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Classical form
Sonata form
Sometimes known as first movement form. This term is used to describe the structure of the first movement of many sonatas, symphonies, concertos and often overtures. It falls into three sections: exposition, development and recapitulation. The exposition introduces two contrasting themes in related keys. These are developed and then the originals heard again in the recapitulation, this time in the same key. This cued excerpt is the first movement of Mozart's 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik', which follows the pattern below.
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| Exposition | Development | Recapitulation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Subject | 2nd Subject | 1st Subject | 2nd Subject | |
| Theme A | Theme A | Short Section | Theme A | Theme A |
| Theme B | Theme B | Theme B | Theme B | |
| Theme C | Theme B | Theme C | Theme B | |
| Bridge passage | Theme C | Bridge passage | Theme C | |
| Coda | ||||
Minuet and trio
The minuet is a graceful French dance with three beats in a bar. The trio is a contrasting minuet after which the first minuet is repeated. (Extended definition - The minuet originated in the Baroque period. In the Classical period a second minuet called a trio was added to lengthen the composition.) This example is from Haydn's 'Surprise' Symphony. The normal pattern is minuet, trio and minuet with no repeats in the second minuet. Listen to the example in which the various sections are cued in for you.
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Scherzo
Literally translated, this means a joke and is a lively movement in triple time usually in ternary form and often found as the third movement of a symphony, sonata or chamber work. It replaced the minuet and trio of the Classical period. The following excerpt is from Beethoven's Symphony No. 2, which is the first example of a scherzo being used in a symphony. Listen to the faster speed and try to pick out the ternary form.
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