Exposition, Development, Recapitulation
Three standard parts of sonata form
First Tonal Area
-Contains main theme, often a 2 or 3 phrase period
-Concentrates on Tonic
-Ends with a PAC or HC in home key
-Often followed by Transition, bringing about the change of key. End of transition marked by cadence.
Second Tonal Area
-Contains second (subordinate) theme
-Often also made up of 2-3 phrase period
-Concentrates on a Contrasting key (often V or III)
-Creates TONAL CONFLICT
-Almost always ends with a PAC in contrasting key
Followed by a closing section, often a codetta
Development
-Marked by greatest instability in harmony and phrase structure
-May have a lighter beginning (pre-core) before the heavier material gets under way (core)
-Usually contains multiple theme-like units, many of which are derived from the exposition
-Toward the end there is usually a retransition, emphasizing V, that prepares the recap.
Recapitulation
-Brings the exposition back in modified form and imparts balance to the form
-First and second themes may be shortened.
-Transition to the second theme is omitted, because there is no move to the dominate
-Second theme reappears and is transposed to home key.
Customary additions to sonata form
-Introduction, which may be slow for fast movements, and can also be in minor for a major key
-Coda: few harmonic digressions, serves to confirm the key of the movement.