Six Musical Forms and the Works that Go with them

What did you do when you woke up this morning? Did you haphazardly stumble through your morning without any thought to what might be coming next or did you plan your day? Maybe it started with a trip to the gym, then getting the kids on the bus, going to work, getting the kids to practice and later coming together for some much-needed family time. Whatever happened today or yesterday, you likely had a plan and without it, life would have been one chaotic event after another.

Every piece of music that is thoughtfully composed has a plan. All composers have different ways of writing their music but somewhere in the process, putting together a sequence of events is completed and in music, that’s called the form. You’ll learn more about the specifics of the form later but let’s look at a couple general musical forms.

Aria

If you’ve ever been to a musical or an opera, you’ve heard an aria. Arias can stand on their own or be part of a larger work but usually showcase a vocalist. One of the best known arias in the modern music theatre may be “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” from the musical, “Phantom of the Opera”.

Concerto

Think of an orchestra with a piano at the front of the stage playing a piece that was clearly written to showcase the masterful abilities of the pianist. That’s often a concerto. A concerto features a soloist or small ensemble accompanied by an orchestra. The most famous concerto may be Rachmaninov’s “Piano Concerto #2”

Oratorio

An oratorio is an extended vocal work based on a sacred text although it can also have instrumental accompaniment. This type of composition is normally associated with much older music. The most famous oratorio is Handel’s “Messiah” from which “Hallelujah Chorus” is found.

Symphony

A symphony is an extended work for orchestra although it may also include solo vocalists or choirs. Usually in three or four movements, the symphony has changed throughout history but it still remains the largest (and often longest) of all orchestral works. Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9” is one of the most famous symphonies because of its inclusion of “Ode to Joy” but classical music enthusiasts enjoy symphonies from before and after Beethoven’s time.

Song

Interestingly, the song hasn’t changed in form throughout history. It still remains a short and self-contained piece that includes a vocalists and may or may not be accompanied by instruments. Sound familiar?

Minuet

Take yourself back to 17th century France for a moment. It’s a Friday night and after a long week of work, you decide to go out and do a little dancing. You might have danced the minuet, a dance set to a ¾, 6/8 or other triple meter time signature. The music was often played by a small ensemble although minuets evolved into compositions often found in symphonies. The most famous might be “Minuet in G” by Bach.

Finally:

What we know today as modern music still has much of its roots in the music from hundreds of years ago. As you listen to the music of today, try to find similarities between these forms and the forms you hear today.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_musical_forms_by_era
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