sonata form

noun

a musical form comprising an exposition, in which the main theme or themes are stated, a development section, a recapitulation of the material in the exposition, and, usually, a coda.

Origin of sonata form

First recorded in 1870–75

Words Nearby sonata form

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use sonata form in a sentence

This work consists of one movement (Allegro) in sonata-form.
The Pianoforte Sonata | J.S. Shedlock
It is important to distinguish between sonata and sonata-form.
The Pianoforte Sonata | J.S. Shedlock
Sonata-form, as will be shown later on, has been evolved from old binary form.
The Pianoforte Sonata | J.S. Shedlock
The sonata-form of the first movement in each case may have suggested the title.
The Pianoforte Sonata | J.S. Shedlock
The first movement is an allegro in sonata form, kept within narrow limits, the second is a simple romanza, followed by the rondo.
Life Of Mozart, Vol. 2 (of 3) | Otto Jahn

British Dictionary definitions for sonata form

sonata form

noun

a musical structure consisting of an expanded ternary form whose three sections (exposition, development, and recapitulation), followed by a coda, are characteristic of the first movement in a sonata, symphony, string quartet, concerto, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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