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Lesson Eight
ABA Composition
Music in Different Forms
 In Lesson four you looked at a piece by Beethoven which
was written using the form aa’ba’. Music can be written in
different forms. On the next slide you will hear and see a
folk song of the Inuit peoples.
 Answer the following questions
 How many phrases are there in the piece?
 How many measures are in each phrase?
 Are any of the phrases alike?
 What is the form of the piece?
Atakatanuva
a4
4 kkkkk k kkkkk k k k kk k k k kk kj
A- ta- ka-ta- nu - va
j
-a - day
j
-
ta
A- ta- ka-ta- nu - va
s
z
k
k
kkk k j
a
Hex - a - col-a mis-a - wa
-
Eh mis-a - day mis-a
doh-a - mis-a - day
j
kz kskkk k j
ta
Hex - a - col-a mis-a - wa
j
-
ta
a kkkkk k kkkkk k k k kk k k k kk kj
A- ta- ka-ta- nu - va
A- ta- ka-ta- nu - va
Eh mis-a - day mis-a
doh-a - mis-a - day
Answers:
How many phrases are there in the song?
There are three phrases.
 How many measures are in each phrase?
There are four measures in each phrase.
 Are any of the phrases alike?
The first and the last phrase are the same.
 What is the form of the piece?
The form is “aba”
Analyzing the Phrases
Notice that the first two measures of Phrase a use the
same rhythmic figure.
Phrase a
4
a 4 kkkkk k kkkkk k k k kk k k k kk kj
A- ta- ka-ta- nu - va
A- ta- ka-ta- nu - va
Eh mis-a - day mis-a
doh-a - mis-a - day
As well they have the same melodic movement. Notice that
the first five notes of each measure are the same and the last
note of each measure moves by a skip of a third.
a kk
a kk
C(D)E
D(E)F
a kkkkk k
Repeating a motif such as
different note
a kkkkk k
beginning on a
is known as a sequence.
Composers frequently use sequences in their compositions. Can
you find a sequence in Phrase b of this song?
Motif
Motif – repeated a step lower
j
-a - day
s
z
k
k
kkk k j
a
Hex - a - col-a mis-a - wa
-
j
kz kskkk k j
ta
Hex - a - col-a mis-a - wa
j
-
ta
That’s right! The motif in measure 1&2 is repeated a step
lower in measures 3&4.
Motifs – different variations
We have seen how motifs can be varied by beginning on a
higher or lower note. Motifs can also be turned upside
down. Look at the following examples:
a kkkkk k
k a kkkkk k
Notice that in the first motif the skip at the
end is an ascending skip of a third.
In the second example the skip of a
third goes down.