Suggested Learning Resources
3) Online Reading: Sonata Form , northern.edu http://www3.northern.edu/wieland/theory/form/sonata.htm
- Sonata Form is a label that describes a piece of music that follows certain
structures.
- NOTE Sonata Form is different than a “Sonata” (which describe a certain
kind of piece, usually a work for piano or, solo instrument with piano accompaniment,
with several movements)
- The first movement of a Symphony is often in Sonata Form
- Sonata Form has three main parts , Exposition, Development, Recapitulation
- The structure usually appears like this ||: Exposition:||:Development
Recapitulation:||
- o The exposition Usually contains 2 themes
- o In Major keys, Theme 1 is in the Tonic key and Theme 2 is in the dominant key
- o In minor keys, Theme 1 is in the Tonic key and Theme 2 is in the dominant key
or the relative major key
- o The two themes are often connected by transitional material
- o Theme 2 may have some added closing material
- o The Development usually starts in the dominant key (V) or the relative Major
if the piece is in a minor key.
- o The development has much freedom and may modulate to several keys throughout
- o The development often has a retransition in the dominant key in order to setup
the Recapitulation
- o The recapitulation brings back the Theme 1 and Theme 2 of the exposition, but
this time both themes are performed in the tonic key (theme 2 does not modulate to
the dominant or relative major key)
Objective 44.1: Define, identify, and label classical Sonata form in real music examples