Introduction

Welcome to lesson 10! This week we will be looking further into musical forms. The first form we will be examining is the rondo form. This is a very common form used in classical and contemporary music. Next, we'll learn how the theme and variations form works by analysing Beethoven's six variations of "Nel cor non più mi sento." Then we'll look at the larger form of sonata allegro form. This form was for multi-movement compositions. Finally, we'll finish up by studying what is know as the "military march" form.

The composers we talk to this week will be sharing on how they deal with our old nemesis of "writer's block."

Objectives

By the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

Coming ‘Round: The Rondo

Theodoor Rombouts—The Musicians

In lesson 1 you reviewed the most commonly used small forms in classical music: strophic (A,A1,A2 . . . ), binary (AB), rounded binary (|:A:|:BA:|), ternary (ABA), and through-composed (ABC . . . ). You learned how form can be expressed in letters. Upper case letters, such as A, are used to show a larger section that may consist of a single phrase or even a number of phrases. Lower case letters are used to show phrases within the larger sections, such as aab for a verse in the 12-bar blues.

In this topic we'll be looking more closely at the rondo form and how it's used in classical and contemporary music.

Rondo Form

The term rondo comes from the French word rondeau, meaning "coming round." British musicologist, educator, and composer Sir William Henry Hadow (1859-1937) writes of the rondeau saying—"It is still a custom in Spain for a party of singers to meet at the tavern, start with a chorus, and then pass the guitar hand to hand, while each man improvises a solo verse and the chorus comes in after every stanza and gives the next 'improvisatore' leisure to think of his rhymes."

It seems that throughout time, people like music where a section returns many times. Perhaps, this is because the returning section becomes familiar and the contrasting sections provide something new. Many cultures employ this technique through the call and response form. The rondeau and rondo are related to the call and response, although they are somewhat more complex.

The basic principle of rondo form is to return to a set "chorus" after interceding sections. To be considered a rondo, the repeating "A" section must be heard at least three times and the interceding sections must contrast with the "A" section.

The simplest classical rondo form can be described as ABACA. If there is not a "C" inserted between the "A"s the form would be a binary form or a ternary form with two major sections. Rondos may have many more interceding sections than the five-part form shown below. The seven-part rondo form, ABACABA, was used extensively.

Five-Part Rondo:

A

B

A

C

A

Seven-Part Rondo:

A

B

A

C

A

B

A

Piano Sonata No. 50 in D Major by Haydn

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was a prolific Austrian composer who is often said to be the father of the string quartet and the first great symphonist. Haydn spent most of his professional life as a composer and court musician for the wealthy music-loving Esterházy family on their remote estate in Hungary. Haydn said of the seclusion that "there was no one near to confuse me, so I was forced to become original." In his later years, released from his court duties, Haydn became a musical celebrity in England and later returned to Vienna. When Beethoven was a young aspiring composer, he was a student of Haydn and dedicated some early works to him, although he would later claim to have learned nothing from the older composer and secretly sought out stricter teachers to teach him the craft of counterpoint.

Franz Joseph Haydn

Although some rondos stand alone, in classical music, most often the form is used as one of the movements in a larger work such as a sonata, symphony, or concerto.

Let's look at the final movement from Piano Sonata No. 50 in D major by Haydn. The composition follows the five-part rondo form. The A section (bars 1- 20) is in two parts (8 and 12 bars long), each with a repeat. The rondo theme is solidly in D major. The first "episode" (B) is in the parallel minor (D minor) and is a clear contrast from the rondo theme. The first return of the rondo theme (A, bars 41-60) is an exact repetition of the original theme. The second episode (C, bars 61-93) is in the closely related key of G major. C has two repeated sections followed by a transitional section (81-93) that leads us back into the key of D major. The final A section (94-134) has the same melody as the first two A sections, but features a more active left hand accompaniment that propels the final hearing of the rondo theme to an energetic conclusion. Listen to the recording and follow along with the score.

F.J. Haydn: Sonata No. 50 in D Major, Presto:

Here's another way to look at the rondo from Sonata No. 50 in D major, Presto. Each bubble represents each section of the final movement.

