Sonata Form the Standard Sonata Form Is One of the Most Important Forms in Western Classical Music

In Depth: Sonata form The standard sonata form is one of the most important forms in Western classical music. This musical structure flourished in the Classical period and maintained it’s importance throughout the Romantic and Contemporary eras. Sonata form applies to a single movement of a multi-movement work. In a sonata or sonatina, the first movement is most often in sonata form. This structure is similar to ternary form (ABA), yet it is more expanded and complex. A sonata form movement has three large sections that perform specific functions. Exposition :II: Development Recapitulation :II MaJor keys: I I V V modulations I I I Sections: Intro 1st theme 2nd theme closing manipulation 1st theme 2nd theme coda of themes minor keys: i i III (or V) III (or V) modulations i i i Analyzing sonata form: 1. Identify the beginnings of each section. 2. Where are the primary themes? Is there an introduction? 3. Locate the important key areas. Is the first theme firmly rooted in the tonic key area? What key is the second theme in? 4. Is there transitional material between the theme groups? Is there closing material firmly concludes the exposition? 5. Identify and analyze the development. How does the development manipulate material that was first presented in the exposition? 6. Can you identify the retransition – the material that links the development to the recapitulation? 7. When does the opening material return? 8. Does the composition have a coda (codetta)? 1 Romatic sonatina versus Classical sonatina: From Classical to Romantic: The Classical Era is usually described as being from 1750-1820. By about 1820, there was another shift in musical taste. The term "romantic" refers to the medieval romance – a poem about a fantasy, legend or heroic person. These poems were more concerned with imagination rather than reality. This term “romantic” is then in direct contrast with the previous “classical” era. Whereas the Classical Era was quite concerned with rules and structures, the Romantic Era was willing to allow creativity and imagination to run free. The Romantic Era brought forth several changes in musical taste, including increase attention to chromaticism, longer more lyrical melodies, greater freedom to express emotion, programmatic elements, and a greater range of dynamics and tempi, including greater use of tempo rubato (stolen time). Notice how styles change from composition to composition and how composers are able to create their own unique style, regardless of designated time period. Below are characteristics of both the Romantic and Classical Eras. It is important to see how a sonatina maintains certain features while also noticing how the sonatina might change dependent upon the Era. In several compositions, characteristics from both eras are demonstrated. Characteristics of the Classical Era: • Melodies are elegant, graceful and easy to sing. • Melodies comprised of well-balanced, symmetrical phrases. • The simple, flowing melodies move to predictable cadences. • Classical forms are balanced and symmetrical: binary, rounded binary, ternary, rondo, theme and variations, and sonata form. • Short and repetitive melodic motives combine to form phrases. • Dynamic changes contribute to the overall expression of the pieces. • Ornamentation is used, but in a simpler style than in the Baroque. • Contrasts of mood showing a great emotional range – moods could change suddenly within a theme or more gradually from section to section • There was a wide range of rhythmic possibilities, but rhythms had a more regular feel, with clearly placed accents. • Harmonies were primarily diatonic, especially favoring the tonic-dominant relationship. • Homophonic texture is preferred over polyphonic textures. 2 Characteristics of the Romantic Era: • Melodies employed chromaticism and wide leaps. • Melodic phrases were often irregular with long, lyrical motives. • There was a greater freedom to express emotions. • Drama is an important element of the music. • Expression and lyricism became more important then formal structure. • The music employs a programmatic element (music tells a story) • Imagery is important for a successful performance. • Rubato (Italian word for “stolen” time) is an important expressive device. • Greater dynamic range was used to portray varying scenes and emotions. • Music made greater use of tonal colors, using the full range of the keyboard. • The harmonic vocabulary became more advanced. • There was more variety in accompanimental patterns. • Chords and melodies often used chromatic alterations. • New stylized musical forms (i.e. waltz, mazurka, polonaise, etc.) • Nationalism became more prevalent. (Castle Howard, front, from Vitruvius Britannicus (1720s) Evening: