Musical Form
Meet Simon Sloth! Simon will help you discover why form matters and how composers use it to organize music. Learn about AB, ABA, Rondo, and Theme and Variations through simple explanations and musical examples. This elementary music lesson helps students recognize repeating and contrasting sections in music.
What is Musical Form?
Form – The structure of music
Think about your house. It probably has some bedrooms, a kitchen, and a living room. If one of those things were missing from your house, it wouldn’t feel right. Imagine a house without a bathroom! Music is the same way. Humans like things with repetition and structure. Look at the two pictures below. Which one do you like better? Form is the structure of music.
Contrasting Sections
A section is part of music that has a chord progression, melody, and rhythm that can feel complete on its own. When those musical pieces change, a new section begins. We label sections with letters in alphabetical order.
Understanding Binary AB Form in Music
AB or binary form has two sections. “Bi” in bicycle means two wheels. Binary form has two sections: A and B.
Jingle Bells is an Example of Binary Form
A
Dashing through the snow
On a one horse open sleigh
O’er the field we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on Bobtails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight, oh!
B
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride
On a one-horse open sleigh, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride
On a one-horse open sleigh
Learning Ternary ABA Form
“Ter” means three. Think about the words Third, Tricycle, and triangle. In Ternary form, there is an A section, B section, and then the A section returns.
“Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” is an Example of Ternary Form
A
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
B
Up above the world so bright
Like a diamond in the sky
A
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
What Is Rondo Form?
Rondo form is ABACA. To remember, think that A is always returning and acts like the bread in a sandwich with B and C being the meat and cheese. The song begins with A, goes to B, then comes back to A, goes to another section we label C, and then goes back to A again. “Fur Elise” by the famous composer Beethoven is a good example of Rondo form. The part we all know is the A section. It is great on its own, but do you know there are more sections? Listen to Lang Lang play “Fur Elise” below.
Exploring Theme and Variations
In theme and variations, a single theme is repeated and varied many times. The harmony can go from major to minor. Chords may change in other ways to shift the song’s feeling. The melody can be embellished or ornamented. The tempo can also speed up or slow down.
Activity
Listen to how the famous composer Mozart changes the theme of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” Can you count how many times he changes it?
Practice Musical Form with Simon Sloth
Now, it’s your turn to practice form!
Group Activity
Pick a few students to come to the front and improvise a rhythm on a percussion instrument. Remember what you played, and then play binary, ternary, and rondo forms.
- Student 1: play A section
- Student 2: play B section
- Student 3: play C section
When you are finished, choose three more students.