TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

FORM AND STRUCTURE

Musical Forms

Name: _________________________________________________

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXAM

The four areas of study are Musical Forms and Devices, Music for Ensemble,
Film Music and Popular Music
You will sit an examination of approximately 1 hour 15 minutes duration
There will be eight questions in total, all worth equal marks. All questions
will be out of 12 marks
Two questions will be based on the prepared extracts, and the other six
questions will be based on unfamiliar extracts
The longer response question will always be on an unprepared extract
There will always be a dictation score-based question based on an
unprepared extract
There will always be a question on each of the prepared extracts
The paper will always have 24 marks on each area of study (12 x 2)
The areas of study will always appear in order from 1- 4

You will be required to write a short section in pitch or rhythm (but not
both at the same time)
You will be required to write in simple time only
You will be required to read rhythms in compound time (but not write
them).

You will be required to read or write key signatures up to four sharps or

four flats (both major and minor keys) but not both in the same question
You will be required to write chord symbols in both contemporary
symbols and roman numerals, but not both in the same question.
Questions on chords will always be based on chords I – VI in a major key.
Any chords outside of I- VI (or other relevant theoretical information)
contained within the prepared extract must also be studied

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

INFORMATION ABOUT AREA OF STUDY 1

Area of study 1: Musical Forms and Devices
 You need to know the principal features of Baroque, Classical and
Romantic music.
 There is one prepared extract which you must study in depth: Eine
Kleine Nachtmusik, Movement 3, Minuet: Mozart (1787)

FORM (Structure):
You need to identify the main features of binary, ternary,
minuet and trio, rondo, variation and strophic forms
Devices:
You need to learn how composers use the musical devices listed below to
create and develop music:
 repetition
 contrast
 anacrusis
 imitation
 sequence
 ostinato
 syncopation
 dotted rhythms
 drone
 pedal
 canon
 conjunct movement
 disjunct movement
 ornamentation
 broken chord/arpeggio
 Alberti bass
 regular phrasing
 melodic and rhythmic motifs
 simple chord progressions including cadences
 modulation to dominant and relative minor.

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

SOME KEYWORDS BEFORE WE START

Tonic (I): the 1st degree (note) of a scale, on which the chord is built
Dominant (V): the 5th degree on a scale, on which the chord is built
Subdominant (IV): the 4th degree on a scale, on which the chord is built
Triad: chord made of 3 notes stacked in 3rds
Intervals: space between two notes (counting from the bottom note)

Major chord: 4:3 semi-tones (major 3rd – minor 3rd)

Minor chord: 3:4 semi-tones (minor 3rd – major 3rd)
Diminished chord: 1 semi-tone lower than minor chord
Augmented chord: 1 semi-tone higher than major chord
Primary chords: chords I, IV, V – the most important chords in harmony
Secondary chords: other chords

Triads in C major with Roman numerals:

I = major chord/ ii = minor chord/ viio = diminished chord

7th chords: triads with an added 3rd

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

Dominant 7th: 7th chord built on the dominant (V) chord – major triad +
minor 3rd
Diminished 7th: dramatic chord main of minor thirds
Relative minor: a minor key (scale) that has the same key-signature
(number of sharps or flats) than a major key

Signposts in score:

repeat sign

segno: to the sign

coda: to the coda (ending)

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

Quiz Time!

Keywords

What are the primary chords? ________________________________________

What is the tonic? _____________________________________________________
What is the dominant? ________________________________________________
What is the subdominant? ____________________________________________
Write the roman numerals for a major scale:

________________________________________________________________________________

What is a triad? ________________________________________________________

What is a 7th chord? ___________________________________________________
What is a dominant 7th? _______________________________________________
What is an interval? ____________________________________________________
Write & list the major & minor keys/scales with up to 4 sharps:

Write & list the major & minor keys/scales with up to 4 flats:

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

BINARY FORM

Musical Examples

Minuets from Music for the Royal Fireworks, by Handel (Baroque)

March in D major, from Notebook from Anna Magdalena, by Bach
(Baroque)
‘Gigue ‘from Partita No.3 in E major, by Bach (Baroque)
‘Ecossaises’ for piano, by Schubert (Romantic)

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

TERNARY

How can Section B be contrasting?

a new tune
different keys
a different tempo (speed)
different rhythmic patterns and dynamics
different instruments and texture (layers of sound and how they are
used)

How is A repeated?

It can be an exact repeat of the first section – often marked da capo

(D.C.) at the end of Section B= literally ‘back to the hat/cap’; i.e. to
the beginning
It may be slightly altered or shortened (in which case it may be
indicated by A’)
Da capo aria: a vocal form used primarily in the Baroque Era, in ternary
form (ABA’)
Musical Examples
‘’He Was Despised’ Messiah, by Handel (Baroque) - da capo aria
‘Lacrimosa’ from the Requiem, Mozart (Classical) – quite dark (!)
‘Raindrop’ Prelude Op. 28, No. 15, Chopin (Romantic)
‘About Foreign Lands and People’ from Scenes of Childhood, by
Schumann (Romantic)
‘Dance of the Reed Pipes’ from The Nutcracker, by Tchaikovsky
(Romantic)

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

MINUET AND TRIO

What is a minuet and trio?