Beethoven, Piano Sonata Op. 2. No. 3, 4th Movement

Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven also used the rondo form in his compositions. His Piano Sonata in C Major, Op. 2 No. 3, is dedicated to Haydn. The final movement is in a seven-part rondo form (ABACABA) and shows off Beethoven's virtuosity and sense of drama. Listen to the recording, follow the score, and mark down where the A sections of the rondo begin. Beethoven's form is not as easy to discern because he doesn't use repeats and has transitional material between sections. There is a huge difference between the the clarity of Haydn's rondo and the far-reaching expanse of Beethoven's musical world.

Beethoven, Piano Sonata Op. 2. No. 3, 4th Movement:

Listen to Beethoven, Piano Sonata Op. 2. No. 3, 4th Movement and then drag the correct label of where you hear each A section.

AudioMarkersQuiz

(missing audio)

Label	Time (mm:ss)	Tolerance (seconds)
A1	0:00	5
A2	1:08	5
A3	3:04	5
A4	4:24	5

Dave Brubeck's “Blue Rondo á la Turk”

The rondo form and concept of a returning section of music has been a favorite of both composers and audiences throughout time. It is still in use in contemporary music.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Dave Brubeck, a great jazz composer and pianist, became famous for incorporating odd meters in his music. Perhaps, his most famous composition is "Take Five," which is in 5/4 meter. He also poured his new musical ideas into both new and old forms, and like Beethoven, stretched the old forms to fit his musical ideas. His "Blue Rondo á la Turk" blends the rondo form with jazz and the shifting odd meters of Turkish folk music. The infectious 2+2+2+3 pattern followed by a 3+3+3, generates great excitement and drive. Some of the episodes in Brubeck's rondo form are open for improvisation. However, the listener can still easily hear when the main rondo theme returns.

Brubeck, "Blue Rondo á la Turk":

After listening and following the score, try to label each section of Brubeck's "Blue Rondo á la Turk."

AudioMarkersQuiz

(missing audio)

Label	Time (mm:ss)	Tolerance (seconds)
A	0:00	5
B	1:18	5
A2	1:56	5
C	4:18	5
A3	5:40	5
B2	6:04	5

John Williams' “Raider’s March"

John Williams

The formal power of the rondo form has also been harnessed by film and musical theater composers. John Williams utilized the form in his "Raider's March," from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Although he uses the form loosely, the structure of this piece is: |:A:|:B:|:A:|:C:|:A:| with a brief introduction, coda, and a few transitions between the major sections. It is essentially a five-part rondo. Listen how the return of the main theme balances the composition and creates a satisfying whole.

The rondo form has a rich history, and as you have heard, remains a favorite form of both composers and audiences. It is another wonderful form to have in your compositional toolkit.

Workshop: Rondo Form Matching Quiz

Theme and Variations: T and V Form

We see infinite variation in nature: leaves, snowflakes, faces—endless variation on basic archetypes. Each of the images above could be described as a variation on the same basic theme, that of a horse's head in profile. The figures range from figurative to abstract, but still convey the same basic emblem. They could be considered collectively as variations on a theme!

The idea of variation is key to all art. In music, an art form dependent on repetition, variation is a key element for generating and maintaining the listener's interest. While the technique of variation manifests itself in many different ways in music, this topic will deal with a specific kind of formal organization used frequently by musicians called theme and variations form. While there are many variants in every conceivable style, the basic idea is to create melodic variations on the harmonic progression of a given tune called the theme. The theme is generally between eight and 32 bars in length. The melody may pass from the high register to the low register or act as a cantus firmus for contrapuntal variation. The number of voices and the accompaniment pattern may change. The variations may change meter or mode (major to parallel minor or vice versa). There may also be slight variations in the harmony, embellishing chords or functional substitutions, but the essential functional harmonic progression will remain intact from variation to variation and will serve as the unifying element. The theme and variations form has been used by composers for centuries in every historical style from the Renaissance to the present day. Most jazz performances are in fact in theme and variations in format.