Landscape with an Aqueduct, 1818 Théodore Gericault (1791–1824) 3 Listening and Responding to Music Mood Mood Mood Mood Tempo Tempo Tempo Tempo Instruments Heard Instruments Heard Instruments Heard Instruments Heard Dynamics Dynamics Dynamics Dynamics If this were a movie If this were a movie If this were a movie If this were a movie soundtrack, what scene would soundtrack, what scene would soundtrack, what scene would soundtrack, what scene it depict? it depict? it depict? would it depict? How does this piece make you How does this piece make How does this piece make How does this piece make feel? you feel? you feel? you feel? 4 Grand Piano (Viennese, 6-octave grand piano, similar to one Beethoven might have played.) Joseph Böhm (1786-c.1850) Ñ Grand piano, ca 1790 Ñ Ferdinand Hofmann (Viennese, 1756- 1829) 5 History of the Piano: The Classical Era saw not only the growth of sonata and sonatina form, but it also saw major improvements being made to the piano. The piano has developed into one of the most important instruments of Western Classical music, in part due to it’s versatility – being capable of playing in a variety of manners, moods and styles. Numerous other keyboard instruments existed before the piano, including the harpsichord, clavichord, virginal, spinet and organ. It took hundreds of years to create the piano in the form we know it today. Below is a timeline highlighting some of the major developments. 1709 - Bartolomeo Cristofori created the “pianoforte.” This was a keyboard instrument with a hammer mechanism, dynamic range, and a range of four octaves. 1766 - Johannes Zumpe invents the successful “square” piano (strings run horizontally, from right to left). 1771 - Robert Stodart gains patent for the use of the word “grand” to describe his instrument. 1774 - John Joseph Merlin patents the "una corda” pedal. 1780s - By this year, there were two distinct types of instruments. The Viennese pianos were a lighter construction (preferred by Mozart), whereas the English piano was much sturdier with a more complex keyboard action (preferred by Beethoven). 1783 - Broadwood introduced a sustaining pedal. By this year, the piano grew to six octaves and had gained popularity over the harpsichord. 1804 - John Isaac Hawkins creates the first true upright piano with strings that run below the keyboard. 1821 - Sebastien Érard patents the double-escapement action, facilitating the rapid playing of repeated notes and by 1822, Érard had created a 7 octave piano. By the 1820s, the center of piano innovation had shifted to Paris with pianos made by Pleyel (preferred by Chopin) and Érard (preferred by Liszt). (Ferdinand Hofmann, ca. 1790, Viennese piano) 1825 - Alpheus Babcock patented the full iron frame; a frame that was more capable of resisting the tension of the strings, thus resulting in the big sound of the modern grand piano. 1826 - Henri Pape patents felt hammer covering. The soft felt covered hammers resulted in a sound that was less tinny and harsh when compared to the wooden heads covered with leather of earlier pianos. 1859 - Henry Steinway, Jr. patents cross-stringing for grands. 1874 - The sostenuto pedal (the middle pedal on modern instruments) was patented by Albert Steinway. The piano reached its’ modern form by the end of the 1800s. The modern piano has a cast iron frame, strings that are sounded by hammers which are activated by the 88 keys, and typically three pedals – una corda, sostenuto, and damper pedals. 6 Level 1 - Kohler, Op. 300 7 Level 2 - 8 Level 3 - 9 Level 4 – Beethoven, Anh 5 10 11 Lichner Op. 4, No. 2 12 Level 5 – Spindler Sonatina in G, Op. 157, No. 9 13 14 Level 6 – 15 Beethoven WoO 51 Sonatina in C Major 16 Women composers: Women composers have long been underrepresented in classical music. In the Classical and Romantic Era, this was mostly due to the limited role of women in society – they were relegated to the drawing rooms and their music was seen as being only appropriate for parlors, not the concert hall. Therefore, most compositions never received recognition. The list below includes women composers who have written sonatas/sonatinas. (By no means, comprehensive, but just some recommendations.) Ñ Sophia Dussek Ñ Barbara Heller Ñ Elizabeth Billington- Ñ Mlle. Edelmann Weichsell Ñ Marianna D’Auenbrugg Ñ Louise Reichardt Ñ Emma Lou Diemer Ñ Juliane Reichardt Ñ Grazyna Bacewicz Ñ Hedwige Chretein Ñ Cécilia Maria Ñ Marie Kiéné Bigot de Barthélemon Morogues Ñ Veronika Dussek Ñ Elisabetta de Gambarini Cianchettini Ñ Maria Hester Park Ñ Kathryn Ellis Ñ Marianne Martinez Ñ Clara Schumann Ñ Madame Ravissa de Ñ Adriana Hölszky Turin Ñ Fanny Hensel Ñ Maria Teresa D’Agnesi Ñ Francine Aubin Pinottini Ñ Cecile Chaminade Fanny Mendelssohn, sketched by her future husband Wilhelm Hensel 17 .

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