Musical Form (Part III)

By Merryn Brose

In the previous two articles we have been considering the main forms used by composers for individual movements. Composers from about the time of Haydn and Mozart (about 1750) combined movements to form larger more extended works such as the symphony, concerto, sonata and string quartet.

• A work written for an orchestra, we call a symphony
• A work written for one or two solo instruments, we call a sonata
• A work written for a solo instrument with an orchestra, we call a concerto
• A work written for a combination of a 1st violin, 2nd violin, viola and a cello, we call a string quartet.

These words for compositions were used before 1750, but they had different meanings. A symphony, sonata, or string quartet usually has four movements and a concerto usually has three. The emphasis is on that word 'usually' as I can think of many notable and quite famous exceptions. For example, a famous Schubert Symphony has two movements, Beethoven's 'Pastoral' Symphony has five movements as does the 'Symphonie Fantastique' of Berlioz.

To take a closer look at these movements we find:

• First Movement - usually in 'Sonata form'
• Second Movement - usually the slow quiet movement
• Third Movement Third Movement - usually a Minuet and Trio or the enlivened Scherzo and Trio. This movement is usually omitted in the concerto.
• Fourth Movement or last movement Fourth Movement or last movement - may be in sonata form, but in a concerto and sonata, it is often a rondo.

Now to give some examples of complete works, the movements are as follows:

Symphony No. 94 in G ("The Surprise") by Haydn

• First Movement: Sonata Form
• Second Movement: Theme and Variations
• Third Movement: Minuet and Trio
• Fourth Movement: Sonata Rondo

Piano Concerto in A Minor by Schumann

• First Movement: Sonata Form
• Second Movement: Ternary Form. Linked to the...
• Third Movement: Sonata Form

A free form that developed from the symphony is the symphonic poem. This is music that sets out deliberately to paint a picture, or to tell a story or depict incidents in the life of some character. This is called programme music. Liszt had a lot to do with this in the middle of the 19th century. 'Les Preludes' is a famous example of such a piece by him. Another is 'The Moldau' by Smetana. See if you can pick out these forms when you hear the works broadcast on 5MBS.

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Merryn Brose is a presenter on 5MBS.