Kaii Lee had combined several piano/keyboard method books and her life long music learning books to create this sequential music theory study for this website. This page is about the Sonata Form. Following traditions of composition techniques from the Baroque Period, the Classical Period composers created the Sonata form, mainly for instrumental purposes. By clicking on the other colored links at the bottom of this page, the other music theory topics can be found easily.
For more information, please contact Kaii directly: info@kafm.net
Exposition | Development | Recapitulation | Introduction | Coda
Throughout the Western music history, the Classical Time Period holds a very prominent position in music compositions. There are many ways to write music with different structures or forms. Sonata Form is, also called the Sonata-Allegro Form, a musical composition structure that usually consisting of three main sections: an Exposition, a Development, and a Recapitulation. It has been used widely since the middle of the 18th century. The standard components of Sonata Form focus on the thematic and harmonic ideas of tonal materials that are presented in the Exposition, more elaborated and contrasted ideas would be introduced in the Development, and finally all good musical ideas returned harmonically and thematically in the Recapitulation. Sometimes extra sections of Introduction and Coda could be added to a Sonata Form as well. Overall, the Sonata Form has a Ternary (ABA) structure. The Sonata Form is mostly used in the first movement of an instrumental composition, such as a Piano Sonata, Violin Sonata, a Concerto or a Symphony.
The following graph demonstrates the sections of a Sonata Form that move from Exposition through Development to Recapitulation.
A standard Sonata Form with Repeats |
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The Exposition in a Sonata Form introduce the main theme or melody. During the Classical Period, composers used a complete stop or silence to separate the first theme and the second theme. Usually by the second theme, this music had modulated into other keys, primarily the Dominant. As the music traveled through the Exposition, it settled in the Dominant chord.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Sonata, in C Major, K.545, First Movement, Exposition |
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The next section in a Sonata Form is called Development. Composers could use both first and second themes and other new ideas in this section to move musical ideas thematically and harmonically around. Eventually, the music would go back to the starting key for the Recapitulation.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Sonata, in C Major, K.545, First Movement, Development |
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Generally, the Recapitulation is the section that composers would bring the music back to the original key; therefore, the Ternary (ABA) form. Surprisingly, some Recapitulations did not start with the original key. Mozart liked to play a joke musically in the next example. It is taken from his Piano Sonata, K.545. Instead of the original C Major, Mozart wrote F Major instead. However, by the second theme, everything worked out.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Sonata, in C Major, K.545, First Movement, Recapitulation |
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Sometimes the Sonata Form does not begin with a fast tempo as the Sonata-Allegro Form promised. It is due to an added section called Introduction. In this section, usually the music is slow and sometimes full of dotted rhythm to add more complexity to a Sonata Form. This section usually ends on a Dominant chord before the "Allegro" section begins. The sample here is taken from Ludwig Van Beethoven's Piano Sonata Pathétique, No.8, Op.13, in C Minor. The Allegro section would continue right after the Dominant 7th chord.
Ludwig Van Beethoven's Piano Sonata Pathétique, No.8, Op.13, in C Minor, Introduction |
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When the Recapitulation comes to an end, composers could add on another section called Coda to extend the music for another section. The Coda is the last section of any song. It takes on the characters of the Themes and Development; however, it could have its own new ideas, but stays within the original key or tonal center for the rest of the song.
Ludwig Van Beethoven's Piano Sonata Pathétique, No.8, Op.13, in C Minor, Coda |
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The next topic in this Music Theory site is all about "Rondo Form." Thank you for reading!
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For more information, please contact Ms. Lee at: info@kafm.net
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