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Lesson 6 Musical Form

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Lesson 6 Musical Form Structure of Music GRADE 8 MUSIC THEORY Dr. Declan Plummer Lesson 6: Musical Form Not all music needs to use such forms (e.g. free sectional form is widely used). Binary Form (A-B) Binary Form (A-B) • Music made up of two sections: A and B. Section A makes a musical • A and B usually share the same musical ideas. The tune which begins statement which sounds incomplete on its own. This is answered and the A section is likely to be repeated at the beginning of the B balanced by the music of section B. Both are usually repeated. section, but in a new key and perhaps altered for interest: • Usually, the music modulates towards the end of the first section to - Inversion: the tune is turned upside down - intervals originally the dominant (V), or relative major (III) if the piece began in a minor rising, now falling and vice versa key. During the B section the music will modulate back to the tonic. - The melody may be moved to the bass • A and B may be equal length, but B is frequently much longer because - The melody may be treated as a sequence the composer may take the music through various other keys. (the tune is immediately repeated at a slightly higher or lower pitch). [ SECTION A ][ SECTION B ] - Transposed into other keys Tonic Key Changing New Key New Key Changing Tonic Key Ex.1 ‘Bourée’ from Music for the Royal Fireworks Handel 1685-1759 (I or i) Key (V or III) (and others) Key (I or i) • Used a lot in dance music, especially the Baroque suites and in folk • As a general rule, remember that repeat signs never alter the form music, and to create smaller sections of larger forms (e.g. minuet & of a piece of music in any way. trio, sonata form, theme and variations etc.) Ternary Form (A1- B - A2) Ternary Form (A1- B -A2) • Music made up of three sections: A B A, making a musical sandwich. A and B usually have very contrasting musical ideas. Section B will Sections A1 and A2 use the same music and sound complete on their • introduce a completely different tune to Section A in a related key own, ending with authentic (perfect) cadences. (often the parallel key to the tonic). Other contrasts include: If A2 is an exact repetition of A1 the composer may not trouble to • Changes of mood, speed, rhythm and metre write out the music again. B will end with Da Capo (meaning repeat - from the beginning) and the word fine (end) will be printed at the - Contrasts in dynamics, pitch, texture and timbre end of the first A section. • May begin with a short introduction, and the • B presents a contrast in some way. We call B an episode, meaning a music may be rounded off with a coda contrasting section that usually appears only once. (Italian for ‘tail’. A short passage of music SECTION A1 SECTION B SECTION A2 called a link may join sections together. STATEMENT EPISODE RESTATEMENT • Very popular for songs (also called song Tonic Key New Related Key Tonic Key (I or i) (often parallel key) (only written if altered) form), operatic arias and most 19th-century piano music (nocturne, waltz, prelude etc). Can be an elaborated or Often Da Capo written at Chopin 1810-1849 an exact repetition the end of the section Ex.2 Prelude in D-Flat major (Op.28) ‘Raindrop’ Da Capo Aria Form Rondo Form (A1- B - A2 - C - A3) Rondo Form (A1- B - A2 - C - A3) • In a piece of music in rondo form, the main theme (A) keeps • Notice that in writing in rondo form, the composer is using the two ‘coming round’, with contrasting sections of music called episodes basic ingredients of musical form and design: repetition and contrast. heard in between. The repetitions of the main theme bring unity to the piece, while the episodes present contrast to hold the listener’s attention. • Rondos can have many episodes and so the main theme then comes round more often. A link may join sections smoothly together and a • Main theme is usually altered in some way, otherwise there’s a risk the final appearance of the main theme may be followed by a coda. of monotony. Couperin wrote a piece where the main theme comes round 9 times. • Each time the main rondo theme returns it may be shortened or somehow varied, but it is always in the tonic key, while each of the • Earlier rondo of the 17th century had only episodes visits a related key. slight changes (relying more on changes of key) to differentiate the main theme from the episodes. SECTION A1 SECTION B SECTION A2 SECTION C SECTION A3 • Composers of the 18th century and after Rondo Theme Episode 1 Rondo Theme Episode 2 Rondo Theme were much bolder in their contrasts. Tonic Key A Contrast Tonic Key More Contrast Tonic Key (I or