A Complete Introduction to Musical Form

Explains all the most important musical forms in Classical Music.
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This video looks at all the major structures in Classical Music, from Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven onwards. It looks at what is a Sonata, what is a Symphony, what is a Movement, a String Quartet, Trio, Quintet, What is a Concerto, and then looks at the different forms for these movements, including Sonata Form, Minuet and Trio, Scherzo, Rondo Form, Theme and Variations or Variation Form, and the Fugue and Fugato. By the end of this video, you should have a solid understanding of how to approach a Symphony or Sonata.
While many people use classical music for studying, relaxing and relaxation, or sleeping, far fewer people actually enjoy listening actively. Due to the difficult state of music education, most people don't know how to follow a symphony, or how the best composers wrote and structured their works. While it has been proven that classical music can be beneficial to the mental development of babies and kids, I believe it has life enhancing qualities for all ages, and as an art form deserves to be shared, whether through outreach, or tutorials and lessons like these.
Classical music, at its best, can be richly emotional, and I believe that its emotion can be unlocked by anyone willing to follow these guides through. The principles that I will go through apply to all music, whether live in concert or on CD or Spotify, and whether you're listening to Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Handel, Brahms, Chopin, Wagner, Verdi, or Puccini, and whether listening to Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Orchestral, Choral, or Chamber music.
Many programs suggest that learning an instrument such as the piano, violin, guitar, cello, oboe, clarinet, or singing in a choir, is crucial for music appreciation. Well I think these skills, as well as learning to read sheet music and training your ear, can be extremely useful, I believe that almost anyone can learn to enjoy classical music with minimal training and music theory. Therefore, this short series will be very light on music theory, and will only use it when necessary to highlight certain forms such as sonata, rondo, and other typical forms.
While I originally got into classical music via movie scores and film composers such as Howard Shore, John Williams, and Hans Zimmer, I discovered this way of listening which has completely changed the way I approach and enjoy classical music. I hope through these videos I can share that with you.
Please Subscribe if you want to see more like this, as well as video essays and analysis on movie music and classical music!

[@b00i00d]

"a scherzo, meaning joke, though they're rarely very funny" Haaaa haaaa, love it!

[@franciscofragoeiro5229]

It doesn't mean joke though, it's more like "playful"

[@martinmaguire-music6692]

"A symphony is a sonata for orchestras" - as a non-academic appreciator of classical music, that sentence blew my mind...

[@firzaakbarpanjaitan9408]

My thoughts exactly...

[@maxalaintwo3578]

As an academic appreciator, this likewise blew my mind. I never thought of it like that

[@user-bs4qu7tb2g]

I learnt that in school, several times over actually. It's the most natural thing to me tbh, nothing overly academic :/

[@giovelascomusic]

"wait, so it's all sonata?" "always has been"

[@sethtomas8257]

Not sure if you guys cares but if you are bored like me during the covid times you can stream all the latest movies and series on InstaFlixxer. Been watching with my brother for the last days =)

[@cassiuskamdyn4413]

@Seth Tomas definitely, I have been using Instaflixxer for months myself =)

[@tzutzu6455]

Your work is so important. Thank you for making great music more accessible

[@draugami]

I have enjoyed listening to classical music since childhood. I want to thank you for explaining aspects of music (sonata, symphony etc) and how they relate. You have given me an overall structure to understand classical music. Thank you.

[@InsidetheScore]

Wow! Thank you so much - that means a lot

[@mp3545]

It is most unfortunate that our schools and universities fail to teach people how to analyze art and rhetoric. People should not need to learn these things independently as adults.

[@TheOneStoneAngell]

I started listening to classical music a few months ago. Your videos are exactly what was looking for to help me understand this beautiful complex music. Thank you so much!

[@citlalicervantes6498]

Also, I can't wait for the fugue video! I love fugues!!!

[@InsidetheScore]

Haha wow, it's in the pipeline but not sure quite when it'll be out. So stay tuned for more!

[@fbigslave]

This series of videos is exactly what I've been looking for for so long. Thank you!

[@bubbles-1020]

This video is so well made. Thank you and bravo!

[@lucapop3571]

Thank you very much for this amazing work! As a professional musician, I recommend to all my friends who want to introduce themselves to classical music this series. I really hope to see your channel growing up!

[@junfordream]

I can't believe I just discovered this channel! Really well done explanations. I'm looking forward to watching your other videos!

[@eliseobetancourt861]

I learned so much and I love classical music. Thank you

[@noedog]

Thanks for this wonderful series of lectures.

[@jessicacarrotsyap7448]

I've been wanting to understand music better for a long time now. You've opened up the door to so much for me! Thank you for your hard work

[@laura_whittle]

Just loving this channel, just loving it! 🎉

[@apoorvchouhan5340]

Cant thank you enough for these videos..cheers!

[@LogikPlays]

I would consider your KZbin channel as one of the greatest gifts of KZbin! Top notch content! Thank you

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

Merci for this.

