Sonata Form

-based on contrast, disintegration, reintegration

-overall structure: A B A
-Key: refers to the arrangement of pitches in a particular work of music.
A key tells us 1) the mode of a work, 2) the central, gravitational
pitch of the work.
First A = Exposition (usually repeated)
Theme 1
Bridge
Theme 2, contrasting theme
Closing Theme (optional)

Home, Tonic Key

Begins to change key, modulate
Foreign Key
Foreign Key

Theme: may consist of loose bunch of motives, a single tune, or a group

of different tunes.
B = Development
Themes developed, fragmented,
altered, extended, mixed in with
new material
Retransition

Frequent modulations, unstable

keys
Modulates back to Tonic Key

A = Recapitulation
Theme 1
Bridge
Theme 2
Closing Theme
Other optional sections:
1) Introduction before the Expo.
2) Coda section after the Recap.

Tonic
Doesnt modulate, stays in tonic
Tonic
Tonic

Symphony: multi-movement orchestral work, developed in the Classical

period; often contained 4 movements in the Classical era:
1) Fast, Sonata Form, Tonic Key
2) Slow, Sonata/Theme and Variation/ABA/ Rondo, Foreign Key
3) Moderate, Minuet and Trio/Scherzo and Trio, Foreign Key
4) Fast, Sonata/Rondo, Tonic Key
:antecedent in the operatic overture
Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G minor K 550 (Kchel), 1788.
1st movement sonata form (Molto allegro)
Exposition
17 0:01 Theme 1
0:25 Bridge
18 0:00 Theme 2
0:55 Cadence theme

strings, features 3-note motive

Tonic (G Minor)
modulates
winds introduced, alternates with strings, more
languid tune
Major Key
Major Key
Exposition Repeats

Development
19 0:00 Theme 1 broken down, modulates, sequenced
0:16 Sudden change in texture: polyphony involving theme 1
0:44 Extreme fragmentation: breaks down theme 1 to its constituent 3-note
motive
1:01 Retransition through sequencing of 3-note motive
Recapitulation
20 0:00 Theme 1
0:24 Bridge
21 0:00 Theme 2

Same as exposition
Tonic (G Minor)
much longer; does not modulate as before
Same as before, except in
Tonic (G Minor)

Coda
22 0:00 Coda based on theme 1; punctuates

Tonic (G minor)

Haydn (1732-1809) Symphony no. 95 in C minor (1791)

1st Movement Sonata form (Allegro moderato) in C minor
Exposition
23 0:00 Theme 1
Minor
0:36 Bridge
Modulates
0:46 Theme 2
Major
Expo Repeats
Development
24 0:00 Theme 1 manipulated
0:44 Theme 2 manipulated
0:59 Theme 1 manipulated
Recapitulation
25 0:00 Theme 1
Minor
0:43 Theme 2
Major!
2nd Movement Theme and Variations (Andante) in E-flat major
Theme
Var 1
Var 2 (Minor) Var 3
Coda
26
27
28
29
30
0:00 a
0:00 a
0:00 a2
0:00 a
0:00 a4
0:17 a
0:17 a1
0:16 b2
0:17 a3
0:34 b
0:32 b1
0:41 b2
0:32 b3
0:59 b
0:56 b1
3rd Movement Minuet and Trio
Minuet
Trio
31
32
[a] [a] [b a] Pause [b a]
[c] [c] [d c] [d c]
starts in minor, goes to
lighter instrumentation,
major, back to minor
slower tempo, solo cello
(London audiences
enjoyed solos)

Minuet
33
[a] [b] [a]

4th Movement Rondo form (Vivace)

Popular rondo forms: ABACA, ABACABA, ABACADA
A
34

B
A
35
36
fugue-like
entries

fugue-like Minor,
timpani

A
37

Coda
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