Introduction Chorus. Verse. Refrain. Coda. These are terms you’re probably familiar with. Think of your favorite pop song. Can you identify its verses? How about its choruses? Its refrains?
All these terms refer to an element of music we call form. Form, in simple terms, is the way a song or piece of music is built. Musical form is the way a song or piece is put together, and how different parts, sections, and themes come together to make one whole.
In this unit, we’ll be discussing three common forms found in western classical music: the binary form, the ternary form, and the rondo. We’ll also be discussing different musical symbols that relate to form, such as the da capo symbol, the dal segno symbol, the al fine symbol, and the da capo al fine symbol. Lastly, we’ll be learning about repeat signs, as well as first and second endings.
Review
● A major scale follows the pattern W-W-H-W-W-W-H. ● A minor scale follows the pattern W-H-W-W-H-W-W. ● In music, a section is a part that expresses a complete idea but is not independent of
Lesson 1: Binary, Ternary, and Rondo Forms Learning Targets
In this lesson, you should be able to:
● define what binary form is; ● define what ternary form is; ● define what a rondo is; ● differentiate between binary, ternary, and rondo forms; ● perform songs written in different forms; and ● compose short melodies in a given form.
As you may have noticed in listening to pop music, the structure of pop songs can get very repetitive. In fact, most pop songs follow a pattern identical or similar to this: first verse, second verse, chorus, third verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, then coda. In classical music, however, form often varies from piece to piece. Still, there are some forms commonly used by different composers. Do you know what these forms are?
Let’s Warm Up!
1. Compose a simple melody in C major. Use 4 measures in simple triple meter. 2. Get a partner. 3. Combine the melodies both of you have composed, to create one longer melody. Label
the two parts melody A and melody B. 4. Designate which partner will sing melody A and which partner will sing melody B. 5. Sing the whole piece three times. 6. Once you have sung it through three times, switch roles.
Without knowing it, you have already encountered one of the most common musical forms in your warm-up. This form is called the binary form.
Binary Form
The term binary is defined as having two parts. Likewise, a piece of music written in a binary form has two distinct parts, A and B. An example of a song written in binary form is the Filipino patriotic song Ang Bayan Ko.
Try It Yourself
Listen to Ang Bayan Ko. Can you identify the two different sections?
The first part, or section A, of Ang Bayan Ko begins on the first line, and ends on “nasadlak sa dusa.” As you may have noticed, this section sounds sad. This is because it is written in a minor key.
Meanwhile, the second part, section B, begins on the line “ibon mang may layang lumipad,” and ends on “makita kang sakdal kaya.” This section is noticeably happier, or more triumphant, that the first. This is because the section is written in a major key.
Fig. 1.2 Section B of Ang Bayan Ko
In classical music, while it is not always the case, often the sections of a song in binary form are written in different keys: minor and major, or vice versa.
Ternary Form
While the binary form can be divided into two parts, the ternary form can be divided into three: A, B, and C. Often, section C is very similar to section A.
A common example of a song written in ternary form is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Try It Yourself Listen to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Can you tell which is section A, B, or C?
Section A of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is the line “Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.”
Fig. 1.3 Section A of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Section A is followed by a contrasting section, section B, on the line “up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky.” Can you hear the contrast between the two?
Fig. 1.4 Section B of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Capping off the song is section C, on the line “twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.” As you can tell, section C is very similar to section A.
This is a common characteristic of the ternary form, which is why some prefer to analyze the form as ABA, rather than ABC.
Far more complicated than the binary and ternary forms is the rondo. In a rondo, one principal theme, sometimes referred to as the “refrain,” is alternated with sections of contrasting music, often referred to as “episodes.” The most common pattern used in writing a rondo is ABACA.
It is challenging to find a contemporary song written as a rondo, mainly because the rondo is originally a large work written for an orchestra. One of the most famous rondos written for an orchestra with a featured soloist is the last movement of Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4 in E-flat major.
In this piece, the theme that is stated in the beginning and repeated in various parts of the piece is the one below:
Fig. 1.6 The theme from Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4 in E-flat Major
Have your teacher play the theme. Listen carefully! It will come up several times in the piece.
