Todd, in what ways are the transition of Symphony's Exposition and the conflict of its Development different? I know their distinction structurally, but in terms of being identified by the untrained ear, they might sound similar in that they both introduce new material as well as play off of old material.
Considering that you stated in class that the position (or even existence) of the transition within the Exposition is up to the composer (since the only requisite elements are the two themes), how can we be sure that a Development is really the development and not the a transition? Aside from the length?
This is a difficult question to answer. The development is a transition, but it is a special kind of transition mainly becuase it deconstructs the melodic motives of the theme(s) of the sonata.
If you are following the form, the development comes after the repeat of the exposition. More importantly it comes after a large closing gesture such as a solid prolonged cadence.
If you have an idea of a form in your head you look for the individual elements as they come along. After the second theme (if there is one) one would be looking for some sort of a closing gesture, often coming after a "closing theme". This closing gesture would usually be a prolonged cadence followed by a brief pause.
While both development and transition have similar functions - neither is particularly a "theme" which in the classical period tends to be a melody.
2 comments:
Todd, in what ways are the transition of Symphony's Exposition and the conflict of its Development different? I know their distinction structurally, but in terms of being identified by the untrained ear, they might sound similar in that they both introduce new material as well as play off of old material.
Considering that you stated in class that the position (or even existence) of the transition within the Exposition is up to the composer (since the only requisite elements are the two themes), how can we be sure that a Development is really the development and not the a transition? Aside from the length?
This is a difficult question to answer. The development is a transition, but it is a special kind of transition mainly becuase it deconstructs the melodic motives of the theme(s) of the sonata.
If you are following the form, the development comes after the repeat of the exposition. More importantly it comes after a large closing gesture such as a solid prolonged cadence.
If you have an idea of a form in your head you look for the individual elements as they come along. After the second theme (if there is one) one would be looking for some sort of a closing gesture, often coming after a "closing theme". This closing gesture would usually be a prolonged cadence followed by a brief pause.
While both development and transition have similar functions - neither is particularly a "theme" which in the classical period tends to be a melody.
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