Structure & Style: the Study and Analysis of Musical Forms

Structure & Style: the Study and Analysis of Musical Forms

Chapters 3 & 4

Wednesday, August 29, 12

Chapter 3the phrase

• phrase

- generally 4 measure length

- the shortest unit terminated by a cadence

- usually associated with other phrases

- structural basis of homophonic forms

- homophony is music with a primary melody and accompaniment parts (see S&S p. 261)

• phrase definition

- “The phrase is a unit, conventionally four measures in length, which is terminated by a cadence.” (S&S p. 22)


Chapter 3the phrase

• Ex 51 - meter and tempo have an effectwe may perceive this as:

- 8 measure phrase in 3/8



- since there is one clear cadence at the end, it is a single phrase


Chapter 3the phrase

• Ex 52 Beethoven Symphony No. 5, I

- this phrase is a single, undivided unit

- at 0’ 47” on Spotify

• Ex 53 Haydn Symphony No. 102, in B-Flat, I

- book list this as “Finale” but it is the first movement

- this phrase divides into two semi-phrases



Chapter 3the phrase

• Ex 54 Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, II. Romanza

- Stein interprets this passage as a single phrase that divides into two semi-phrases

- Stein believes there is no cadence at the mid-point

- you may disagree

- ask yourself if you hear a cadence at the mid-point?

- if you do, then this is two phrases


Chapter 3the phrase

• Ex 56 Mozart Piano Sonata in A (K. 331), I

- this example has two phrases (with two cadences)

- each phrase can be described as a sentence:a a b__ ; where the length of b = a + a


Chapter 3the phrase

groups of three or more phrases

• AMF No. 9a Mendelssohn “Spinning Song”

- group of 3 phrases (mm. 30-33, 34-37, 38-41)


• AMF No. 15 Beethoven Piano Sonata Op. 2, No. 3, IV

- group of 4 phrases (mm. 143-146, 147-150, 151-154, 155-167)

- do mm. 155-167 divide up? a single phrase?



Chapter 3the phrase

• double period consisting of four phrases

- (double period defined on p. 51)

- AMF No. 3 Chopin Prelude in A

• phrase as independent unit

- AMF No. 5 Mendelssohn “Venetian Boat Song”

- mm. 1-7 are an independent introduction

- do you think mm. 3-7 might be a phrase?

- the “a” phrase starts on the pickup to m. 8


Chapter 3the phrase

coda or codetta may involve independent phrases

• AMF 25 a Bach French Suite, “Allemande”

- codetta last 4 measures at 1’ 25” on Spotify

- listen to the entire piece to see why it sounds like a codetta


Chapter 3the phrase

independent phrase within a larger form

• AMF No. 12a Mozart Serenade III. Minute and Trio

- the “B” section of the trio is a single, independent phrase (mm. 25-28)

• AMF No. 19 Beethoven Piano Sonata Op. 31, No. 3, I

- Stein says mm. 1-8 are an independent phrase

- you may disagree, hearing mm. 1-8 connect to mm. 10-17


Chapter 3the phrase

• the phrase’s role in homophonic forms

- Stein will juxtapose homophonic forms with polyphonic forms

- homophonic forms primary melody plus a less important accompaniment

- AMF No. 19 has primary melody in soprano with acc.

- polyphonic forms have multiple equal voice parts

- AMF No. 21a has 3 equal lines (often called voices)

- AMF No. 27 Palestrina Dies sanctificatus has 4 equal voice parts


Chapter 3the phrase

• the phrase’s role in homophonic forms

- some polyphonic forms will use a clear phrase structure

- AMF 25a is polyphonic but breaks up into seven 4-bar phrases

- however most vocal polyphonic forms use sections rather than phrases and sentences


Chapter 3the phrase

• In class as a group, identify the phrases in AMF No. 5

• homework, assign groups to identify the phrases in:

- AMF No. 7a

- AMF No. 10b

- AMF No. 17a (mm. 1-24)


Chapter 4irregular phrases

• Ex 58 Dvorak Symphony No. 9, II. Largo (mm. 7-10)

- two measure phrases

- also called “From the New World”

- book labels this incorrectly as Dvorak Sym. No. 5



• Ex 59 Mozart Symphony No. 40, III. Menuetto

- two three-bar phrases

• Ex 60 Beethoven Symphony No. 9, II. Scherzo Molto vivace

- Bassoons and Oboes

- three three-bar phrases




Extensions: anticipation of melody

• Ex 67 Haydn Symphony No. 94 “Surprise”III. Menuetto

- just after the fermata in return of the A-section in the Minuet




• accompaniment pattern intro to phrase

- AMF No. 7a Schumann “Widmung”

- one measure acc. pattern introduction



extension within the phrase

• Haydn Symphony No. 94 “Surprise”III. Menuetto

- try to create a graph of A-section by ear

- in 3/4 with a two eighth-note pickup

- one of the phrases will have an irregular length; that one contains an internal extension

- 0’ 00” - 0’ 17” on Spotify



extensions at the end of the phrase

• Ex 76 AMF No. 15 Beethoven Piano Sonata Op. 2, No. 3, IV

- the extension follows the cadence in m. 22

- the material in mm. 21-22 is sequenced creating the extension mm. 23-24

- this is not a “cadential extension” since the cadence is not repeated

- here the music of the cadence is transposed (sequenced)

- m. 19 is at 0’ 18” on Spotify



cadential extension

• Ex 79 Haydn Symphony No. 94 “Surprise”IV (final cadence)

- the final V - I cadence is repeated and stretched out

- book example is at 3’ 39” on Spotify but listen from about 3’ 20”



• as a group try to find the irregular phrases in:

- AMF No. 4a (mm. 1-6)

- AMF No. 5 (mm. 30-34)

- AMF No. 7a (mm. 33-39)

- for more see S & S p. 36


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Structure & Style: the Study and Analysis of Musical Forms