In this topic we'll take a look at a very popular set of variations in the classical style to see what makes it tick. You'll have a chance this week to try your hand at your own set of variations, so pay close attention to this model and to that of the model composition for the homework assignment.

Beethoven's Six Variations of “Nel cor non più mi sento”

Let's examine a set of six variations on a theme by the Italian opera composer, Giovanni Paisiello (1740-1816).

Giovanni Paisiello (1740-1816)

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Paisiello was a composer active in the opera theaters of Naples in the Italian peninsula. In 1790 he premiered his opera La Molinara. The aria or song "Nel cor non più mi sento" from La Molinara was a "hit" in its day. It has achieved enduring fame through the set of piano variations that we will explore. These variations on Paisiello's "Nel cor non più mi sento" were composed by the "original gangsta" of classical music himself, Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827).

Alfred Brendel. "Nel cor non più mi sento," from Beethoven: Variations And Vignettes For Piano. (VOX/2006).

Generations of pianists have enjoyed learning these pieces for more than 200 years now. They are a wonderful example of the T and V form. So let's dig down and look at how Beethoven transformed Paisiello's tune over six variations.

SimpleSlideshow

First let's examine the theme. (missing audio) The theme is 20 bars long. The first phrase is four bars ending in a half cadence. The second phrase is also four bars in length but ends in a perfect authentic cadence. The third phrase is six bars long ending in a tonicized half cadence. A two-bar extension (bars 15-16) prolongs the dominant. The final phrase (bars 17-20) is an exact repetition of the second phrase. As far as the harmonic progression goes, the material is rather simple and straight-forward. Diatonic chords I, V, and II- —sometimes in root position, sometimes inverted. In the third phrase, the V7/II- and V7/V introduce their respective targets. The melody is almost entirely made up of chord tones, with the occasional passing tone, neighbor tone, or appoggiatura. This is a simple tune crying out for embellishment. The accompaniment pattern is a repeated pattern almost exclusively in the same direction—low to high. Let's see how Beethoven chooses to create variations on this theme. Please note that we have analyzed only the first four bars of each variation, enough to understand the basic technique that Beethoven utilizes. In the workshop you'll have the opportunity to analyze the entire set for yourself.

(missing audio) In the first variation, Beethoven elaborates the melody by making it much more rhythmically active. In the first two bars, the sixteenth note figures weave lower chromatic neighbor tones and diatonic passing tones between the chord tones of the original melody. In bars 3 and 4 the non-chord tones shift to accented positions for contrast. Notice how the melodic progression of the theme is retained in the lines (the small staff above contains the original melody—see the connection via the dashed lines). Beethoven reduces the accompaniment from the eighth note arpeggio pattern to chords on the beat. The harmony has changed, but still represents the same functions as in the theme—dominant: viiº for V7, tonic: vi6 for I, subdominant: IV for ii6, and the half cadence is embellished with a cadential I6/4. In this variation, Beethoven is consciously using the framework of the original melodic line to support his embellishments. The original harmony is modified but functionally the same. He has made the rhythm of the melody more active while making that of the accompaniment more passive.

(missing audio) In Variation 2, the melodic embellishment has moved to the functional bass line. Once again the use of non-chord tones moving at the rate of sixteenth notes creates a more elaborate impression. The treble melody still follows the contour of the original melody but with a couple of variations to fill in the implied harmony. The original harmony is largely present. The viiº/V gives a little lift to the ascending bass line at the end of bar 3. In this variation Beethoven shifts the rhythmic activity to the bass register.

(missing audio) Variation 3 consists of arpeggiations of the harmony in which the highest note of the arpeggio touches the note of the original melody. The arpeggios alternate between the treble and bass register. There is little harmonic variation from the original theme.

(missing audio) With Variation 4, Beethoven shifts to the parallel minor mode. The accompaniment is relatively sedate—chords on the beat. The melody is slightly more rhythmically active than the theme. It incorporates two beautiful suspensions (6-5 on the V7 and 9-1 on the i) and a number of poignant chromatic neighbor tones. Once again, the variation follows the contour of the original melody, and aside from the change of mode, adheres to the harmonic progression as well.

