38. Sonata Form
Sonata Form Diagram
Draw a diagram outlining sonata form. Use boxes to represent the different parts of the diagram and be sure to label each of the three main sections as well as their various subsections. Indicate the key plan throughout the diagram for both major and minor keys.
Composing Transitions
Each of the exercises below shows two themes from different sonatas with empty staves in between. Compose your own transitions to connect the two themes and write them in the empty spaces. Each transition should end with a cadence appropriate for a medial caesura. In the first exercise, the two themes are in different keys, as they might appear in the exposition of a sonata form. In the second exercise, the two themes are written in the same key, as they might appear in the recapitulation. Your transition in the second exercise should therefore be a recomposed version of the first. (Note: These excerpts are taken from actual compositions. Refrain from consulting the original scores as you work.)
primary theme source: Maria Hester Park, Keyboard Sonata in C major (Op. 2, No. 3), I. Allegretto
secondary theme source: Maria Hester Park, Keyboard Sonata in Eb major (Op. 2, No. 1), I. Allegretto
primary theme source: Maria Hester Park, Keyboard Sonata in C major (Op. 2, No. 3), I. Allegretto
secondary theme source: Maria Hester Park, Keyboard Sonata in Eb major (Op. 2, No. 1), I. Allegretto
Analysis
Analyze each of the sonata forms shown below. First, identify each of the cadences indicated on the score. A star is used to pinpoint the location of each cadence. Label the cadences by type (e.g., “PAC,” “IAC,” “HC”) and key (e.g., “G minor”). Additionally, indicate the relation of each cadence’s key to the home key. (For example, a PAC ending on a Bb-major chord would be in the relative major or mediant key if the starting key was G minor. This would be indicated by writing “III” in the parentheses provided, since Bb-major is the mediant of G minor.) After identifying the cadences, locate the various sections of the sonata form by writing their measure numbers in the table that follows. Finally, describe any thematic connections between the development and the material presented in the exposition.
Where do the various sections of this sonata form begin and end? Write the measure numbers on the lines provided. (If a section begins with an anacrusis, write the number of the measure in which the pickup notes appear.)
| exposition | development | recapitulation |
|---|---|---|
|
primary theme area:
mm. 1-8
transition:
mm. 9-18
medial caesura:
m. 18
secondary theme area:
mm. 19-26
closing:
mm. 26-30 |
full development:
mm. 31-70
retransition:
mm. 69-70 |
primary theme area:
mm. 71-78
transition:
mm. 79-89
medial caesura:
m. 89
secondary theme area:
mm. 90-97
closing:
mm. 97-101 |
modulation from E major to B major occurs in the transition; E: V6/5–I figure in mm. 13-14 is altered with A#s to be B: V6/5–I6 in mm. 15-16; transition ends with half cadence in B major;
mm. 31-34 (B minor) based on mm. 1-4 (E major); RH mm. 43-50 (C# minor) loosely resembles LH mm. 9-12 (E major); most of development is new;
Where do the various sections of this sonata form begin and end? Write the measure numbers on the lines provided. (If a section begins with an anacrusis, write the number of the measure in which the pickup notes appear.)
| exposition | development | recapitulation |
|---|---|---|
|
primary theme area:
mm. 1-8
transition:
mm. 9-18
medial caesura:
m. 18
secondary theme area:
mm. 19-52
closing:
mm. 52-58 |
full development:
mm. 59-104
retransition:
mm. 97-104 |
primary theme area:
mm. 105-112
transition:
mm. 113-122
medial caesura:
m. 122
secondary theme area:
mm. 123-151
closing:
mm. 151-157 |
modulation from G major to D major occurs between transition and secondary theme area; transition ends with a half cadence in G major, secondary theme area begins in D major;
dotted figure in m. 62 (D major) loosely resembles m. 12 (G major) in primary theme area; mm. 63 and 65 (D major) are based on mm. 28 and 30 (D major) from secondary theme area; cadence in m. 70 (D major) resembles cadence in m. 41 (D major) from secondary theme area; melody starting in m. 77 (E minor) loosely resembles opening melody (G major) from primary theme area;
Where do the various sections of this sonata form begin and end? Write the measure numbers on the lines provided. (If a section begins with an anacrusis, write the number of the measure in which the pickup notes appear.)
