The Classical Period & Sonata Form

Given the rise of the Middle class during the Classical era, which of the following are NOT reflective of how composers took their needs into account?

• Comic opera became more common

• More complex works were written

• Works had simple and playable parts

Which of the following is NOT a composer during the Classical era?

• Beethoven

• Handel

• Haydn

• Mozart

Answer explanation

Handel was a Baroque composer.

Unlike melodies in the Baroque style which tend to be constantly expanding and unfolding, melodies in the Classical style are often tuneful and have phrases that are balanced or

Modulations (i.e., key changes) in music of the Baroque and Classical styles are often between

• Closely-related keys

• Distantly-related keys

Answer explanation

Some of these closely-related keys include the relative major/minor, Subdominant, and Dominant keys.

Which of the following is NOT considered a main section in the Sonata Form?

• Coda

• Development

• Exposition

• Recapitulation

Answer explanation

Yup! 'Coda' is Italian for 'tail', which means an additional segment that can be added at the end of either the Exposition or Recapitulation.

How are the 2 main themes in the Exposition usually related?

• 2nd theme has a similar melodic idea

• 2nd theme is in a closely-related key

• 2nd theme is in the same key

• 2nd theme is of a similar character/mood

Answer explanation

2nd theme is usually in a closely-related key, like the Dominant key.

Both themes in the Recapitulation are usually in the tonic key.

• True

• False

Which is the most harmonically unstable section?

• Exposition

• Development

• Recapitulation

• Coda

Answer explanation

Music in the 'Development' section often modulates to distantly-related keys, and does so more frequently compared to the Exposition and Recapitulation.