Binary & Ternary Forms
Formal Element Review
• Motive: A motive is the smallest recognizable musical idea.
o labeledwithlowercaselettersstartingattheendofthealphabet
• Phrase: a relatively independent musical idea that moves towards a cadence as its goal; a complete musical thought
o labeledwithlowercaselettersstartingatthebeginningofthealphabet
o subphrase: a musical unit smaller than a phrase but still a coherent gesture
o sentence:aparticulartypeofphraseorphrasegroupwithaninternalstructureof1+1+2
• Period: a pair of phrases that specifically work together in an antecedent-consequent relationship o Firstphrase(antecedent)willhaveaninconclusivecadence(halfcadenceorIAC) o Second phrase (consequent) will have a conclusive cadence (usually a PAC)
Formal Structures
• Formal structures are larger sections of music made up of these formal elements (phrases, periods, etc.) o typicallylabeledwithuppercaselettersstartingatthebeginningofthealphabet
• Each standard formal structures contains a specific pattern of these larger sections (with minor variations)
Factors to Consider in Formal Analysis
• Key areas: in which key a phrase or section starts and/or ends o closed vs. open sections
a closed section is self-contained
- ends in the same key in which it begins with a conclusive cadence
an open section is not self-contained
- ends in a different key or with an inconclusive cadence
- often features a half-cadence, modulation to the dominant, or modulation to the relative major
• Motivic use: similar or contrasting motivic use within phrases or sections
• Formal elements: phrases, cadences, periods, etc.
Simple Binary Form
• Two larger sections – called reprises or refrains
o each reprise is typically repeated
o secondrepriseisoftenlongerthanthefirst
o eachrepriseusuallyconsistsofseveralphrases
reprise 1 – typically two phrases (often a period)
reprise 2 – typically two sections, each potentially more than one phrase
• Common form in dance movements of Baroque suites and also used in Classical period music
Binary Harmonic Structure
• Sectional binary
o featurestwoclosedsections
reprise 1 closes with a PAC in the tonic key
reprise 2 typically continues in tonic, reaches the dominant near the middle, then closes in tonic o anthologyexample:MinuetfromtheNotebookforAnnaMagdalenaBach
• Continuous binary
o featuresanopenfirstsection;suggestscontinuationtothesecondsection
reprise 1 closes with a HC in tonic or an IAC or PAC in a closely related key
reprise 2 typically continues in the dominant or new key then returns to close in tonic o anthology examples:
Minuet from Divertimento in C Major by Haydn – dominant type Evening Song by Turk – relative major typie
Binary Phrase Structure
• Simple Binary
o featuresnorepriseoftheoriginalmaterialatthetoniclevelattheendofreprise2
typicalphraseanalysisofa-a-b-bora-b-a-c
o anthologyexample:MinuetfromtheNotebookforAnnaMagdalenaBach
• Rounded Binary
o features a return of the initial material (closing on tonic) at the end of reprise 2
typical phrase analysis of a-a-b-a, a-a-b-aa, or a-b-c-a
o first half of the second refrain is dependent on the return of initial material for closure o anthology example: Theme from Piano Sonata in D Major by Mozart
• Balanced Binary
o featuresareturnofthesecondphraseoftheAsectionatthetoniclevelasclosingmaterial
typicalphraseanalysisofa1-a2-b-a2
o bothsectionsendwiththesamematerial(incontinuousbinarythesectionswillendindifferentkeys) o anthology example: Evening Song by Turk
Simple Ternary Form
• Three closed independent sections – called reprises or refrains (as in binary)
o three reprises may be related (i.e. A-A-B, A-B-A, etc.) or unrelated (A-B-C) o most typical is A-B-A (or A ’)
both A sections are tonally closed
the B section is contrasting, tonally closed, and often in a closely related key
- also typically longer, more independent, and more harmonically stable than in rounded binary the second A section is complete and often identical to the original or minimally altered
o simple ternary is much less common than rounded binary o anthology example: Humming Song by Schumann
Compound Ternary
• A ternary design is more common as compound formal structure
• Functions as a means of creating larger forms (Minuet and Trio; Da Capo Aria)
o eachsectionistypicallyinbinaryform
o combined as minuet-trio-minuet or A-B-da capo A
o anthologyexamples:Minuet&TriofromDivertimentoinCMajorbyHaydn
Larger Formal Structures
• Sonata form is related to binary with the addition of a development section
• Rondo form is related to ternary with the incorporation of additional contrasting episodes