i) (V or III) (I or i) (Related Key) (I or i) Ex.3 Piano Sonata No.8 (Op.13) ‘Pathétique’ 3rd mvt Beethoven 1770-1827 Strophic Form Canon • Also called chorus form, it applies mainly to songs in which all • A canon (from Greek meaning ‘rule’) is a contrapuntal music that verses (stanzas) of the text are sung to the same music. Very relies upon imitation. One part presents a melody, and then, shortly popular in hymns, ‘Pop’ songs and ballad/folk songs. afterwards a second part begins the same melody, note for note. • If there is any noticeable change (for example changing the mode • The imitating part may follow at a distance of half a bar, one bar, two from major to minor) then its called modified strophic form. bars or any other distance according to the composer’s choice. Other parts may also enter, successively, with the same melody. Through-Composed • It has different music throughout and is non- Part A B C D sectional and non-repetitive (opposite of 1 Part strophic form) based on durchkomponiert A B C 2 • Popular with German lieder because it Part allows the voice to more faithfully match the 3 A B changing moods of the poem. Also very popular in operas and musicals for the same reason. Ex.4 Erlkönig Schubert 1797-1828 • There are several varieties of canon, depending upon the method of Fugue imitation. The second part may imitate the melody • A fugue (meaning flight) is also a contrapuntal piece based on - at the same pitch: canon at the unison imitation, but the texture is woven from separate strands of melody - at an octave high or lower: canon at the octave called parts or voices (whether it’s vocal or instrumental) and are usually referred to as soprano, alto, tenor and bass. - at a fifth higher lower: canon at the fifth Subject Subject Counter- or any other interval at the composer’s choice SOPRANO Unaccompanied Free Part Free Part redundant entry - Subject (Tonic) (Tonic) • In a double canon, two melodies are given out simultaneously by Answer two parts, and imitated by another two parts. Counter- ALTO 4th lower or Free Part Free Part 5th higher Subject • Canons can also be treated to inversion, and (Dominant) augmentation (usually doubled). Subject Counter- TENOR Free Part • Other varieties include the crab canon (Tonic) Subject (retrograde), the mirror canon, (retrograde inversion), and the infinite canon, also Answer 4th lower or Counter- BASS known as a round (such as Frère Jacques). 5th higher Subject Pachelbel 1653-1706 (Dominant) Ex.5 Canon in D for 3 violins and basso continuo • A fugue is structured in three main sections: exposition, middle section, and final section, but they are by no means as clearcut as Theme & Variations (A1- A2- A3- A4) those in musical forms such as ternary or rondo. • One of the oldest musical forms (Tudor England keyboard music). • Many musicians do not count the fugue as a form at all and instead think of it as a texture or style of composing. • The the tune called a theme is presented in a fairly straightforward way. The music is built up by repeating the theme as many times as • During the middle and/or final section the music may be made more desirable, but each time varying it, in one or more different ways. exciting by use of certain devices either singly or in combination: - Pedal note in the bass, or inverted pedal in the highest part or Theme Variation 1 Variation 2 Variation 3 and so on… an internal pedal in an inner part. In Binary or Theme is Theme is Theme is Theme is - Inversion, augmentation (usually double), diminution (usually half) Ternary Form Altered Altered Altered Altered There are countless ways in which the theme may be varied, but the Stretto an overlapping of entries of subject • - most important include: and answer. In a close stretto the overlapping occurs swiftly; in a stretto - Decorating the theme with ornaments and other elaborations maestrale (masterly stretto) all voices take - Changing the harmony, tonality, speed, rhythm or instrumentation part, each presenting subject or answer Using imitation for part or all of the theme (fugato or canon) complete and unmodified. - Ex.6 Fugue No.2 in C minor J.S. Bach 1685-1750 - Treating the theme to inversion, augmentation or diminution The Ground Bass Ritornello Form (A1- B - A2 - C - A3) • Also sometimes called basso ostinato, meaning ‘obstinate bass’ is a • The Italian word ‘Ritronello’ means a ‘little return’. The main type of variation writing, very popular in the 1500s and 1600s. ritornello theme is introduced by the whole orchestra, the tutti (all) • A theme is repeated over and over in the bass (usually with the group, also called the ripieno (full) if more than one player per part.
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