Elements of Music: Form Notes

1. 9/21/14
1
Elements
of
Music:
Form
Common
Musical
Forms
Pa:erns
of
Beats:
Musical
Phrases
Contrast
Repe??on
Listeners
expect
music
to
unfold
in
predictable
ways,
but
also
enjoy
the
unexpected.
Composers
use
Repe??on
and
Contrast
in
their
musical
structure.
Form
is
music’s
blueprint,
and
shows
how
musical
events
are
combined.
Elements
of
Music:
Form
Common
Musical
Forms
Musical
Phrases
Contrast
“The
Rivals”
by
James
Stephens
Repe??on
I
heard
a
bird
at
dawn
Singing
sweetly
on
a
tree,
That
the
dew
was
on
the
lawn,
And
the
wind
was
on
the
lea;
But
I
didn’t
listen
to
him,
For
he
didn’t
sing
to
me!
I
didn’t
listen
to
him,
For
he
didn’t
sing
to
me
That
the
dew
was
on
the
lawn,
And
the
wind
was
on
the
lea!
I
was
singing
at
the
?me
Just
as
preUly
as
he!
I
was
singing
all
the
?me,
Just
as
preUly
as
he,
About
the
dew
upon
the
lawn,
And
the
wind
upon
the
lea!
So
I
didn’t
listen
to
him,
As
he
sang
upon
a
tree!
Elements
of
Music:
Form
Common
Musical
Forms
Musical
Phrases
Repe??on
“Mother
to
Son”
by
Langston
Hughes
Contrast
Well,
son,
I’ll
tell
you:
Life
for
me
ain’t
been
no
crystal
stair.
It’s
had
tacks
in
it,
And
splinters,
And
boards
torn
up,
And
places
with
no
carpet
on
the
floor
–
Bare.
But
all
the
?me
I’se
been
climbin’
on,
And
reachin’
landin’s,
And
turnin’
corners,
And
some?mes
goin’
in
the
dark
where
there
ain’t
been
no
light.
So,
boy,
don’t
you
turn
back;
Don’t
you
set
down
on
the
steps
‘Cause
you
find
it
kinder
hard.
Don’t
you
fall
now
–
For
I’se
s?l
goin’,
honey,
I’se
s?ll
climbin’,
And
life
for
me
ain’t
been
no
crystal
stair.
Elements
of
Music:
Form
Common
Musical
Forms
Contrast
Repe??on
REPETITION
>
UNITY
CONTRAST
>
VARIETY
Musical
Phrases
The
smallest
unit
of
musical
Form
is
the
Phrase.
A
phrase
is
typically
about
what
one
can
sing
in
one
breath.
Composers
repeat
phrases
to
unify
their
work,
and
introduce
contras?ng
sec?ons
to
add
interest.
This
creates
completed
sec?ons
of
music,
to
be
developed
further.
THE
U.S.
CAPITOL
BUILDING
IS
A
MODEL
IN
ABA
FORM.
Elements
of
Music:
Form
Musical
Phrases
Repe??on
Form:
A
Blueprint
AB
–
simple
two
part
form
ABA
–
three
part
form
AABA
32
Bar
Song
Form
Common
Musical
Forms
Sonata
Form
-­‐
expanded
ABA
used
in
the
first
movements
of
mul?-­‐movement
works
like
symphonies
and
concertos.
It
includes
a
Statement,
Fantasia
and
Restatement
Theme
and
Varia?ons
Rondo
12
Bar
Blues
Form
Examples
Architecture
makes
a
good
comparison
to
Form
in
music.
Repe??on
and
contrast
are
used
to
unify
and
add
interest
to
structures.
Some
structures
are
built
on
familiar
shapes
or
symbols
like
the
cathedral
(upper
right).
The
Sydney
Opera
House
(lei)
is
an
architectural
“Theme
and
Varia?ons”.

2. 9/21/14
2
In
More
Depth
Form
in
Popular
Song:
Verse,
Chorus,
Intro,
Bridge,
Coda,
etc.
Assessment