Somewhat odd question

[RachOn]

Hey this might strike a lot of you as somewhat elementary, but what is the term for a rather short (5 minutes or so) one movement piece in 4/4? I've never actually heard any name for them (the same way we have names like Sonata for multimovement solo instrument works, concerto's for a soloist with an orchestra, waltzes for 3/4... etc)

[Motrax]

I don't know that there's a general name for smaller, one-movement pieces. Usually, the composer gives such works their own, more descriptive names so that one has a slightly better idea of what the piece will be about. For example, you could call such a piece a Prelude, a Etude (or a Study), an Impromptu, an Improvisation, a Sketch, a Piece, an Intermezzo, a Melody, a Scherzo, a Ballade (though these tend to be longer), a Rhapsody (these are usually longer, too), a Dance... and then you have lots of sub-categories of "Dance" - Mazurka, Waltz, Bouree, Gavotte, Gigue, Polinchel (sp?), and so on.

[mound]

Album Leaf perhaps?

[joell12068]

Album Leaf perhaps?

They're not necessarily in 4/4 time (e.g.  Scriabin Op45 no.1 in 3/4).

[DarkWind]

Neither are the kinds Motrax mentioned. I'd say this is too much of a general question to be answered. There's no name, maybe just "piece" and it's subcategories :p. Now, say, a symphony, that's not a piece. That's a work.

[Motrax]

I didn't notice the 4/4 time constraint. Whoops.