sonata form

[imbetter]

My teacher told me to compose a sonata so I can get familiar with the sonata form. I composed my first movement but can sombody please post the parts of a sonata in order?

thanks

[zheer]

Exposition, development, recapitulation.

    1st subject plus 2nd subject may appear in exposition.

[imbetter]

can you explain what they are?

[zheer]

can you explain what they are?

  briefly

  exposition contain material in the tonic and dominant key,usually ending with a repeat sighn.
  Development is the part where musical ideas from exposion may be re-shaped.
 
Recapitulation is part of the movement where tension in previous sections are resolved. 

  i hope that helped.

[counterpoint]

zheer has already explained the sonata form pretty good.

Additionally to this, I want to emphasize,  that this "sonata form" (with exposition, development and reprise) is used in most cases only for he first movement, which is often expected the most important movement of the sonata. In general, Sonatas have 3 or 4 movements. Second movement is normally a slow movement, third is Menuet or Scherzo, the last movement is a fast and brillant movement.

In reality, there are many exceptions from this "rules". Look at the sonatas of Mozart or Beethoven - they often write completely against this "given" form.

[lau]

here comes imbetter with a quote

[imbetter]

  briefly

  exposition contain material in the tonic and dominant key,usually ending with a repeat sighn.
  Development is the part where musical ideas from exposion may be re-shaped.
 
Recapitulation is part of the movement where tension in previous sections are resolved. 

  i hope that helped.

thank you that helped alot

zheer has already explained the sonata form quite well.

Additionally to this, I want to emphasize,  that this "sonata form" (with exposition, development and reprise) is used in most cases only for he first movement, which is often expected the most important movement of the sonata. In general, Sonatas have 3 or 4 movements. Second movement is normally a slow movement, third is Menuet or Scherzo, the last movement is a fast and brillant movement.

In reality, there are many exceptions from this "rules". Look at the sonatas of Mozart or Beethoven - they often write completely against this "given" form.

I knew that all ready

Let me explain how my recent sonata works:

First movement:

1. First theme-grave
Fast transition-allegro molto-quasi presto
2. Second theme-grave
3. The first and second themes intermingle with each other and 'play together'-scherzondo
4. Fugue-right hand plays the first and second theme together as 2 voices, left hand plays a theme not yet introduced.
5. repeats to the begining.
6. My sonata is in F minor, this is a nice F major section-vivace
7. recapitulation
8. A short little coda.

Do you think this is good for my first sonata or should i concider rethinking how I put this toghether

[counterpoint]

thank you that helped alot
I knew that all ready

Let me explain how my recent sonata works:

First movement:

1. First theme-grave
Fast transition-allegro molto-quasi presto
2. Second theme-grave
3. The first and second themes intermingle with each other and 'play together'-scherzondo
4. Fugue-right hand plays the first and second theme together as 2 voices, left hand plays a theme not yet introduced.
5. repeats to the begining.
6. My sonata is in F minor, this is a nice F major section-vivace
7. recapitulation
8. A short little coda.

Do you think this is good for my first sonata or should i concider rethinking how I put this toghether

It looks very complex for a 1st movement of a sonata.
The "intermingling" and  the fugato: should not be in the exposition (the part before the repetition marking) but in the development (after he repetition marking).
Did you make different tempos in the 1st movement? That's very uncommon, except, that the 1st movement could be opened with a sort of Ouverture (like Beethoven's Pathetique)

Of course you can compose the piece as you like, but if your teacher expects that you  compose a sonata, he will propably be a little surprised 

On the other side: surprises make life more interesting and funny, so why not 

[cjp_piano]

To add to what the others have said . . .

Exposition
- Theme 1 in tonic
- Bridge (transition to new key of 2nd theme)
- Theme 2 in the dominant key (if piece is minor, then this theme is in the relative major or dominant minor)

Development
- themes are developed, multiple keys, fragments of themes, etc.

Recapitulation
- Theme 1 in tonic
- Bridge (transition but not to new key)
- Theme 2 in tonic
- Coda (the "ta-da!")

[jlh]

Some people learn better with pictures, so I found one on facebook... lol

[counterpoint]

Wow, cool, excellent drawing 

But there is an error! It should look like this:

[ridr27]

I wanted to share with you a book I recently purchsed.  Used by ABRSM.


Description
This book provides a clear introduction to the musical forms and structures that have been used by composers from the 17th century onward. Dealing first with the terms phrase and cadence, it extends from simple binary and ternary forms to cover all the principal classical forms - sonata from, varied types of sonata form, rondo form, the concerto, air with variations, and so forth - with analyses of key works.

[ridr27]

Heck I copied and posted the description but failed to give the name of the book and author.

It is:

The Form of Music by William Cole

[pianogeek_cz]

Mozart and Beethoven have been mentioned to deviate from the sonata form; on the other hand, some Haydn analysis would show how the sonata form is originally intended to look.

Your sonata movement looks exciting! Be sure to post it when it's done... I'd recommend one thing, though: try doing a pure sonata-skeleton version before you incorporate things like the F major vivace section. Also, tempo changes are not very usual in a classical sonata form... But then, as has been already said, why not.

Just be sure that when you deviate from the form, you know exactly why. 

[phil13]

BORING! 

This is the 21st century, people! Don't follow the rules to the letter!

Let me explain how my recent sonata works:

First movement:

1. First theme-grave
Fast transition-allegro molto-quasi presto
2. Second theme-grave
3. The first and second themes intermingle with each other and 'play together'-scherzondo
4. Fugue-right hand plays the first and second theme together as 2 voices, left hand plays a theme not yet introduced.
5. repeats to the begining.
6. My sonata is in F minor, this is a nice F major section-vivace
7. recapitulation
8. A short little coda.

Do you think this is good for my first sonata or should i concider rethinking how I put this toghether

I think it looks pretty good. I would have to see the themes themselves to make any detailed comments. A couple of thoughts, though-

It seems as though you have no development section. Is the F major section the development?

Does the exposition end after the 2nd theme? Or does it continue until you have the repeat? You don't want to repeat the development, if that's what you intended.

Lastly, a thought about that 3rd theme- use it to dominate the coda and create a sense of unity throughout the piece.

What keys are each of the themes in? As I said before, don't limit yourself to the Classical standard. The 2nd theme doesn't have to be in the dominant (or relative major).

Phil

[pianistimo]

as mentioned above, a sonata form is laid out in three general sections:  exposition, development, and recapitulation.  the exposition and the recapitulation will each include a primary theme or theme group (P), a transition (T) that produces great energy and modulates to a secondary key, a secondary theme or theme group (S) in the new key, and a closing section (K) that may be thematic, but normally functions as an extended cadential passage.  (can you use the 'third theme' for this?)

developmental techniques can occur anywhere in the form, but they are most commonly associated with the mid-section or development area.  the development will conclude with a retransition area (RT) that will lead back to the tonic for the beginning of the recapitulation.  unlike the exposition, in the recapitulation BOTH the primary theme (P) and the secondary theme (S) are found in the tonic key.