18
a. in early Western church music
b. African, Native American, and African
American cultures
2. ostinato: short repeated musical pattern
a. unifying technique
b. blues, jazz, rock, and rap
D. Movement: term for a complete, in de pen dent divi–
sion of a large- scale work
OVERVIEW
Musical form refers to the way a musical piece is structured,
shaped, and or ga nized. Chapter6 focuses on the key ele ments
of music that define musical form: contrast, repetition, and
variation. The chapter also explores a few examples of musi-
cal forms that have had lasting value in music from around
the world.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. To understand form as the organ izing princi ple in
music
2. To understand that the key ele ments of form are contrast,
repetition, and variation
3. To understand and identify the basic structures of
strophic, binary, ternary, and responsorial (call- and-
response) form
4. To understand theme and motive as the melodic build-
ing blocks of musical form
5. To understand sequence and ostinato as common proce-
dures of repetition and pattern employed in music
OUTLINE
I. Structure and Design in Music
A. Form: organ izing princi ple in music
1. work’s structure or shape
2. repetition and contrast: unity and variety
3. variation: only some aspects of music altered
4. vocal forms:
a. strophic: same melody with each stanza of
text
b. through- composed: no main section repeated
5. improvisation: pieces created spontaneously in
performance
a. pre- established harmonic pattern, time frame,
melodic outline
b. balanced by structural princi ples
B. Binary and ternary form
1. binary (two- part) form: (A- B)
a. statement and departure
2. ternary (three– part) form: (A– B- A)
a. statement, departure, and return of original
statement
II. The Building Blocks of Form
A. Theme: main melodic idea used as building block
in construction of a larger work
1. motive: small fragment of a theme
B. Thematic development: expansion of a theme
1. larger forms: provides clarity, coherence, logic
2. varied melody, rhythm, or harmony
3. procedures:
a. repetition: exact or varied
b. sequence: idea restated at higher or lower pitch
C. Other formal procedures
1. call- and- response (responsorial music): singing
leader answered by chorus of followers
CHAPTERfi6 Musical Form
Musical Form | 19
first movement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Can you
hear the motive? How would you describe the way in which
Beethoven works with the motive in this movement? Indi–
cate a place in the music (using minute and second timings)
TEACHING CHALLENGES
Students may have some difficulty grasping the difference
between theme and motive. Pop music is a rich field for
exploring theme versus motive because so many classic pop
Prince: Little Red Corvette
OutKast: Hey Ya
YOUR TURN TO EXPLORE
Listen to the tracks below and parse their forms within the
appropriate binary or ternary scheme. Use the timings of the
tracks to denote the beginnings of the A and B sections.
2. Ternary: Monteverdi/Ferrari: “Pur ti miro,” from
3. Ternary: The Beatles: Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has
Flown)
Model response:
A B A
4. Johnny Cash: Cry! Cry! Cry! (to 1:02)
Model response:
LECTURE SUGGESTIONS
1. Before playing the first two phrases of Greensleeves (A-
A), ask the class to listen for how many phrases are being
necessary.) After students respond correctly with “two,”
write on the board A- A′, indicating two phrases, the sec–
ond one slightly dif fer ent from the first. Repeat this
exercise for the next two phrases of Greensleeves (B– B′)
and ask the class if you should use As or Bs to mark these
next two phrases. (The second B phrase is slightly dif–
fer ent from the first.) Ask students to explain their
2. Before playing Amer i ca, ask the class to listen for how
many phrases are being stated. (Refer back to the lec-
tures for Chapter1 if necessary.) Students should recog–
nize two phrases. If students reply “seven” (i.e., seven
two- bar phrases), ask them to think in longer phrases
(i.e., one six– bar phrase followed by one eight– bar phrase)
and play the melody again. Next, ask the class how you
should label the two phrases using As and Bs. Empha–
my fathers died, Land of the pilgrims’ pride.” As you
play the melody on the piano (or sing the melody), ask
ASSIGNMENT SUGGESTIONS
1. Identify the musical form of the following se lections—
Seeger: If I Had a Hammer
Brahms: Lullaby