Try it Yourself
Listen to the Horn Concerto mentioned above. Every time the theme is played, sing along.
1. The term ____________________ means having two parts. 2. The ____________________ is a form that has the pattern AB. 3. The ____________________ is a form that has the pattern ABC, or sometimes, ABA. 4. The ____________________ is a form that uses the pattern ABACA. 5. The A section of a piece with the pattern ABACA is called a ____________________. 6. The B and C sections of piece with the pattern ABACA are called ____________________. 7. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is written in ____________________. 8. Ang Bayan Ko is written in ____________________. 9. The last movement of Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4 in E-flat Major is written as a
____________________. 10. Three common forms used in music are the ____________________, the
____________________, and the ___________________. Challenge Yourself!
Write B if the piece is in binary form, T if it is in ternary form, and R if it is a rondo.
Lesson 2: Musical Signs and Symbols Learning Targets
In this lesson, you should be able to:
● recognize da capo, dal segno, da capo al fine, and repeat signs visually; ● accurately execute the given symbols; and ● compose a piece using given symbols.
Have you ever sung songs that repeat certain sections over and over? Having to notate those sections would be tedious for sure. But what if, instead of notating those sections, you just had a symbol indicate which parts to repeat?
Let’s Warm Up!
1. Sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star once as a class. 2. Sing the song again, but this time repeat the line “Twinkle twinkle little star, how I
wonder what you are,” once before continuing the song. 3. Sing the song again, but this time repeat the line “up above the world so high, like a
diamond in the sky,” once before continuing the song. 4. Lastly, sing the song again, but this time repeat the final “Twinkle twinkle little star, how
I wonder what you are,” once before ending the song.
Learn about It! In music, when songs have repeated sections, there are symbols we can use that act as shortcuts so that instead of having to notate the repeated parts, we can look at those symbols to find out which parts need repeating.
Da Capo
One of these is the da capo symbol. Da capo, roughly translated from Italian, is “from the top.” Written as D.C., the da capo symbol tells you to repeat the song or piece from the very beginning.
Dal Segno
Another symbol used to indicate repeated sections is the dal segno symbol. Dal segno is Italian for “from the sign.” Written as D.S., the dal segno symbol tells you to repeat the piece starting from the sign, which looks somewhat like a combination of an S and a slash, with two dots on either side.
Al Fine
The da capo and dal segno symbols can both also be modified to indicate not just where the repeated part begins, but also where it ends. This is done by adding the words al fine at the end. Al fine, roughly translated from Italian, means “to the end.”
Da capo al fine, written as D.C. al fine, tells you to repeat from the very beginning until you reach the word “fine.”
On the other hand, dal segno al fine, written as D.S. al fine, tells you to repeat from the sign, until you reach the word “fine.”
Can you spot any of the symbols discussed beforehand? Encircle them.
Repeat Signs
Another way to indicate which sections are repeated is by using repeat signs. Repeat signs are made up of two lines, one thicker than the other, beside which are two dots stacked vertically.
Repeat signs usually come in pairs; visually, they seem similar to parentheses. When you encounter a repeat sign with dots on the left side, you repeat from the part of the music where there is a repeat sign with dots on the right side.
However, if there is only one repeat sign (with its dots on the left side), it acts like a da capo symbol; you repeat the piece from the beginning.
Practice writing repeat signs below. Make sure they come in pairs, and that the dots are on the second and third spaces.
First and Second Endings
Sometimes, some songs require repeats, but with different endings. This is where the first and second ending symbols come in. These symbols are made up of horizontal box brackets, under which are numbers.
Notice how the measure below the first ending symbol ends with a repeat sign? This tells us to repeat from the preceding repeat sign. Once you have repeated the section, however, you skip the measure underneath the first ending symbol and proceed directly to the second ending.
Try it Yourself Using a highlighter, highlight the sections that will be sung once the piece is repeated.
