Significance of sonata form in Western music history

insonata form

Also known as: first-movement form, sonata-allegro form

Written by Bernard Jacobson

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Also called:: first-movement form or sonata-allegro form

Related Topics:: sonata; musical form; exposition; recapitulation; musical development

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Sonata form is only one episode in a complex chronicle of styles and principles of musical organization. Seemingly infinite in its variety, the form has since 1750 been the basis for some of the greatest works of Western music. It is exemplified by the typically quick-paced first movement of most sonatas and sonata-style compositions (such as symphonies and string quartets) in the Classical period. While earlier forms prioritized a relatively smooth interface of melodic elements, sonata form emphasizes conflict instead of continuity, ultimately deriving its impact from the explosive power of tonal organization.

Bernard Jacobson The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica