning. Structurally, the
recapitulation is like the exposition,
except that there is NOMODULATION
IN THE RECAPITULATION. Theme 2
is in the home key.
Coda

• "tail"; the very end of a movement.


Nothing new, just a nice big
cadence to signify that THIS IS
THE END.
Symphony

• A Multi-movement work for


orchestra. Usually, the work is in 4
movements and follows the
standard “Sonata cycle” Fast-Slow-
Dancelike-Fast plan.
Sonata - Allegro Form
Coda
Recapitulation
Development
Exposition
The
Big
home
new
Pause
Themes
(Running
Theme
no
Transition
closing
Thischange
Exposition
key
Iskey
The
1section
2broken
of
End
key
cadence
and
into
(no
is out
then
modulates
modulation)
fragments
change
repeated
of mood
(listen
of to the
Constant
descending
steam)
modulation
bass line)

Polyphonic texture

NO HOME KEY
W.A. Mozart
• 1756-1791
• Composed first pieces at age 5
• First symphony at age 8.
• First opera at age 12.

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