1. Da capo means ____________________. 2. Dal segno means ____________________. 3. Al fine means ____________________. 4. A symbol that tell you to repeat a piece from the very beginning is a __________ symbol. 5. A symbol that tells you to repeat a piece starting from the sign is a __________ symbol. 6. A symbol composed of two lines, one thicker than the other, beside which are two dots
stacked vertically, is called a ____________________. 7. A repeat sign with dots on the left, when it isn’t paired up with another repeat sign, acts
like a __________ symbol. 8. When you see D.C. al fine on a piece, you repeat from the beginning until you reach the
word __________. 9. When you see D.S. al fine on a piece, you repeat from the __________ until you reach the
word __________. 10. On the repeat after the first ending, you sing all parts except the ____________________.
Challenge Yourself! If the statement describes a da capo symbol, write C. If it describes a dal segno symbol, write S. If it describes both write SC. If it describes a repeat sign, write R. If it does not describe any of the symbols, write X.
_____ 1. It is written as D.P.
_____ 2. It can be modified with al fine.
_____ 3. It has two dots lined up horizontally.
_____ 4. It is written as D.S.
_____ 5. It tells you to repeat from the very beginning.
Activity 1: Compose a short melody that makes use of a dal segno symbol. Use a minimum of four measures in a simple quadruple meter. Use the key of G major.
Activity 2: Pair up. Combine compositions with your partner. Use first and second endings to combine the two.
Did You Know?
The term rondo has a French counterpart: rondeau. However, the two are completely different from each other. The rondo is a piece often written for orchestras and other instrumental ensembles, while the rondeau, depending on what century it was written in, was written for either vocal solo or ensemble.
At the end of this activity, the students should be able to:
● apply their knowledge of form and musical symbols in composing short pieces; ● accurately perform compositions that make use of given symbols; and ● show appreciation for musical form through active participation.
Role: You are composers of the Filipino art song, the Kundiman. You have been hired to compose a new kundiman with the original text.
Competence: You will apply the knowledge you’ve acquired regarding the form in composing a piece that fits within the parameters of what is considered a kundiman.
Procedure:
1. Write a short poem in Filipino, eight lines maximum, on the theme of love. 2. Once you are finished writing the poem, write a melody that suits what you wrote. For
what you wrote to be a Kundiman, it must meet the following criteria: a. it must begin in a minor key; b. it must end on a major scale; and c. it must be written in simple triple meter.
Additionally, your client would like to have each section of the kundiman repeated.
3. Once you finish writing your composition, get a partner and exchange compositions. 4. Perform your partner’s composition in front of the class. 5. Once all pieces have been performed, have a sharing of insights facilitated by your
1. Was it difficult writing your own text/lyrics? Why? 2. What were the challenges you faced in writing music for your poem? 3. Was it hard following the strict formal features of the kundiman? Why? 4. Did you enjoy performing your partner’s composition? What did you like about it?
Reflective Questions
1. How do you feel about the kundiman as a form? 2. What did you enjoy more: being a composer or being a performer?
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Binary Form." Encyclopædia Britannica. September 12, 2014. Accessed February 01, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/art/binary-form.
DeVoto, Mark. "Rondo." Encyclopædia Britannica. March 17, 2016. Accessed February 01, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/art/rondo.
DeVoto, Mark. "Ternary Form." Encyclopædia Britannica. August 04, 2017. Accessed February 01, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/art/ternary-form.
Ottman, Robert W. Elementary Harmony Theory and Practice & Cd. Prentice Hall Ptr, 1998.
SCHMIDT-JONES, CATHERINE. UNDERSTANDING BASIC MUSIC THEORY. S.l.: 12TH MEDIA SERVICES, 2018.
Zinn, Michael, and Robert Hogenson. Basics of Music: Opus 1. New York: Schirmer Books, 1994.
Glossary
Al fine refers to a modification of the da capo and dal segno symbols, where you must repeat until you reach the word “fine.” Binary form refers to a form that follows the pattern AB. Da capo refers to a symbol that tells you to repeat a piece from the beginning. Dal segno refers to a symbol that tells you to repeat a piece starting from the sign. Episode refers to the B and C sections of a rondo. Refrain refers to the A sections of a rondo. Repeat signs refer to signs that enclose sections that should be repeated. Rondo refers to a form that follows the pattern ABACA. Ternary form refers to a form that follows the pattern ABA or ABC.
