Sonata in the Classic Period - Assignment Example

The ical period symphony is comprised of four movements. Usually, the first movement is in written in moderate or fast tempo in sonata form. The second movement contrasts with the first in tempo, for it is in slow tempo. The third movement is written in dance rhythms, such as minuet and trio performed in moderate tempo. The last, closing movement, which can be rather in sonata form or in rondo form, are also fast 9even faster than the first movement). Sonata is one of the main forms used during the classic period.

It consists of three parts, usually with repetitions: A B A’. These parts are the exposition (A), the development (B), and the recapitulation (A’). The exposition is the main movement of sonata, which consists of such elements as a first theme, bridge (transition) with modulation, the second theme, and the closing theme (the cadence theme). The development contrasts with the exposition in tonic key, which is unstable because of modulations; also, in this movement, various themes developed, which then through the retransition return to the first key in the last movement, the recapitulation.

This movement repeats the themes of the exposition in the first key and may end with the coda (concluding section). The Classical minuet and trio form is more complex than a Baroque minuet form due to its structure. Classical period composers extended the internal form of minuets and created pieces in accordance with the following scheme: minuet A (aba with repetitions) – trio B (cdc with repetitions) – minuet A (aba) or A (aba’) – B (cdc’) – A (aba’). The rondo (rondeau) form is commonly used for closing movements.

It consists of a main theme (A) and spacers (B, C etc.) between the appearances of A. The main rondo schemes are as follows: ABACA coda; ABACABA; ABACADA and others. 2. Music period that appeals to me as a listener is the Late Baroque period. Primarily, it is so because of its complexity, which encourages to think and follow, intellectuality, accuracy (due to the tempered scales), regularity in rhythm and musical form, intensity of emotions, and ornamentation. Among the most significant genres of this period are concerto and concerto grosso, the fugue, dance suites, opera, oratorios, church cantatas etc. 3. With the aim to be able to deal with atonality and dissonance in music, Arnold Schoenberg presented his method of composing, known as the twelve-tone system, which he defined as “a method of composing with twelve tones solely in relation to one another”, meaning with no relation to the key (Kerman, and Tomlinson).

Today, this method is usually referred to as serialism. In this regard, a twelve-tone row, or series is defined as the ordered arrangement of the twelve pitches of the chromatic scale. In accordance with Schoenberg’s rules, no note should be repeated within one row. In addition to this, the row may take a range of transformations. They can be transposed, meaning the row may begin on various degrees of the scale; presented backward; inverted, meaning intervals are written upside down with the changed directions.

Work Cited Kerman, J., and G. Tomlinson. Listen. 7th. Boston, MA: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2012. Print.