(missing audio) In Variation 5, Beethoven shifts the register upward in both parts creating a brilliant contrast to the darker mood of Variation 4. Notice that the left hand of the piano score is in the treble clef. The original melody is present in the upper note of the left hand part. The right hand plays a fast, sparkling variation. The rhythm is now nine times faster than the dotted quarter note beat. The embellishing melody is decorated with passing and neighbor tones. The rest of this line consists of chord tones that fill out the harmony implied by the left hand part.

(missing audio) In Variation 6, Beethoven employs both treble and bass melody lines to imply four voices. The quavering sixteenth notes produce the harmonic effect represented below. (missing audio) The theme is present in the topmost notes of the treble melody, embellished occasionally by lower and upper neighbor tones. The non-chord tone G in the bass (second beat of bar 1) is a tonic pedal point. This device is used extensively in the coda of this variation. The constant sixteenth-note motor rhythm gives this variation a great deal of drive, suitable for the finale of the set!

Summary of the Variations

Here's a summary of the variations:

Beethoven wrote about 20 sets of piano variations similar to those on "Nel cor non più mi sento." This guy was bright, but he also cranked out a whole lot of music to get as good as he was! So, if you want to acquire technique, compete with LvB!

Workshop: Harmonic Analysis of Six Variations on “Nel cor non più mi sento”

The Grand Design: Sonata-Allegro Form

Composers have always been attracted to forms in which their musical expression could have freedom for exploration, yet be understandable so a listener could follow the musical process and development without too much effort. In classical music, large-scale multi-movement compositions such as the symphony, concerto, string quartet, piano trio, and sonata became favored in the Classical (1750-1825) and Romantic (1825-1900) periods. Even in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries composers still use these these forms.

When Classical and Romantic period composers wrote a symphony, string quartet, piano trio, or sonata, the expectation was that it would be a multi-movement composition constructed from standard froms. We have explored the standard rondo form and the theme and variation form. Both are standard forms that were utilized in multi-movement compositions.

Early Record of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata"

From the time of Haydn, in classical music, solo instrumental pieces were called sonatas. Sonatas had either three or four movements. In a three-movement sonata, the first movement was typically a faster movement called an Allegro. The second movement was slower and more lyrical in nature. The third movement, or Finale, was also of a faster tempo. In a four-movement sonata, the added movement was either a faster Scherzo or frequently a Minuet and Trio and was placed between the slow movement and the Finale. When an instrumental composition was written for three, four, or five instruments, it was called a trio, quartet, or quintet, but the same grouping of movements still applied. The same was true of a large ensemble composition such as a symphony. When a soloist was added to the symphony orchestra, it was called a Concerto, but the same movement structure was still in place.

This mostly predictable structure gave the composer a framework within which he or she could compose and also gave the audience a predictable structure that they could follow. The same is true today when we turn on our radio and listen to popular songs. We expect to hear a verse and chorus and maybe some kind of a hook. Those basic elements are knit together and varied with prechoruses, bridges, intros, outros, and other small variations. The standard forms allow us to easily grasp the composition and know when to sing along with the chorus.

Exposition, Development, and Recapitulation

The form of the opening movement, the Allegro, of a multi-movement composition came to be known as the sonata-allegro form. You will also hear it referred to as sonata form or first movement form. The sonata-allegro form was an outgrowth and expansion of the smaller ternary and rounded binary forms. In fact, the form structure of sonata-allegro closely resembles the rounded binary form of |:A:|BA| and ternary form of ABA. However, there are some significant differences.

Exposition

In a sonata-allegro form, the first section (A) is referred to as the exposition where the composer introduces (exposes) the main themes of the movement. The exposition usually has two themes, the primary theme in the tonic key, and the second contrasting theme in a different key, often in the dominant key when the tonic key is major and relative major in a minor key composition. The primary theme is typically quite memorable and of a clearly defined character so that when it returns or is later developed it is easily recognizable. The primary theme is followed by a transition that leads to a contrasting secondary theme or themes. The secondary theme is also usually of a strong character so it can be recognized when it is later developed. In many cases, especially in early classical period compositions, the exposition is repeated.

