Music: An Art and a Language

(Ann) #1

so our illustrations are taken chiefly from his works and from
those of his successors. Although there need be no arbitrary
limit to the alternation of the chief part with the subsidiary
portions—in fact, Beethoven’s humorousRondo Capriccio, On
a Lost Farthinghas as many aselevensections—it gradually
became conventional for the form to consist offive parts: a first
presentation and two repetitions of the main theme together
with two contrasting portions calledEpisodes, to which a free
Coda was often added. The form would then be A, b, A ́, c,
A ́ ́, Coda—A ́ and A ́ ́ indicating that the repetition need not
beliteral, but often varied rhythmically and harmonically; not,
however, so as to obliterate the original outline. For in a well-
constructed Rondo the main theme must be one of such direct
appeal that welook forwardto hearing itagain; and the succes-
sive repetitions must be so planned that we can easily enjoy this
pleasure of reminiscence. It also became customary not to block
off the sections with rigid cadences but often to insert modula-
tory passages, thus securing a continuous flow of thought. This
practise we see particularly in Beethoven and Schumann. The
form which we are discussing is the so-called Older Rondo Form,
clearly derived from the dance described above. Beginning[78]
with Beethoven, however, we find numerous examples of a differ-
ent kind of rondo treatment which developed in connection with
the Sonata Form—to be explained later. The Rondo-Sonata
Form, as it is generally called, is in fact a hybrid type, with cer-
tain features derived from rondo structure and certain from the
pure sonata form. The Finales to Beethoven’s Sonatas, when en-
titled Rondos, are—with few exceptions—of this Rondo-Sonata
type. An excellent example, which should be well known, is
the Finale of the Sonata Pathétique. Although there are many
cases offreetreatment of the rondo principle, they are all based
on one or the other of these two fundamental types. Schumann
was extremely fond of this Older Rondo Form, as may be seen
from his frequent practice of writing two Trios to the Scherzos
of his Symphonies. A moment’s thought will make clear that a
Scherzo with two Trios and the customary repetitions will con-
form exactly to the pattern given above,i.e., A, b, A ́, c, A ́ ́
Coda,e.g., Scherzo, First Trio = First Episode, First return,
Second Trio = Second Episode, Final return and Coda—five
portions in all, or six when there is a Coda. For convincing
examples see the Scherzos of the First and Second Symphonies.
Schumann’s well-knownArabesquefor pianoforte, op. 18, is a

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