Music A-Level
sonata form
What sonata form means in Music A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definitions of sonata form
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Reference: AQA
A large-scale musical structure widely used in the Classical and Romantic periods, particularly in first movements of symphonies, sonatas and string quartets.
The structure of the aria, complete with an exposition, a brief development, and a recapitulation, with an orchestral ritornello.
Topics that use sonata form
- Area of study 1: Western classical tradition 1650–1910 (compulsory) - Musical elements (AQA A-Level)
- Area of study 1: Western classical tradition 1650–1910 (compulsory) - Strand B: The operas of Mozart (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- Orchestration and timbre
- Antecedent phrase
- Antiphonal texture
- Aria
- Articulation
- Balanced phrases
- Bass suspension
- Basso continuo
Using sonata form in the exam
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