Sonata-Allegro Form

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The sonata-allegro form is part of the Sonata Cycle, which is the blueprint of Symphonies, String Quartets, and other works like Sonatas in the classical period. It is also called the First movement form, as it is always used as the first movement in the Sonata Cycle. The sonata-allegro form contains three components /sections: Exposition, Development, and Recapitulation.

In the Exposition, theme 1 or theme group 1 is introduced in the Tonic key. Haydn, a composer in the Classical period, was one of the unique composers who usually implemented a slow introduction before the actual introduction of theme group 1. Theme group 1 is expanded and a bridge modulates to a contrasting key, such as the Dominant or relative major /minor key. Theme 2 or theme group 2 is then presented in the contrasting key and a Codetta is used at the end of the Exposition. The Exposition is repeated.

In the Development section, themes from the Exposition is fragmented, inverted, and articulated to show the extreme possibilities of this section. The composer modulates very often until he /she thinks that it has been well developed, after which a modulation returning to the Tonic key must be written.

Finally, in the Recapitulation, theme group 1 and theme group 2 both return to the Tonic key. Theme group 1 is first presented, followed by some expansion of that theme leading to theme group 2. Theme group 2 is now in the Tonic key (as opposed to a contrasting key in the Exposition), with some expansion. A Coda (Italian word for "tail") usually appears at the end to close the first movement.

The following table is to illustrate the sonata-allegro form in a visual form:

Sonata-Allegro Form
Exposition	Development	Recapitulation
optional slow introduction 1st Theme or theme group tonic key with expansion bridge which modulates 2nd Theme or theme group contrasting key, expansion closing Codetta - cadence key of Theme 2, exposition repeated	harmonically unstable builds tension through modulations frequent modulations to foreign keys fragmentation of themes into motives, manipulated by sequence, melodic potential explored, often inverted, etc. transition returns to Tonic key	1st Theme or theme group returns Tonic key with expansion 2nd Theme or theme group returns now in Tonic key with expansion Coda - cadences in Tonic key

Table extracted from: Harting-Ware, Lynn. (2000) From Bingen to Beethoven. Toronto: Acoma Company Nambe Editions. http://www.acoma-co.com/

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