Development

The second large section of a sonata-allegro form is called the development. As the name implies, the two main themes and their inner motifs are developed and varied. An analogy to the sonata-allegro development is a story in which the characters and circumstances have been introduced and are subsequently put through a series of situations. Similarly, the composer develops the ideas through many methods. Some of those methods are:

The development is of no set length or form. It is up to the composer to decide how long this section should be. In earlier sonata-allegro forms the length of the development was roughly one-third of the composition.

Recapitulation

Once the composer decides that the materials have been developed adequately, the music moves to the third section of the sonata-allegro form, the recapitulation, in which the themes from the exposition return. The primary difference between the exposition and the recapitulation is that the recapitulation remains in the tonic key. Therefore, the second theme is now heard in the tonic key rather than in the dominant or some other key. This solidifies the primary key of the movement.

As in almost any composition, the final formal section may be followed by a coda. In earlier sonatas, the ending or coda merely emphasized the tonic key and closed the movement off with emphasis. In later sonatas, such as those of Beethoven, the coda became a longer epilogue, and especially in symphonies, a longer summing up of the musical materials of the composition.

Breval’s "Cello Sonata in C Major"

Jean Baptiste Breval

Jean Baptiste Breval (1753-1823) was a French cellist and composer. A virtuoso performer, he wrote many pieces for the cello and premiered most of them himself. His life and music fall solidly within the Classical period (1750-1825) of Western music. His compositional style is clear and imaginative within the framework of the period.

Let's explore the sonata-allegro form by analyzing the first movement of Breval's Cello Sonata in C major.

Breval Cello Sonata in C major, First Movement in Sonata-Allegro Form:

"Cello Sonata in C Major" Analysis

Let's look more closely at Breval's Cello Sonata in C major, First Movement:

SimpleSlideshow

The first movement (Allegro) of the sonata begins with a short two-bar introduction that clearly states the key through a I-V-I cadence. Introduction: (missing audio) After the short introduction, the first theme of the sonata is introduced in bar three and is eight bars long. The theme has two parts. The first part (bars 3-6) begins with half notes and is lyrical in nature. The second (bars 6-10), has more motion and is rhythmically similar to bar three of the first part. The theme has a pleasing 4+4 bar symmetry. Theme I: (missing audio)

The second theme group begins in bar 11 with a transition into the dominant key (G major). The transition begins with the same half-note rhythm as did the first theme. It quickly modulates to G major by adding an F and sounding a I-V-I cadence in the dominant key. The second theme begins in bar 15 and its two quarter notes followed by four eighths contrasts with the first theme. Transition and Second Theme: (missing audio) After the second theme is stated, Breval stretches out the second theme group, restates and emphasizes some of the earlier materials through rhythmic and harmonic development. Some theorists call the ending section of an exposition section a codetta, or small coda, since it acts as an addition to the statement of the primary themes. Breval's codetta is fairly lengthy, allowing for some cello gymnastics. The exposition ends solidly in the dominant with a I-V-I cadence.

The development begins in bar 40 with a variation of the exposition's transition to the second theme. In this exposition, Breval chooses to primarily develop the second theme. Notice his use of sequence. Development: (missing audio)

As the development progresses, the music moves away from the dominant and modulates to A minor, the relative minor of C. At the close of the development there is a transition back to C major. A Minor in the Development and Transition Back to C Major: (missing audio)

The recapitulation begins in bar 68 with the exact same material as the first eight bars of the first theme. The listener can easily recognize the return of the principal theme. Recapitulation: (missing audio)

Instead of the music modulating to the dominant for the second theme, the transition remains in the tonic and the second theme in bar 83 is also remains in the tonic key. Transition and Second Theme in the Tonic: (missing audio)

After the two themes have been presented in the tonic key, there are a few triplet cello flourishes before the movement ends with an emphatic V-I cadence with triple stops in the cello. Ending Flourishes: (missing audio)

The Breval sonata's first movement does not have a coda, but as the sonata form developed, composers like Beethoven added sometimes lengthy codas to their sonata-allegro forms. As in other forms, the addition of an introduction and a coda are extraneous, and do not affect how we analyze a form.

