Key Words: Rhythm and Metre
Area of Study 05:Structure and FormAQA GCSE Music
Areas of StudyAoS 01: Rhythm and MetreAoS 02: Harmony and
TonalityA0S 03: Texture and MelodyAoS 04: Dynamics and TimbreAoS
05: Structure and FormWhat is Structure and Form?The way musical
ideas are arranged and ordered in a composition
Needs to have the right balance of repetition and
contrastBinaryTwo sections of roughly equal length First section
(A) is then answered by the second section (B) Each section is
usually repeated There is usually a modulation (Key Change) in
Section A which is continued into Section B, where there is another
modulation changing the key signature back to the beginning one.
ABEach Section Usually Repeats
Mozarts Piano Sonata No. 6 (K.284 III)
Track 01TernaryBuilt up in three sections: A, B, A Section B
contains a contrast in some way to Section A The repeat of Section
A can be exactly the same as the first time or it may have added
detail to make it more interesting A1BA2
Schubert Piano Sonata No. 13 in A major, D. 664 (Op. 120) ITrack
02
Ternary Example 02Twinkle, Twinkle Little StarTrack
03Arch-ShapeThis form is completely symmetricalThe plan of the
music resembles an arch; A, B, C, B, A
ABCBAABCBABartk The 4th and 5th string quartets by Bartk are
examples of Arch-Shape being used.Rondo FormA main theme (A) keeps
on returning between contrasting sections A, B, A, C, A, D, A and
so on The contrasting sections are called episodes (B,C,D
etc.)Remember the Main Section (A) may change slightly each time
e.g. may be made shorter A1(Main Theme)
B1(First Episode)
A2(Repeat of Main Theme)
C(Second episode)
A3(Repeat of Main Theme)
D(Third Episode)
A4(Repeat of Main Theme)
Typical Exam Questions (Structure and Form)A1 A2 A1 A2A1 A2 B
A2A1 A2 A3 BA1 A2 B CExample 01Example 02Example 03A A B B AA A B A
AA B A C AA B C A A
A A B BA A B AA A B CA B A B
Track 04Track 05Track 06Example 01 Track 07Example 02 Track
08Example 03 Track 0911Theme and VariationsInvolves starting a
piece with a main theme which is then repeated several times, but
changing or varying each time May be changed in;Tempo
RhythmTonality (e.g. major to minor)Ornaments/ Adding extra
notesExcerpt on next slideTheme and VariationsListen to this piece
by Mozart.You should recognise the main theme at the start (Twinkle
Twinkle).At 34 Seconds, it moves to the 1st variationAt 1min
03secs, it moves to the 2nd variationListen to (and look if you
can) the main and the variations. There are a lot of extra notes
added, decoration of notesanything else?Video 01 - Theme and
Variation - Mozart/ 12 Variations "Ah, vous dirai-je, maman" KV 265
(Clara Haskil)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO-ecxHEPqIGround
BassA melody in the bass (the lowest part) that is repeated
throughout the musicHarmony and Melody may keep changing above the
ground bassThis is a characteristic common of the Baroque
Period
Ground Bass ExamplesGround Bass in Classical Music
(Baroque);Used in Baroque music, enabled the composer to achieve
unity (togetherness) in the musicThe music shows the same bass
part/melody being repeated throughout.
Pachelbels Canon in DTrack 08PedalA sustained (held) or repeated
note, usually in the bass. The harmony on top of a pedal note must
change while the pedal note stays the same or it is not a pedal
note.It may be a Tonic pedal or a Dominant pedal note.
Call and ResponseA musical phrase is sung by one person or
musician and is followed by a responding phrase by one person or a
group of musicians. Common in traditional African Music and
African-American music like Gospel Think Oh Happy DayUsed in Blues
and Jazz too, often found in musical phrases between Vocals and an
instrument.
