Conservatorio Santa Cecilia - Roma

A.A. 2021/22
Docente: prof.ssa Mirella Di Vita
MUSICAL FORMS
❖ Musical form = the structure and
organization of a musical composition

1) Melody
2) Harmony
3) Rhythm
4) Tempo
5) Texture
MELODY = a succession of tones comprised of mode, rhythm,
and pitches so arranged as to achieve musical shape, being
perceived as a unity by the mind.

Harmony = The combination of notes sounded simultaneously

to produce chords.
➢ The basic formal elements:

Motive
Idea
Phrase
Period
Cadenza (cadence)
Motive = a set of several notes that characterizes a composition;
it can be melodic, harmonic or rhythmic.

Idea = two bars unit = the constituent element of a phrase.

Phrase = four bars unit; generally it has no sense of completion in

itself.

Period = a complete musical thought, concluded by a cadence, having

two phrases, called the antecedent and the consequent.

Cadence = a stylized close that brings to a full conclusion.

 AUTHENTIC
CADENCE
• V-I(DOMINANT CHORD –
TONIC CHORD)
• PERFECT CADENCE OR
FINAL CADENCE
 DECEPTIVE CADENCE( OR
PLAGAL CADENCE (OR INTERRUPTED CADENCE)
CHURCH/AMEN CADENCE)
• V- VI (DOMINANT CHORD –
• IV –I (SUBDOMINANT CHORD – TONIC
CHORD) SUPERDOMINANT CHORD)
• IT WAS SUNG TO THE WORD «AMEN» • deceptive to the listener, because
IN CHURCH MUSIC the tendency is for the dominant
chord to resolve to the tonic chord
STROPHIC FORM = every strophe of the text is sung to the
same musical tune.

Structure AAAA

BINARY FORM = two sections that are approximately

equal in length and importance.
They tend to be similar not only in length but will often
harmonically too.

Structure A B or A A B B
TERNARY FORM = a piece separated into three parts, in which the
third part repeats the main ideas and passages of the first.

Structure ABA or ABA’

RONDO FORM = form of composition in which the first section

recurs after the second section is performed in an A-B-A style. Also,
a rondo could have more sections arranged: A-B-A-B-A, or
A-B-A-C-A, etc.
the Baroque and Classical eras.
ARIA = Originally a song, a tune; sung by a single voice with or
without accompaniment; a lyric song for solo voice generally having two
contrasting parts (I and II).

SONG = a short piece of music, usually with text, intended to be sung.

STANDARD BLUES = takes place over 12 bars (or measures)

12 bars blues.

The form follows an ABACBA pattern in which A = I chord, B = IV chord,

and C = V chord of a key.
ART SONG = a song of serious artistic purpose designed for
the concert hall or the salon. An art song is usually sung by
a solo voice with accompaniment. In German it is
called Lied, in French, chanson. An art song is a
complete composition in itself and is not part of a larger
work such as an opera or an oratorio.
OVERTURE
*introductory movement for orchestra intended to introduce
an opera, oratorio, or other dramatic vocal composition by
presenting themes to be heard later in the composition;

*an independent composition for orchestra;

In the XVII century

French Overture = slow section – fast section

Italian Overture = allegro – adagio - allegro