Exposition
Involves the establishment of opposing tonal areas.
First Tonal Area
Contains the initial thematic material of the movement.
Transition
Originated as a modulatory passage leading to the second tonal area.
Second Tonal Area
Usually the dominant or (if the principal key is minor) the relative major, represents a return to relative stability.
Monothematic
When the exposition’s second tonal area is a transposition of the first tonal area.
Close (closing area)
Serves to solidify and prolong the new tonic.
Development
Comprises several subsections defined by tonality, texture, and thematic content.
Retransition
A harmonic and sometimes melodic preparation for the recapitulation.
Recapitulation
Material from the exposition is restated, in whole or in part.
Coda
May be appended to the recapitulation. In most sonata- form movements, it can be viewed as a final prolongation of the tonic. The coda is the last event in the movement, appearing after the closing area.