BINARY:

The simplest musical form or plan is Binary.  As its name implies, it consists of two divisions, or sections, both normally found on the same thematic material.  It may be set out thus:

Section A:  One or more music sentences starting in tonic key and ending usually in some related key.

Section B:  Frequently longer than A.  Starts from the key in which A ended and works back to the end in tonic.        

TERNARY:

A1:  1st division, starts in tonic and ending either tonic or some other key.

B:    Episode.

A2:  A more or less exact restatement in tonic of A1, starting and ending in tonic. 

       This may or may not be followed by a Coda.

EXTENDED TERNARY:

A1:  A complete binary or ternary form initself, starting and ending in the tonic.

B:    Episode, also a complete binary or ternary.

A2:  Repetition of A1, generally exact.   CODA  optional.

SONATA:

EXPOSITION: 

1.  1st subject-group in tonic.

2.  Transition [or bridge passage] leading to -

3.  2nd subject-group in dominant, relative major or other complementary key.

4.  Codetta.

DEVELOPMENT:  

The material of the Exposition is developed in various guises.

RECAPITULATION:

1.  1st subject-group in tonic.

2.  Transition, generally modified so as to lead away from tonic and back ti it again for -

3.  2nd subject-group in tonic.

4.  CODA.

ABRIDGED SONATA FORM:

Sonata Form in which the Development section is omitted, its place being taken by a short modulatory passage or even by a single chord of the dominant 7th. 

RONDO:

A1:  Principal theme.

B:    1st episode or couplet.

A2:  Principal theme.

C:    2nd episode.

A3:  Principal theme.

// 

A1; B; A2; C; A3; D; A4; CODA.

RONDO SONATA:

EXPOSITION:

DEVELOPMENT or CENTRAL EPISODE:

RECAPITULATION:

FUGUE: 

[EXPOSITION] or ENUNCIATION:

Subject;

Real answer; or Tonal answer;

Counter Subject;

Regular countersubject;

Not regular countersubject;

Codettas;

Enunciation ends with one of -

1.  A redundant entry;

2.  A counter-exposition [partial or complete];

3.  An episode, which starts the middle section.

MIDDLE or MODULATING SECTION:

The following may be found in the middle or final sections -

1.  Stretto;

A close stretto;

Stretto Maestrale or Masterly Stretto;

2.  Augmentation of the subject;

3.  diminution of the subject;

4.  Inverse movement.

FINAL SECTION:

//

Other devices used in a fugue:

Pedal notes;

Double Fugue;

Triple Fugue;

ARCH FORM:

A1; B1; C1; D1; C2; B2; A2; [CODA].

MINUET AND TRIO:

MINUET:  A|A||B|B|| 

TRIO: C|C||D|D||

MINUET: A|B||

THE CLASSICAL SUITE:

P:  PRELUDE;

A:  ALLEMANDE;  One of the normal movements in the 18th century suite.  It is in 4/4 time, only moderately quick, but with a good deal of semiquaver movement.  It starts either with the last semiquaver, or with the last three semiquavers of a bar.  Its form is Binary.

C:  COURANTE;  The French equivalent of the Corrente.  It is somewhat slower and has more rhythmical variety in that the Cadence points it commonly turns from 3/2 to 6/4.

S:  SARABANDE;  A slow dance in simple triple time with a stress on the second beat of the bar.  A regular part of the 18th century Suite.

O:  Some Other Dance;

G:  GIGUE;  A lively dance in 6/8 or 12/8 time in Binary form.  It formed the last movement of the 18th century Suite.  In Bach's Gigues, each half is sometimes fugal, with the second half built on an inversion of the the theme of the first half.

Details to follow:

Many thanks to William Lovelock who helped me with this page.

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