Sonata-Allegro Form Summary

The sonata-allegro form is a widely-used form that is still in use by contemporary composers. In 1917, a young Sergei Prokofiev wrote his first symphony while still a student at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. He purposefully wrote it in the style of Haydn, but using more modern harmonies. It remains a staple of symphony orchestras and has been nicknamed the "Classical Symphony."

Sergei Prokofiev

Listen to the first movement of Prokofiev's "Classical Symphony" and hear how he uses the classical sonata-allegro form to create a more modern musical statement.

Click on each section to learn more.

Workshop: Beethoven's "Piano Sonata, Op. 31, No. 3" Form Analysis

Exposition					Development	Recapitulation	Coda
	First Theme	Transition	Second Theme	Codetta

Workshop: Sonata-Allegro Form

Now let's see if you can listen to and then label the starting point of each section of this piece in sonata-allegro form. Press play and listen to the piece and then drag each labeled section to the beginning of each section on the wave form.

AudioMarkersQuiz

(missing audio)

label	time (mm:ss)	tolerance (seconds: default = 5)
Development	4:07	5
Short Coda	8:03	5
Exposition	0:00	5
Recapitulation	5:27	5
Repeat of Exposition	2:05	5

Old Bottles, New Wine: More Common Musical Forms

Old Bottles, New Wine

Boxes create expectations! Nothing creates speculation like a wrapped gift box on a holiday or a birthday. What could be inside?

The tradition of the gift in a wrapped box is not unlike presenting musical material in familiar forms. The expectation created by this ritual helps to focus the experience more effectively. In our day-to-day existence, we generally consider the object first and then find a box to fit it. But as composers, we need to reverse that thinking. We can find the box or form first and then choose the material to fit the form. The expectations created for the listener by familiar forms help to direct and give shape to the content of our musical ideas. In past lessons we have already dealt with a number of common musical forms. In this topic we will explore two more important forms: the multisectional military march form AABBCCDD and the ABAC song form.

The Military March Form

John Philip Sousa (1854-1932) was a famous bandleader and composer. He was a major figure in American music during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

In the Western world, Europe, and the US and their colonies, the military brass band was the ensemble that made most of the public music during the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early decades of the twentieth centuries. The military band march is a common form worthy of exploration. It is also historically important for its influence on ragtime, early jazz styles, and popular song forms. The basic form of the military march is AA BB CC DD—four thematically distinct sections of music, each repeated. Each section is generally 8, 16, or 32 measures long. The A section is in the tonic key. The contrasting but related B section is also in the tonic. Section C, often referred to as the trio, is generally in the key of the subdominant. The D section is complementary/contrasting material to C and also in the key of the subdominant. A prime example of this AA BB CC DD form is John Philip Sousa's march, "Semper Fidelis."

Sousa: "Semper Fidelis" First Eight Measures of A Section:

Sousa: "Semper Fidelis" First Eight Measures of B Section:

Sousa: "Semper Fidelis" First Eight Measures of C Section:

Sousa: "Semper Fidelis" First Eight Measures of D Section:

The following is a chart of the overall form of Sousa's march "Semper Fidelis":

Introduction—8 measures
A section—16 measures
A section—16 measures
B section—16 measures
B section—16 measures
C section—16 measures
C section—16 measures
D section—16 measures
D section—16 measures

Please note: in the attached piano reduction of the march, the C section is not framed with repeats. In performance it is repeated.

While the generic form of the military march is AA BB CC DD, there is a fair amount of subtle variation from composer to composer and from composition to composition. A few variations: the entire form may be preceded by a brief introduction of two to 16 measures in length. At the end of the trio (CC DD) there may be a repeat from the beginning to the end of the B section for an overall performance form of AA BB CC DD AA BB. The repeats were apparently an asset during a long formal parade!

