I have recently been looking into form and structure more in depth and have been curious, perhaps someone here might know, as to what the most common structure in contemporary classical music is? From what I have been able to research... I do see that Sonata-Allegro form, Binary, and Ternary are all used - but none of the three prevail. Anyone have insight?
You did say "contemporary." So how did sonata-allegro and binary and ternary show up?
Anyway, here's the best "contemporary" (well, fairly recent) anecdote about structure that I know of [WARNING: this may be apocryphal]: a student of Morton Feldman's came into his office with a piece and asked Feldman something about its structure. "Structuh?" Morton said, placing sheets of the music on the floor and then walking on them, "Bridges have structuh, not music. Can you walk across the rivah on a piece of music?"
Well, sonata-allegro form was used by many, I've seen it in various 'sonati' by many contemporary composers - usually abridged (recap omitted, etc). Binary and ternary are most common - as those are merely sections (AB, ABA). Theme and Variation appear to be in common usage over anything else.
Love the anecdote
Yeah, I hope it's true, but I don't know. It is amusing, true or not!
Assuming the word "contemporary" was perhaps not intended, I would say Sonata form is the most common, and variations on that form.
I've always wanted to know a bit more about form and structure--I have been through the standard theory classes (and then some) to get a music degree, but that stuff gets quickly lost if you're not steeped in it, and no matter how much I go back to the old books or explore some newer things, my brain just doesn't retain the info. When I listen to works nowadays, I really don't hear "structure" when I listen, I just hear the music, and only when I encounter things after a few listens (or plays) that I believe weaken a piece do I start to think about what structure it is.
When I study scores, though, I do attempt to label themes, key areas and large portions, but I don't get detailed.
It seems frequently when I read about music of the 20th century, writers attempt to squeeze everything they hear into the standard forms as much as possible and make a point of saying how a piece is in a "modified Sonata form" or something to that degree, even if the relationship is very tenuous.
Sonata Form is an extended Ternary Form : A:B:A2
A: Exposition
B: Development
A2:Recapitulaion
I love music, but somehow music never like me. I tried to study notes and instruments, but never work . I really have no idea about your question, but reading other blogger post I too learned. Thanks
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