The minuet is a formal, graceful dance

from 17th-18th century Europe. It is in triple
time (3/4) and moderato (moderate speed).
It is in binary form (two sections). Each
section is repeated.

The trio is like a second minuet, but

contrasting. There are usually fewer
instruments or a lighter texture (layers of sound), as well as a modulation
(change of key). It is also in binary form. Each section in repeated.

The minuet and trio go together and are in ternary da capo (back to the
beginning) form. The repeat of the minuet is played without repeats.

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

And the melodies are usually as below (x:/yx:/ – p:/qp:/ – x/yx//)

Musical Examples
Minuet and Trio from the ‘Emperor’ String Quartet, by Haydn
(Classical)
Movement III from Symphony No.39, by Mozart (Classical)
Scherzo (means ‘joke’, a faster and livelier version of a minuet,
much used by Beethoven) and Trio from 3rd Symphony ‘Eroica’,
by Beethoven (symphony that heralded the Romantic era)

RONDO

What is the difference between a rondo and a rondeau? None – rondeau is

just the French spelling.

The contrasting sections are known as episodes.

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

Musical Examples
Rondeau from The Fairy Queen, by Purcell (Baroque)
Rondo alla Turca from Piano Sonata No.11, by Mozart (Classical)
Movement IV from Horn Concerto No.4 , by Mozart (Classical)
Prelude to Carmen, by Bizet (Romantic)
3rd movement from Cello Concerto in B minor, by Dvořák (Romantic)

THEME AND VARIATIONS

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

Musical Examples

Air and Variations ‘The Harmonious Blacksmith’ from Suite No.5 in E

major, by Handel (Baroque)
Variations on ‘Ah, vous dirai-je Maman’ (‘Twinkle’), by Mozart
(Classical)
2nd Movement (theme for the variations) in Symphony No.94
‘Surprise’ Symphony by Haydn (Classical)
Movement IV of Trout Quintet, by Schubert (Romantic)
The virtuosic (technically very difficult) Rhapsody on a Theme of
Paganini, by Rachmaninoff (Romantic)

STROPHIC FORM

The simplest of all musical forms, it is a song structure where the same music
is used for every verse and there is no chorus.

Musical Examples

Many Lieder (German art songs) and art songs (voice & piano
accompaniment in the classical tradition) are strophic.

“It must me sooooooo boring! “Not at all! The piano part doesn’t just play
chords, but depicts the lyrics. Here are some examples by Schubert
(Romantic):

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

Der Erlkönig tells the story of a dying child in his father’s arms as they
gallop on horseback home. Listen to the four different characters
portrayed by the voice and the galloping piano chords
Gretchen am Spinnrade, is about a young girl called Gretchen at the
spinning-wheel. Listen to the spinning-wheel on the piano.
There are beautiful lieder by Schumann and Brahms (Romantic)

__________________________________________________________________________________

SONATA FORM

Let’s analyse Mozart’s 1st Movement, Symphony No. 40

What musical era is Mozart? _______________________________________

How many flats are there in the key-
signature? ____________________
If it’s in MAJOR, what key is it in?
__________________________________
Except it’s in MINOR, so what key is it in? _________________________
What is the time-signature? _________________________________________
What does Molto Allegro mean? ______________________________________

EXPOSITION: where the themes are ‘exposed’

Theme 1:

The theme
starts on an
a_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Violins 1 & 2
are what interval a
part? _______________
The violas are div. What does div. mean? _____________________

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

Theme 2:

Which instruments are

playing (listen)?
_________________________________
We have modulated to the
relative major. What is that
key? __________________

DEVELOPMENT: themes or motifs are developed through

different keys

The first chord is Gm. Then there is a dramatic chord (yellow bow)
made with minor 3rds. What is that chord called? ________________________
From which theme does the melody in the blue box belong to:

Theme 1 or Theme 2?

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

The dramatic development is therefore based on the 3-n_ _ _ m_ _ _ _

from Theme _ .

Let’s listen to the development and how it takes us on a musical journey.

RECAPITULATION: return to ‘home’ key &

‘recapitulation’(review) of the two themes

Theme 1 is back in the home key. What is that key? _______________

What has changed with theme 2? _________________

If themes 1 & 2 are in the ‘home’ key in a recapitulation, what key

is theme 2 in? _________________

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TOPIC 2 – FORM AND STRUCTURE – Musical Forms

Quiz Time!

What does this sign mean? ________________________________________

What does da capo mean? ________________________________________________

What is a theme? __________________________________________________________
What is a lied? _____________________________________________________________
What is virtuosic? _________________________________________________________
What is modulation? ______________________________________________________
What is texture? ___________________________________________________________

Name the forms below:

A-A-A-A: __________________________________________________

A-B:________________________________________________________

A-B-A: _____________________________________________________

A-A1-A2-A3-A4:___________________________________________

A-B-A-C-A-D-A: ______________________________________________

x:/yx:/ – p:/qp:/ – x/yx//: ____________________________________

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