Building Block Forms
The smallest characteristic unit whose significance is established in development
What is motive?
V - I
What is a PAC?
ABACA
What is a 5-part rondo?
bass line and keyboard part that provide a harmonic framework for a piece of music
What is Basso continuo?
a continually repeated musical phrase or rhythm
What is ostinato?
the material at the beginning of the first section returns, often shortened, after a contrasting phrase at the beginning of the second section.
What is rounded binary?
Ends on V.
What is a HC?
Binary; Two movements; Slow-Fast: Slow dotted rhythms of first section, imitative fugal-like fast second section
What is French Overture?
binary or ternary form when the first section (the A section) ends on the tonic.
What is sectional?
recurrent musical section that alternates with different episodes of contrasting material (can recur in different keys)
What is ritornello?
usually diagrammed as ABA and is described as “statement, digression, restatement.”
What is ternary form?
Begins on V, does not resolve to I.
What is a deceptive cadence?
Each large section is in a single key but there may be small shifts in tonality within sections
What is compound ternary?
the first section of a binary or ternary form does not end on the tonic chord. While this often means the first section ends in a new key, it can also mean the first section ends on the dominant chord in a half cadence.
What is continuous?
May appear in various sonata cycle movements; Commonly found in the final movement of a concerto to showcase the soloist
What is Rondo form?
B material is harmonically closed.
What is ternary form?
Typically precedes cadenza in concerto form.
What is a I6/4?
type of overture to opera, overture, or other work, fast-slow-fast
What is Italian Overture?
Includes matters of period, style, and background; the "investigation" step explores the score's use of form, harmony, text, rhythms, and other musical elements
What is awareness?
Repeated subject, usually in bass but may move briefly to other voices; Variations on a fixed melody (subject)
What is Passacaglia?
Correlates to a clause in speech; it comes to a stop, yet usually cannot stand by itself. i.e.: a musical thought
What are phrases?
I - IV
What is a plagal cadence?
This form features a moderate aristocratic dance in 3/4 meter with two opposing sections. It is a Compound Ternary form, with each large section having multiple subsections:
Minuet and Trio
Sonata-Allegro form but without the development section
What is sonatina?
Repeated chord progression, resulting in repeating bass line; variations on a fixed harmonic progression
What is chaconne?