Download Sonata form

Classical
Music
Sonata Form
Sonata Form describes the structure of a
piece of music.
It is so called because most Classical sonatas
were constructed in this form
The 1st movement of most Classical
symphonies and concertos would also be
written in sonata form.
At its most basic, a piece in sonata form
can be divided into three main sections:
Exposition
Development
Recapitulation
Exposition
This is where the main themes (subjects)
of the piece are introduced.
1st Subject
In tonic/home
key
Bridge
Modulates
2nd Subject
In a new
key
Development
This is where the composer develops, or plays
about with a small phrase or section from the
Exposition.
The music will modulate, moving through a
variety of keys.
Eventually, these modulations will return
the key to the original tonic.
Recapitulation
This is just a fancy word for ‘repeating’. The
composer repeats the main themes from the
Exposition.
However, the bridge passage is altered so
that it no longer modulates, but remains in
the home key.
The second subject also remains in the home key.
CODA
This is a short section at the end of the
movement to finish it off.
It will probably feature lots of perfect
cadences (V-I) just to make a point!