[@CameronBaba]

i've been in bands/orchestras since i was in 5th grade. really got into classical music around my sophomore year of high school- but i never _fully_ understood these aspects; just intuited them with context. seriously can't thank you enough for going over all this stuff so i can confidently put names to what i'm composing lmao

[@parthasarthiorpe6926]

Thanks you, god bless you ❤

[@GularteDamian]

Thank you very much, great video and explanation, i´m learning a lot from your videos

[@cjandersen]

These are great! Thanks.

[@JohnMassari]

Thank you.

[@KieranGarland]

excellent. thank you!

[@drymice500]

Great content, keep going!

[@devitharanga8351]

Thank you for your valuable tips

[@dorareklamadora]

This helps me a lot.

[@SamStormsKBD]

So rich videos! Tnx for your work, man

[@arthurvictor161]

Wonderful! I am Brazilian and I've never seen a approach like that before. Thank you very much! Saudações Brazil!

[@sribaabajimusicacademy4185]

Hi, thank you so much for educating me how to listen the classicals

[@richardslater677]

Very interesting and informative. Thank you.

[@granddukeofflario8018]

Thanks for this vid! I'm composing a Sonata myself.

[@uttum87]

Excellent video. Thanks

[@hieroric]

Oh, thank you so much! It's the kind of videos I was looking for, I really appreciate your work. You have a new subscriber! Greetings from Mexico :D

[@diesirae9223]

Baia baia

[@laura_whittle]

I’d love to see a video from you with examples from the musical literature...! Listening lists...! Or recommended repertoire to demonstrate all the musical forms. A listening guide...! A complete breakdown of something too...! 😊 Such a fantastic channel...!

[@juanjosenamnuntavarez7553]

Thank you very much.

[@tuan7669]

Such good education

[@fabricio_santana]

Sir, this educational work you are doing is immensely valuable and incredibly urgent. Thank you 😊 If I ever see you in real life, I will give you a suffocating hug.

[@xuxue7]

great job

[@myratogonon]

I love your content!!!

[@harisaro]

I have been listening to classical music for about 70 years. The south Indian classical music also called Karnatic music has a similar construction as a similar form.Inrotoduction development exposition and finale. I'm for explaining the finer aspect of western classical music.

[@enricomontovanelli2535]

This video changed dramatically the way i hear classical music

[@J_Dubois]

amazing

[@eleoni2703]

Thanks for your work. I'm more a fan of movie scores than Classical music, but I find all of your videos really engaging. They actually are helping me to appreciate Classical better. By the way, I love the work that the Sherman Brothers did on Mary Poppins. Have you seen that film and if so, what do you think of the music?

[@InsidetheScore]

Thanks - I was once a huge film score fan and that's totally what got me into classical. After this How to Listen series is done I'm going to get into looking at actual classical pieces, and I promise you, there's some stuff out there that will blow your mind, like out-films any film score. There's some seriously intense and epic stuff which just flies under the radar because of the general stigma that classical music gets. No, I haven't seen it in a long time. Only lots of parodies. Sorry!

[@eleoni2703]

Looking forward to it all! And haha, no worries. When you have time, though, I recommend watching this scene again (apologies for the quality): kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIrWhKx5qc-ohKs As a kid I found "Feed the Birds" boring - it works a little too well as a lullaby - but this version of it, along with the scene itself, always fascinated me. It's also pretty cool how "The Life I Lead" transforms over the course of the movie, both in the lyrics and as an instrumental theme. I'll shut up about Mary Poppins now. Oh wait, one more thing: kzbin.info/www/bejne/paSce2OHjdRld6c

[@placeholderlastname3418]

Thank you for doing these videos, each is invaluable. Please remember us non musicians who are on a 'learning journey' with the why's and what's of classical music and Please SLOW DOWN! The human mind can not absorb concepts. IF these concepts are spoken at SUCH a fast speed. I have waited my entire life for a course such as yours and to completely absorb what you are teaching, the brain needs time to assimilate and intellectually digest the subject matter. Thank you.

[@satyameet]

I started reading a biography of Mozart and kept getting lost in the classiscal music vocab.Thank you for this easy to underatand video. I reqlly appreciate it.

[@shanubag6785]

Thanks for that ABA' form or I would have never know it's meaning

[@jonashasageremtkjrjensen]

Great! Just great!

[@ElarKun]

In 9:01 there is my city which is Poznań - the old market - thank you :D

[@citlalicervantes6498]

Hello! First comment, 7th like and 35th view!!!!! Thanks for the video! It helps me review what I've learned at school and improve my composition skills. :)

[@InsidetheScore]

Thanks! Glad you liked it!

[@djsarumawashi]

GREETINGS from CABO VERDE ISLANDS🤩🤩🤩

[@MeastroViolinCase]

This is very cool but Informational overwhelming

[@elie2133]

what about post romantic symphonys that have 5 movement? why do they impliment a new movement ?

[@corneliariasdita715]

What is the reason (or history maybe) that makes 1st movt sonata form, 2nd movt something sow, 3rd movt rondo and such?

[@David-cz1el]

What is the average length of the Exposition portion of any particular work? I would assume it can be anywhere from one minute to five minutes. I am new to this.

