FORM IN MUSIC

New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 430, 19 September 1947, Page 20

FORM IN MUSIC

| ] THE tourth of a series of brief articles by

BESSIE

POLLARD

Mus. Bac ,

on "Form in Music." These articles are closely related to a series of programmes on the same topic now being heard trom 2YC on Friday evenings. Each of our articles is illustrated by a few bars of the music under ; discussion,

4 The Sonata HE word Sonata merely means "sound-piece" (one to be played on an instrument) as opposed to Cantata-a piece to be sung. The Suite enshrined the whole potentiality of the Sonata,

for the latter is built upon the same principle of contrast and is similarly a unified collection of pieces called movements. The early "Sonata da camera" (Chamber Sonata) was actually a suite of dance tunes. The real precursor of the classic Sonata of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven was the dignified "Sonata da -chiesa" (Church Sonata). However, the Chamber sonata contributed at least two features to the later form: (1) The -"Mintet" movement, which later became the "Scherzo" in Beethoven’s hands; (2). the metamorphosis of the Gigue movement into the "Rondo." Of course, actual Rondo-form is derived from another source. Although a Sonata is usually a composition in several movements, the 500odd Sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti (the Italian contemporary of Bach and Handel) are one-movement works. J. S. Bach’s instrumental Sonatas are largely three-movement works. His sons were organisers and inventors of new trends in the form; Haydn developed it further, arid Mozart further still. The crowning glory came with the Sonatas of Beethoven’s middle and third periods-his being mostly four-movement works.

The form of the first movement of a Sonata is the seemingly anomalous one entitled "Sonata-form," or to be less confusing, "first-movement" form. Its structural scheme is made up of three broad divisions, the Exposition (the set-ting-out), the Development (the work-ing-out), and the Recapitulation (repetion and summing-up). In the exposi- ~ tion; the main themes of the movement

are announced. Then follows the development where these themes are freely transformed, re-disposed, and re-com-bined in various keys, finally leading to the recapitulation. This is often followed by a "coda"-a sort of "musical post-script." The second movement is slow usually, balancing the general quick speed of the opening movement. It can be cast in three-part form; theme and variations; modified first-movement form, or even a Rondo, The third movement (if included) is a Minuet in earlier Sonatas, or a Scherzo in works of a later period. The fourth movement may be a Rondo; a Finale on the same formula as the first movement; or a combination of both-Sonata-Rondo. (Scherzo, Rondo, Theme and Variations will be discussed in detail in subsequent articles.) Remember-a Symphony is really a Sonata for full orchestra, just as a Trio, Quartet, Quintet, Sextet, and so on are Sonatas for three, four, five or six instruments. THE SONAT A-the fourth of a series, FORM IN MUSIC-will be heard from Station 2YC at 9.30 p.m. on Friday, September 26. . 7