Lessons in Music Form Part 15

Further, the last recurrence of the Princ.i.p.al theme being no less than its fourth announcement, is rarely complete; as a rule, a brief intimation (the first motive or phrase) is deemed sufficient, and this is then dissolved into the coda; or the Princ.i.p.al theme, as such, is omitted, or affiliated with the coda, or one of its sections.

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For an ill.u.s.tration of the Third Rondo-form, the student is referred to the last movement of Beethoven's pianoforte sonata, op. 2, No. 2, the diagram of which is as follows:--

_Middle_ _Exposition._ _Division_ _Recapitulation._ ------------------------ ---------- ---------------------------------- Pr.Th. 1stSub.Th. Pr.Th. 2d Sub.Th. Pr.Th. 1st Sub.Th. Pr.Th. and Coda ------------------------ ---------- ---------------------------------- A maj. E maj. A maj. A minor A maj. A maj. A maj.

For its detailed a.n.a.lysis, number the measures as usual (there are 187, the "second ending" not being counted), and define each factor of the form by reference to the given indications,--the figures in parenthesis again denoting the measures:--

_Princ.i.p.al Theme_, Part I (1-8), period-form. Part II (9-12), phrase.

Part III (13-16), phrase.

_Transition_, period-form (17-26), leading into the new key.

_First Sub. Theme_, period, Antecedent (27-32), Consequent (33-39).

_Re-transition_ (40).

_Princ.i.p.al Theme_, as before, (41-56). This ends the EXPOSITION.

_Second Sub. Theme_, Part I (57-66), period, literal repet.i.tion. Part II (67-74) period-form. Part III (75-79) phrase.

Parts II and III repeated (80-92); the process of _re-transition_ begins one measure earlier (91), and is pursued to measure 99.

The RECAPITULATION begins in the next measure with the

_Princ.i.p.al Theme_, as before, slightly modified (100-115).

_Transition_, as before, slightly abbreviated (116-123).

_First Subordinate Theme_, as before, but transposed to the princ.i.p.al key, A major, and somewhat modified (124-135).

_Princ.i.p.al Theme_ begins in measure 135, where the preceding theme ends; consequently, there is an Elision. In measure 140 it is dissolved into the

_Coda_: Section 1 (to measure 148).

Section 2 (149-160).

Section 3 (161-172).

Section 4 (173-180).

Section 5 (to end).

LESSON 15.--a.n.a.lyze the following examples, as usual. They represent chiefly the Third Rondo-form, but _one example each_ of the First and Second Rondo-forms have been introduced, to stimulate the vigilance of the student. Review the directions given in Lesson 13:

Beethoven, pianoforte sonatas: op. 26, last movement, (very concise, but a perfect model of the form).

Op. 28, last movement.

Op. 7, last movement.

Op. 2, No. 3, last movement.

Op. 13, last movement.

Op. 22, last movement.

Op. 14, No. 1, last movement.

Op. 31, No. 1, _Adagio_.

Beethoven, _Rondos_ for pianoforte, op. 51, No. 1; and op. 51, No. 2.

Mozart, pianoforte sonata, No. 4, last movement; No. 3, last movement.

CHAPTER XVI. THE SONATINE FORM.

CLa.s.sIFICATION OF THE LARGER FORMS.--The Sonatine form is the smaller variety of two practically kindred designs, known collectively as the Sonata-allegro forms. In order to obtain a clear conception of its relation to the latter, and also to the Rondo-forms, it is necessary to subject the entire group of so-called "higher" forms to a brief comparison.

The larger, broader, or "higher" designs of musical composition are divided into two cla.s.ses: the three _Rondo-forms_, and the two _Sonata-allegro forms_. The latter const.i.tute the superior of the two cla.s.ses, for the following reasons:--

In the first place, the rondos rest upon a narrower thematic basis, centering in one single theme--the Princ.i.p.al one--about which the other themes revolve. Further, their most salient structural feature is nothing more significant than simple _alternation_ (of the Princ.i.p.al theme with its one or more Subordinates) the Princ.i.p.al theme recurs after each digression with a persistence that lends a certain one-sidedness to the form,--only excepting in the Third (and highest) Rondo-form, which, by virtue of its broad Recapitulation of the first Division, approaches most nearly the rank of the Sonata-allegro design, as will be seen.

In the Sonata-allegro forms, on the other hand, the leading purpose is _to unite two co-ordinate themes upon an equal footing_; one is to appear as often as the other; and the two themes _together_ const.i.tute the thematic basis of the design. These are, as in the rondos, a Princ.i.p.al theme (called princ.i.p.al because it appears first, and thus becomes in a sense the index of the whole movement), and a Subordinate theme (so called in contradistinction to the other),--contrasting in character, as usual, but actually of equal importance, and of nearly or quite equal length. To these, there is commonly added a codetta (or "concluding theme" as it is {122} sometimes called, though it seldom attains to the dignity of a _theme_),--sometimes two, or even more, codettas, which answer the general purpose of a coda, rounding off and balancing this Division of the design. This union of the two or three thematic components that are to represent the contents of the design, is the _Exposition_, or first Division, of the Sonata-allegro forms.

It indicates a point of contact between the latter and the rondo,--in the _Third_ form of which we also find an Exposition. Careful comparison of the two types of exposition reveals the significant difference between the two cla.s.ses, however; in the Third Rondo, the exposition was an _alternation_ of themes, with decided preference for the princ.i.p.al one; in the Sonata-allegro it is a _union_ of themes, without preference, resulting in a broader thematic basis.

THE SONATINE FORM.--In the Sonatine-form, or the smaller variety of the sonata-allegro designs, this Exposition (or first Division) is followed _at once_,--or after a few measures of interlude, or re-transitional material,--by a Recapitulation of the Division, as was seen in the Third Rondo-form, and under the same conditions of transposition as there. The diagram of the form is therefore as follows:--

Exposition. Recapitulation.

----------------------------- ------------------------------ PR. TH. SUB. TH. CODETTA. Very PR. TH. SUB. TH. CODETTA.

----------------------------- brief ------------------------------ As usual. In some Optional. Inter- As In the Also in related lude before. princ.i.p.al princ.i.p.al key. key. key.

An additional coda is, as usual, likely to appear at the end.

This diagram should be very carefully compared with that of the Third Rondo-form on page 119, and the points both of agreement and dissimilarity noted. More minute details of the Sonatine form will be given in the next chapter, in connection with the larger and more fully developed Sonata-allegro form.

An ill.u.s.tration of the Sonatine-form will be found in Mozart, 6th pianoforte sonata, _adagio_. Number the measures, as usual, and a.n.a.lyze with reference to the indications given; the figures in parenthesis again denote the measures.

_Princ.i.p.al Theme_, B-flat major, period-form,--possibly double-period, because of the slow tempo and large measures (1-8). There is no Transition.

_Subordinate Theme_, F major, period-form, extended. Antecedent (9-12); consequent, very similar (13-16); extension by addition of new phrase, as in the group-form (16 1/2-19).