| exposition | development | recapitulation |
|---|---|---|
|
primary theme area:
mm. 1-16
transition:
mm. 16-31
medial caesura:
m. 30-31
secondary theme area:
mm. 32-47 (or mm. 32-55)
closing:
mm. 47-60 (or mm. 55-60) |
full development:
mm. 61-81
retransition:
mm. 80-81 |
primary theme area:
mm. 82-97
transition:
mm. 97-118
medial caesura:
m. 118
secondary theme area:
mm. 119-126 (or mm. 119-134)
closing:
mm. 126-139 (or mm. 134-139) |
modulation from Bb major to F major occurs in the transition; pivot chord in m. 20: Bb: I becomes F: IV leading to F: V7 in m. 21; transition ends with a half cadence in F major;
short development; mm. 61-68 (C minor and Bb major) loosely resemble primary theme area (Bb major); mm. 69-72 (Bb major) based on mm. 9-12 (Bb major);
Where do the various sections of this sonata form begin and end? Write the measure numbers on the lines provided. (If a section begins with an anacrusis, write the number of the measure in which the pickup notes appear.)
| exposition | development | recapitulation |
|---|---|---|
|
primary theme area:
mm. 1-12
transition:
mm. 13-23
medial caesura:
m. 23
secondary theme area:
mm. 24-53
closing:
mm. 53-56 |
full development:
mm. 56-93
retransition:
mm. 90-93 |
primary theme area:
mm. 93-101
transition:
mm. 101-112
medial caesura:
m. 112
secondary theme area:
mm. 113-130
closing:
mm. 130-133 |
modulation from G minor to Bb major coincides with the start of the transition; primary theme area ends with PAC in G minor in m. 12 followed by scales descending from Bb; transition begins directly in Bb major; transition ends with a half cadence in Bb major;
mm. 57-60 (Bb major) are taken from mm. 1-4 (G minor); triplets in mm. 62-65 (C minor) loosely resemble triplets in mm. 47-51 (Bb major) from secondary theme area; repeated notes and descending figures in mm. 75-82 (C minor) resemble mm. 28-33 (Bb major) from secondary theme area; dotted figures in mm. 75-82 (C minor) resemble mm. 36-41 (Bb major) from secondary theme area;
Where do the various sections of this sonata form begin and end? Write the measure numbers on the lines provided. (If a section begins with an anacrusis, write the number of the measure in which the pickup notes appear.)
| exposition | development | recapitulation |
|---|---|---|
|
primary theme area:
mm. 1-13
transition:
mm. 13-22
medial caesura:
mm. 21-22
secondary theme area:
mm. 23-48
closing:
mm. 48-55 |
full development:
mm. 56-85
retransition:
mm. 82-85 |
primary theme area:
mm. 86-93
transition:
mm. 93-111
medial caesura:
mm. 110-111
secondary theme area:
mm. 112-137
closing:
mm. 137-144 |
modulation from Eb major to Bb major occurs in the transition; following the half cadence in Eb major that ends the primary theme area in m. 13, a prolonged Bb-major harmony (Eb: V) acts as a pivot (Bb: I) when A§s are introduced starting in m. 18; transition ends with a prolonged half cadence in Bb major;
mm. 56-57 (Bb major) based on m. 1 (Eb major); mm. 64-66 (C minor) based on dotted figures throughout exposition, but most closely resemble mm. 34-36 (Bb major) from secondary theme area; mm. 75-83 (C minor) loosely resemble mm. 17-21 (Bb major) from transition;
Where do the various sections of this sonata form begin and end? Write the measure numbers on the lines provided. (If a section begins with an anacrusis, write the number of the measure in which the pickup notes appear.)
| exposition | development | recapitulation |
|---|---|---|
|
primary theme area:
mm. 1-8
transition:
mm. 9-18
medial caesura:
m. 18
secondary theme area:
mm. 19-33
closing:
mm. 33-37 |
full development:
mm. 38-73
retransition:
mm. 70-73 |
primary theme area:
mm. 73-81
transition:
mm. 82-86
medial caesura:
m. 86
secondary theme area:
mm. 87-93
closing:
mm. 93-97 |
modulation from G minor to Bb major coincides with the start of the transition; primary theme area ends with PAC in G minor in m. 8 followed by a scale descending from Bb in the second violin (harmonized a third below by the viola); transition begins directly in Bb major; transition ends with a half cadence in Bb major;
mm. 38-44 (Bb major) based on mm. 1-8 (G minor) from primary theme area; triplets in mm. 49-52 (F minor) loosely resemble mm. 19-22 (Bb major); arpeggios in mm. 65-67 (G minor) loosely resemble arpeggios in mm. 27-31 (Bb major);
