1. Listen to the piece many times
2. Mark all sections that sound like cadences
3. Analyze the type (authentic, half) and key of each cadence. 
4. Listen for identical and similar sections of music
5. Find: Motives, Phrases and periods.

Glossary

SMALL STRUCTURAL UNITS

• Motive - Shortest musical idea 

• Phrase - Delimited by a cadence

• Period -

  • Two consecutive phrases. The second having a stronger cadence. Antecedent - consequent
  • A pair of phrases of similar length or structure in an antecedent-consequent relationship.
  • Typically, the first phrase (antecedent) ends on the dominant and the second phrase (consequent) ends on the tonic.
  • The relationship of the two phrases is often compared to a question and an answer.

• Parallel Period - aa'  A period in which the second phrase is a repetition, modified repetition, or a variant of the first phrase.

• Contrasting Period - ab A period formed by two different phrases

• Modulating Period - A period that cadences in a different key

• Double Period - Two consecutive periods with an antecedent consequent feel. The second ending with an authentic cadence

• Repeated Period - Repetition of the period with no structural changes - texture and octave might be different

• Phrase group - 2 or more phrases without the antecedent consequent feel. For example two phrases that both end with the same type of cadence or a period with three phrases.

• Sectional or Closed - If a section ends in the key in which it began with an authentic cadence or plagal), it is termed a closed section.

• Continuous or Open - If a section ends with a half-cadence or in a different key it is termed an open section.

LARGE STRUCTURAL UNITS

• Binary - AB or ||: A :||: B :||

  • Two part form

  • The First section often consists of two sections (A1, A2) the first in the tonic the and the second on the dominant or the relative major - Continuous binary form (sometimes on the tonic - Sectional binary form)

    • A1 is Expository

    • A2 is transitional/developmental

  • The second part also has two sections (B1 and B2). B1 starts on the dominant or the relative major and ends on the tonic.

    • B1 - Developmental - Less stable tonally

    • B2 - Expository

  • Binary form can describe a whole movement or a portion of a large unit.
  • Rounded binary form: return of A1 or A1 + A2 in B2 (forerunner of the sonata-Allegro form).
  • Balanced binary form or binary with cadence rhyme: return of A2 in B2.

• Rounded Binary (or incipient ternary) ||: A :||: B + 1/2 of A (or A):||

  • Very similar to binary, but their is a (often only 1/2)  reprise of the tonic element of A tagged on at the end of B.

   

• Ternary - ABA or ||: A :||: B :||: A :||

  • Three sections

  • Each section is tonally closed. (Contrary to binary the first section often end in the tonic)
  • There is thematic contrast between A and B.
  • Compound ternary form: e.g., minuet & trio or scherzo & trio. Each large section (minuet, trio) is itself some form of binary or ternary design.
  • The Ternary principle is the basis for the rondo form.

  • The first and last have similar length

  • The second section contrasts the first

  • The last section is a return to the first

• Two-reprise - When either a binary or a ternary piece is made of two repeated sections - Binary ||:A:||:B:|| - Ternary |:A:||:B A:||

• Rondo. (Classical) An extended Ternary form.  The form of the five part Rondo is A B A C A B A, although many other types exist. The basic principle is a repeating A section alternating with new material called digressions.

• Sonata Form  - ||: A :||: B A:||

  • Exposition

    • (Intro)

    • 1st tonal area (first theme group) - I

    • transition - V/V (in minor III can substitute V)

    • 2d tonal area (2d theme group) - V

    • Closing (codetta) - V

  • Development - Various keys

    • Retransition (sets up the tonic)

  • Recapitulation

    • 1st tonal area - I

    • Transition

    • 2d tonal area - I

    • Closing (codetta) - I

    • Coda - I

• Theme & Variations. A theme (borrowed or original) is stated. The theme itself is often in Rounded Binary form. A set of variations based on the theme ensue. The form is: A A² A³ A⁴ A⁵ . . . A.

• American Popular Ballad Form - This is that basis of the majority of American standards and is a 32 bar AABA