Sousa’s “Liberty Bell”

Monty Python's Flying Circus

In Sousa's "Liberty Bell," the familiar credit music of Monty Python's Flying Circus, the composer varies the form by inserting a short interlude after the first statement of the C section. He then repeats C, but with more intense orchestration.

Julius Fučík's “Entrance of the Gladiators"

Julius Fučík

Czech composer Julius Fučík (1872-1916) uses this approach in his famous march "Entrance of the Gladiators." These interludes between C sections often employ highly chromatic harmony. This gives them an unstable character not unlike the development section of a sonata form, the return to C serving as the recapitulation.

Scott Joplin's “Maple Leaf Rag”

The African-American composer Scott Joplin (1867-1917) gave new vitality to the march form with the syncopated rhythms of his ragtime compositions.

Composer/pianist, Scott Joplin (1867-1917) is a major figure in American music. His ragtime compositions endure and have also had enormous influence on jazz.

Joplin modified the military march form slightly by repeating the A section in the middle of the form. The resulting sections are AA BB A CC DD.  Joplin's compositions were adopted by early jazz musicians such Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton who popularized the march form in arrangements that incorporated jazz improvisation.

"Maple Leaf Rag"

Listen to the "Maple Leaf Rag" featured in the 1973 film The Sting as an example of Joplin's approach to the form.

"The Entertainer"

"The Entertainer" employs essentially the same organizational scheme but inserts a short four-measure introduction before the A and the D sections.

ABAC Song Form

We've considered a number of different song forms up to this point. In the standard repertoire next to the AABA 32-bar form, the ABAC is the next most important. Each consists of four eight-measure sections. But the ABAC form differs considerably in its effect because it lacks a strongly contrasting bridge section in the third phrase. This is because of the hyper-metrical emphasis that the form imparts to each phrase. We learned in earlier lessons that the stress pattern of the meter at both the metrical and super metrical level can effect our perception of harmony. In a 32-bar form with four eight-measure sections, the hierarchy of metrical stress is still influential at the level of the phrase.

As listeners, we perceive the first phrase as strongest, the second phrase as weak, the third phrase as strong, and the fourth phrase as weakest. This has an effect on memory and perception. In an AABA song form, the contrasting material is heard in the third phrase that rivals the first phrase in strength. In an ABAC form the contrasting material is heard in the weaker second and fourth phrases. The B and C phrases start the same, but then vary significantly as the phrase continues. In general, there is less repetition in a song in ABAC form than in one that is in the AABA form. The balance of repetition and variety can be said to be quite different in the ABAC form.

"My Romance"

Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's "My Romance" is typical of songs in the ABAC form. Let's investigate each section of its form.

(missing audio)

SimpleSlideshow

In the A section we see two, four-measure phrases identical in contour and rhythm. Each begins on a different pitch and each is harmonized differently, although both are sounding tonic family harmonies; phrase one: Imaj and phrase two: VI-. They both end in complete jazz cadences, with a secondary dominant acting as a harmonic pickup to the next phrase.

The B section develops the dotted half note/quarter note rhythmic motive of the A section, first with wide intervals in contrast to the stepwise motion of the melody of the A section and then in a descending stepwise melodic progression DO-TI-LA-SOL that brings us to the end of the phrase. Harmonically, the section is characterized by its emphasis on subdominant to tonic motion (Fmaj7, B7, Cmaj7) in the first phrase and then in the second a strong cycle five progression (F-7, B7, E-7, A7, D7) ending in a jazz half cadence (D-7, G7). This prepares us to hear the repeat of the A section.

The second ending of the repeat of A takes us to the C section, which once again starts on the subdominant, but there its resemblance to B ends.

The C section in its first four-measure phrase resembles the melody of the A section, but this time the melody is cast in subdominant harmony (IV and II-) moving to tonic (VI-). The melody reaches its peak with the note E at the top of the treble staff. The E is cast as T11 against an unstable VII-75 chord for drama and is then repeated four more times against secondary (E7) and diatonic (C/G and D-7) harmonies. The phrase comes to a close in a full jazz cadence, the melody finally arriving on DO, accompanied by the I chord. As you listen to the piece, notice the expectation that is created by the regular phrase structure and repetition of certain melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic elements. Generally speaking, the climactic moment in a song in the ABAC form is in the first four-measure phrase of the C section.

