Sonata Form
Sonata Form = Sonata Allegro form = First-Movement Form
Formal design mainly found in first movements of instrumental Sonatas, Trios, String Quartets,
Symphonies, Concertos, and/or one-movement Overtures in the Classical period.
The outline of the form is:
• Exposition section: thematic ideas are set forth in contrasting, closely-related keys.
• Development section: characterized by on or more of the following:
• modulation to more remote key(s)
• comparative instability of tonal center(s)
• fragmentation, sequence, imitation of thematic elements from exposition
• Recapitulation section: restatement of exposition materials–usually in the original order, possibly
with different transitions subsections, and with greater emphasis on the tonic key.
• Occasional formal expansion:
• introduction section: usually slower, anticipating a fast (Allegro) movement
• coda: follows the recapitulation
Dramatic structure of the Sonata form:
Section: Introduction Exposition Development Recapitulation Coda
Thematic
element:
Free • Principal
theme (PT)
• Transition
• Secondary
theme (ST)
• Possible
transition
• Closing theme
(CT) aka Third
theme (TT)
• Thematic
manipulation of
elements from
the exposition
• New material is
possible
• PT
• ST
• CT/TT
(and their
respective
transitions)
Free, or
recollection
of earlier
theme(s)
Key(s): Tonic or
parallel
minor,
Dominant
emphasis at
close (i.e. a
half cadence)
PT: Tonic
ST: Dominant/
related key, or
other
CT: Usually
same as ST
• Modulations
• Tonal instability
• Dominant
pedal/emphasis
at section’s end
PT: Tonic
ST: Tonic
TT: Tonic
(momentary
deviations are
possible)
Tonic
(momentary
deviations
are possible)
Drama: Exploration,
uncertainty
From stability to
“conflict”
conflict, instability Resolution,
reconciliation,
stability
• Stability
confirmed
• Unfinished
business
reconciled
Sonata Form Details
Introduction: (optional):
• Most often before the first movement (a fast first movement). Final movements occasionally have an
introduction.
• Material from introduction seldom reappears in the main body of the movement.
• The key is almost always the tonic. If the movement is in a major key, the intro. may be in the
parallel minor. The introduction may end in the dominant (a half cadence), but rarely on an authentic
cadence.
• Slow movements rarely have an introduction.
Exposition
• Largely binary, regardless of inner subdivisions
• Opening Section (or principal theme, first theme, principal group, theme A): tonic in orientation, the
rest is not. It may be a phrase group or several groups. It is seldom periodic in form, closes on a
cadence (half or authentic) or dissolves into a transition.
• Usually repeated, sometimes with first and second endings.
• Transition: a modulating/connective passage designed to prepare the arrival of a new key and/or
thematic material. It may contain thematic or neutral material (arpeggios, scales). The texture is
contrasting. Closes on the dominant key or dissolves without a transition.
• Second Theme (or second group, section, Theme B): in a contrasting key. Usually the thematic
material is also contrasting. Usually more lyrical than the first theme. Likely to show periodic
structure. Carefully prepared terminal cadence, except when followed by a closing theme.
• Closing Theme (or closing group, section): if present, it is usually in the same contrasting key as the
second theme. Material that is not related to the principal theme may appear, but if the thematic
material here is strikingly new and fairly extended (not neutral), the term third theme (TT) may be
used, in which case a closing section or codetta follows. Ends on an authentic cadence.
• Codetta (optional): a short extension that brings the entire exposition to a satisfactory close.
Different from the coda, which ends the whole movement. Usually not more than an expression of
the cadential formula (I – vi – IV – 6/4 – V – I). It may dissolve into a modulating transition to the
repeated exposition and/or the development section.
Development:
• Usually, but not necessarily, shorter than the exposition.
• Composed of several subdivisions, the first of which is short, often an outgrowth of the last part of the
codetta. Each subdivision is usually identified with one or more themes and/or techniques, and
should be distinguished with other neighboring sections.
• Material derives from PT (usually), or any of the other subsections of the exposition...which is to say
that the development takes the opportunity to rework (develop) the elements of the exposition.
• But there might be new material as well.
• Techniques employed
• Modulation to more remote key(s), fragmentation, sequence, imitation of elements from the
exposition
• Assist in achieving increased dramatic intensity and a sense of climax
• The closing portion of the development, the retransition, may be marked by an extended dominant
pedal point.
• Anticipatory fragments of the PT may be heard as a “false recapitulation”.
Recapi