Sonata Form
A large-scale musical structure based on exposition, development, and recapitulation
Category
form
Pronunciation
soh-NAH-tah FORM
Origin
Italian
Length
96 words · 1 min read
About Sonata Form
Sonata form is the most important structural principle in Classical and Romantic music. The exposition presents two contrasting themes in different keys; the development manipulates and transforms this material; the recapitulation restates both themes in the home key.
More form terms
Ternary Form
View all formterms →A three-part musical structure (ABA)
OstinatoA persistently repeated musical pattern or phrase.
FugueA contrapuntal composition in which a subject is introduced and developed through imitative entries
VoltaTurn; used in repeat structures (prima volta, seconda volta).
PhraseA complete musical thought, analogous to a sentence in spoken language.
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