“Green Dolphin Street”

Here is a lead sheet for Bonislaw Kaper and Ned Washington's song, "Green Dolphin Street," featured in a 1947 film of the same name, starring actress Lana Turner.

Listen to the first part of Miles Davis' version of "Green Dolphin Street":

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How would you describe its form? What traits does this song share with "My Romance?" How does it differ?

"Green Dolphin Street" is in ABAC form, the same form as "My Romance." The A section of each tune is quite different in contour as well as harmony. "Green Dophin Street" has an angular melodic contour that reflects the triads in its chord progression. It relies a lot on modal interchange in a descending chromatic chord progression Imaj, IIImaj7, V/V, IImaj7, Imaj. "My Romance" has a gently sloping melodic contour and features mostly diatonic or secondary dominant harmony in its chord progression. Both tunes have a contrasting progression in the B section, "My Romance" goes to the subdominant (IV, VII7, Imaj), "Green Dolphin Street" modulates up a minor third to E major before returning to the parent tonic. Both tunes reach their melodic high point in the C section accompanied by the harmony VII-75, V7/VI, VI-.

Summary

Many familiar songs share the ABAC form: Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini's "The Days of Wine and Roses" and "Moon River," Nancy Hamilton and Morgan Lewis' "How High the Moon" and "Here's That Rainy Day" by Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen, just to name a few. Proof that beautiful things often come wrapped the same way!

Summary

Workshop: “Colonel Bogey March” Form Analysis

Chart the form of Kenneth Alford's "Colonel Bogey March." The song was featured in the 1957 Academy Award-winning film, The Bridge Over the River Kwai. Follow the PDF piano reduction as you listen to the audio.

Please note that the audio file does not follow the form in the score exactly: it has been rearranged for the purposes of the recording.

Slideshow

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Download the "Colonel Bogey March" score (PDF)

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Reveal Workshop Answers

The following is a chart of the overall form of Alford's "Colonel Bogey March": |------------------------------------Introduction—4 measures--------------------------------| |------------------------------------A Section—16 measures----------------------------------| |------------------------------------A section—16 measures-----------------------------------| |------------------------------------B section—16 Measures-----------------------------------| |------------------------------------B Section—16 measures-----------------------------------| |------------------------------------A Section—16 measures----------------------------------| |------------------------------------A Section—16 measures----------------------------------| |------------------------------------C Section—16 measures-----------------------------------| |------------------------------------D section—16 Measures-----------------------------------| |------------------------------------C section—16 Measures-----------------------------------| |------------------------------------D Section—16 Measures-----------------------------------| |---------------------------------------Intro—4 measures--------------------------------------| |------------------------------------A Section—16 measures----------------------------------| |------------------------------------A Section—16 measures----------------------------------| |------------------------------------B Section—16 measures----------------------------------| |------------------------------------B Section—16 measures----------------------------------|

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Does it meet your expectation of the standard AABBCCDD march form? If not, how does it differ? How does it compare to the Joplin and Sousa pieces in terms of form?

It has a shorter four-bar introduction The B section is in the relative minor of the key of the A section The A section is repeated twice after the B section, rather than once as it is in the Joplin The form of the trio is CD CD, rather than CC DD. The D section is actually a modified C that starts with the same antecedent but has a different consequent phrase There is a Da Capo al fine which adds another 68 measures to the form

Composers on Composing: Writer's Block

In lesson 10, two composers and one writer share their thoughts. This week, Tatiana Holway, a writer of books, screenplays, magazine articles, and history, joins the composers to answer:

Do you ever get "writer's block"? If you do, how do you get through it?

Composers (and writers) interviewed in week 10:

Bonnie Hayes—Singer, songwriter, producer
Michael Sweet—Video game music composer
Tatiana Holway—Author and historian

Recap

In this lesson you learned how:

In lesson 11, we will learn new techniques using the minor key in your compositions.