JP Castillo

MUSC 6006
1/29/19

Rosen Essay Questions

Write a paragraph of approximately 200 words describing how the use of tonality and expression
in sonata forms of instrumental music could suffice to serve as the main attraction of public
concerts in the late eighteenth century.

The idea of public concerts for purely instrumental music was not a thing that had existed

much before the arrival of sonata form. The sonata form provided a vehicle for which

instrumental music could be presented to the public in way which was simplistic and easily

followed. The sonata form had a predictable climax which would be later resolved in the piece.

All loose ends would be tied up and provide closure for the listener (Rosen p.10). The exposition

presented the main thematic material, in the tonic key. Through modulation it would shift to the

dominant or a closely related key and then the second theme would be stated. The exposition

would end with a closing theme in the new key. The development then begins with a restatement

or related version of the old theme in the new key. The development is known to have the most

distant and rapidly modulating material in the piece. The recapitulation restates the opening

material and stays in the original key, with a coda sometimes being added to the end of the piece.

Due to it being completely written out, having a simple contour, and being independent of words,

it allowed for the sonata to be commercially exploited as a main attraction for public concerts.

The expressive forces behind the sonata form consisted of a focus on structure, large-scale

modulations, and the character of themes in the pieces (Rosen p.11). The dramatized clarity that

sonata form provided at a tonal and expressive level allowed the form to be used as a main

attraction to public concerts in the late 18th century.

Write a paragraph of approximately 200 words describing an overall spectrum of types of sonata
form, as expressed in a typical first, second, minuet, and finale movement, in terms of their tonal
organization and expressive intensity.

First movement sonata form can be considered the most complex and strictly organized

because of composer’s emphasize on the opening movement. It consists of two sections; the first

section establishes a tempo, a tonic, and characteristic thematic material, and texture, while

moving away from tonic to a closely related key (Rosen p.99). The second section, the

development/recapitulation, has two main events: the return to tonic with a return of thematic

material form the first section as well as final conforming cadence on tonic. Slow movement

sonata form consists of an exposition and a recapitulation with no development section, or a very

brief one at most. It’s best described as an A1 and A2 section. There is usually no shift or

modulation to the new key, instead it simply states the material in the new key. Minuet sonata

form consists of two parts with three major phrases or periods. A double bar placed after the first

phrase with the second and third phrase going together. The first phrase establishes tonic and

either has a cadence in tonic or dominant. The second phrase either establishes or extends the

dominant and makes a return to tonic. The third phrase remains in tonic and resolves. Minuet

form when expanded gives way to first movement sonata form. Finale sonata form, which can

more accurately be described as rondo sonata form consists of a repeated theme or episode

followed by new material. Typically, it’ll consist of AB (expo.) | AC (development) | ABA

(recapitulation). This form places emphasizes on the subdominant.