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MTC3101 –  Chapter 7-8 Summary

Jonathan Horn –  MC# 1304

10/03/2013

Chapter 7

Variation is modifying a musical idea, generally after its first appearance. Many different types

of variation exist. Continuous variation is a type of variation where there is a repeated bass line,

harmonic progression, rhythmic pattern, or combination of the three. A ground bass or basso ostinato

is a type of continuous variation consisting of a short repeated melody in the lowest voice. Theme and

variation is a composition where a theme is first stated and then followed by a series of variations.

One common technique in theme and variation is to embellish the melodic line with additional

notes. Others include introducing a unique rhythmic figure, changing the meter, changing the mode,

using an Alberti bass, changing the harmony, changing the tempo, extending the pitch range, using a

repeated harmonic motive, using a repeated melodic motive, and changing voices.

Both continuous variations and theme and variations first began to be used in the sixteenth

century. Both of these forms remained virtually structurally unchanged through the baroque, classical,

and romantic periods.

Chapter 8

Sonata form is a larger structure for a musical composition with three parts: an exposition,

development, and recapitulation. Sonata form means the form for one movement of a sonata, which is

generally a multimovement composition.

The exposition first states the material from which the whole movement is based. Often the first

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theme or a theme group comes first in the exposition. Its purpose is to provide stability and reference

for later sections. Then the transition provides a smooth connection between the first and second

themes. It may include a modulation. The second theme of sonata form is usually more lyrical than the

first. Some movements may include a third theme, also called the closing theme and usually in the

same key as the second. A codetta often ends the exposition.

The next section is called the development . It consists of motivic manipulation of the themes

from the exposition. It usually includes new keys, and has no standard form of organization. The

retransition is a passage that serves to transition to the recapitulation from the development. It

combines fragments of the first theme and modulates to the tonic key.

Finally, the recapitulation is the last part of sonata form. It is similar to the exposition, but uses

the same key for all of the themes. Transitions are shorter than in the exposition because there is no

need to modulate. A coda may be present, and it is similar to, but longer than, the codetta from the

exposition.

Sonata form originally developed through rounded binary form, in which exposition was part 1

and the development-recapitulation was part 2. Sonata form evolved from rounded binary slowly,

culminating in the mid-eighteenth century. The form was perfected and widely accepted in the

classical period.