Track 07Oh Happy DayThis is a typical example of Call and
Response.Listen to the interaction between the soloist and the
group.Sung by an African-American Gospel Group.Minuet and Trio
FormThe Minuet is a dance from 17th/ 18th centuries in 3/4 time, at
moderate tempoOften performed in the Royal CourtsThe Trio is a
thinner textured section, often made up of just three
instrumentsABContrasting tune, key and textureCDRepeat of minuet,
but without internal repeatsABA1BA2Minuet 1TrioMinuet 1Strophic,
Through Composed, Da Capo AriaAll forms used in vocal
music;StrophicWhen the same tune is repeated throughout for each
verse. Think hymn tunes or Adeles Make you feel my love
Through-ComposedOpposite of Strophic. When new music occurs for
each verse, changing to reflect different moods or situations
described in the lyricsAria A solo singer sings a melody with
orchestral accompaniment. Found frequently through operas.Cyclic
FormConstant repetition of a fixed number of beats or melodic
patternDuring each cycle these patterns can be repeated and
developed through;improvisationchanges in texturedynamicsCommon
in;African Drumming music, Indian Classical Music (Think of the
Tabla), and Asian Gamelan music World Music
Popular Song Forms Popular songs are made up of main sections
called; Verse All verses in popular music are usually the same,
repetition of melodies etc. but there may be a change in terms of
more instruments, different words etc.Chorus Repeated as the main,
catchy idea of the song, and is usually repeated throughout with
little changeBridgeSome may also involve;IntroOutroFills Common to
use drums or guitar to connect sectionsMiddle 8s 8 Bars in the
middle of the song that is sometimes a contrast to the rest of the
song.
Popular Song Form12 Bar Blues12 Bar song structure used in Blues
and other music such as Rock n Roll, Swing, Jazz etc.Based on 3
Chords throughout the whole songThe 12 bars are repeated throughout
the song.CHORD ICHORD ICHORD ICHORD ICHORD IVCHORD IVCHORD ICHORD
ICHORD VCHORD IVCHORD ICHORD ISonata FormLarge scale musical form
in 3 parts:
Exposition: Characters are introduced
Development: Develops ideas such as melody & rhythm. Its
dramatic, usually with many key changes
Recapitulation: Brings back musical ideas from exposition
rounded off
Sonata Form really is a large musical form, too long to be
tested aurally through musical excerpts in the exam.but be aware of
the order and names of these 3 partsTrack 01 - Binary Form (Mozart
Piano Sonata K284 III)Benjamin WhiteBenjamin White's
Album201359061.773eng - iTunNORM 000002C8 000003B2 000022BD
000037A9 000026E0 0000331F 00006626 00007EBA 00003305 00003305eng -
iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008C4 000000000027B3AC 00000000
00158D8E 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000Track
04 - Ternary FormBenjamin WhiteBenjamin White's
Album201346053.47eng - iTunNORM 000002B3 000003AF 0000246C 000047F6
0000156D 0000A0D0 0000770B 00007EEE 00001553 00009F63eng - iTunSMPB
00000000 00000210 00000738 00000000001EF438 00000000 0010C9F6
00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000Track 05 -
Ternary Form Benjamin WhiteBenjamin White's Album201352844.953eng -
iTunNORM 00000262 00000285 00003252 00004CE9 0000867D 00008697
0000626D 00007E56 0000867D 0000867Deng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210
00000A1F 0000000000238351 00000000 001346B2 00000000 00000000
00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000Track 06 - Example 01Benjamin
WhiteBenjamin White's Album201338713.44eng - iTunNORM 000002F5
000003C6 00001DC2 0000387A 00003700 00005CF5 00005CE0 00007E86
00003AFA 0000625Eeng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 00000AF0
00000000001A0000 00000000 0004B344 00000000 00000000 00000000
00000000 00000000 00000000Track 08 - Example 02Benjamin
WhiteBenjamin White's Album201386074.055eng - iTunNORM 000004EC
00000545 000028CC 0000308B 000120C6 0001290A 0000757F 00007FA7
00013D8D 00012A43eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 00000A98
000000000039DED8 00000000 000A7B44 00000000 00000000 00000000
00000000 00000000 00000000Track 09 - Example 03Benjamin
WhiteBenjamin White's Album201353053.92eng - iTunNORM 00000F6A
00000F5D 00002F6C 00002FE5 0000A829 000070A7 0000829A 000079A1
00000605 00005BD6eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000075C
000000000023AA14 00000000 0006736E 00000000 00000000 00000000
00000000 00000000 00000000Track 06 - Ground Bass (P's
Cannon)Benjamin WhiteBenjamin White's Album2013179732.17eng -
iTunNORM 00000457 000002D7 000048D1 00002A3E 000210AC 0001E28D
00007EFC 00007500 00023C3E 0001F60Aeng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210
0000078C 000000000078E664 00000000 0041BD64 00000000 00000000
00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000Sister Act 2 Sound
Tracknull186966.06