[@ahmedurchowdhury5833]

Musical expression and form. Are the two compatible? Or are they mutually exclusive? What’s your thoughts?

[@bertboy7881]

what is a good book on music theory and its history?

[@khanhlinhnguyen9451]

Can you please please make a video about how to understand waltz

[@zaqareemalcolm]

waltz is just ternary form over a 3/4 beat

[@khanhbq]

i have just heard the moonlight sonata and wondering if there is a lack of the 1st movement(Important, dramatic) because the 1st movement in moonlight sonata is the slow one?

[@KB28L]

Hi, What does it mean "movement is in Sonata form"? Isn't Sonata form made from three separate parts itself? All of them are crammed into one movement?

[@sebastianzaczek]

"Sonata form" refers to the structure of *one* movement, and it means there's 2 themes presented in the Exposition (Theme A - Theme B), followed by a developement, and then a Recapitulation. That is "Sonata Form". As he said in the beginning of the video, "Sonata form" is not a synonym for "Sonata".

[@Ozzluis_]

Hi! I really enjoy watching your videos, they are amazing! But would you recommend me some book(s) where I can find more info about all this musical theory? Thanks! 🌱🍎🤘

[@noahschell8275]

Does anybody have any piece recommendations where I can see some of the things talked about in the video? I’m looking to apply my new knowledge

[@silverfoot6079]

Rondo Alla Turca (Turkish March)

[@silverfoot6079]

Listening, you'll notice that it starts with the iconic argument, then he breaks down with a key change and increases tempo, near the end, he repeats the beginning again with slight variation, and then a dramatic ending. I would mark it like this. A B A' B' C

[@JoseloCardozo]

Hola podría utilizar tus vídeos para trascribirlos al español ? Hi

[@JoseloCardozo]

Hi can I translate your video to spanish???

[@breeflick1097]

4:30

[@matthewwong1552]

Inside the score: variation form Me: hey! Isn't that Tchaikovsky's style?

[@MihailCM]

at 1:34 you talk about a full-sized sonata but the music is all from symphonies

[@InsidetheScore]

Earlier: "A Symphony is a Sonata for Orchestra" - prove me wrong!

[@MihailCM]

That's right! I was thinking that maybe the viewers will mix the concept of symphony and sonata, but since you said that "A Symphony is a Sonata for Orchestra", and even earlier you said that the sonata is for maximum 2 instruments, then it's pretty clear. When I heard the symphony fragments and I saw "Sonata" on the screen something was not right for me, but if I take in consideration that "A Symphony is a Sonata for Orchestra" it doesn't bother me anymore. And after all the sonata form is present in both symphonies and sonatas, the difference between the two is given by the number of musicians playing. Great content by the way! If I have any other questions I will kindly ask in the comment section. Thanks for the feedback!

[@davidzubiria3783]

But are the relations between one movement and the others? It's just arbitrary that they are presented as a whole thing or they have themes in common?

[@caterscarrots3407]

It depends on the piece and the composer. Some are not related in terms of melodic material and may or may not be related in terms of key, some are tangentially related, and some are very obviously related to the same motifs. Beethoven often falls into one of the latter two.

[@Parisqiansen]

As a English as secondary language learner. I am struggling to understand what is sonata, symphony, concerto, cantata, etc.

[@hamzahalasadulloh7779]

Paris qian sen most of the time they’re formats based on instrumentation. Like he mentioned, sonatas are for 1-2 instruments (most of the time solo instrument + piano), symphonies are are for orchestras, concerti are for solo instrument/s + orchestra, songs are for voice + piano, etc. With the case of the cantata, it’s a little more complex coming from the Baroque era, but it’s basically like a small opera but the story’s based on Biblical material.

[@EASYTIGER10]

I wonder how many of the millions who love classical music are actually aware of form as they listen

[@AreEnTee]

At least 146,000

[@mahdianani186]

I think you missed a great opportunity of giving an example on how a development CAN be incorporated in a scherzo-trio movement, and that is Beethoven’s Scherzo from his 9th symphony. Each A section not only contains the theme of the scherzo but also an explicit development of the theme. Great videos all in all, I’m really enjoying those, although I do quite know most of this stuff. I’d be really interested in watching guides to the rest of the Beethoven symphonies and possibly some of his other works. I hope you consider that for the future.

[@InsidetheScore]

Yes! But the Beethoven is an example of *breaking* convention - that's what makes it revolutionary. I tried here to teach the conventional forms, so we can appreciate when someone like Beethoven breaks those conventions in order to revolutionise musical form. I'd love to make more Quick Guides but I really hate the process of making them - they're tedious without a lot of room for creativity because you're just saying "then this happens, then this"

[@arbaaz9992]

So basically, symphonies and sonatas are albums but in classical music? As a metalhead and a musical geek in general I've been fascinated by classical music and i do listen to a few "pieces" or whatever they are which are mostly just 6-10 mins long in general. So i am always confused by these words like symphonies and sonatas and concertos and such but as you explained it, it seems like they are basically, in a general sense, classical music albums. Or equal to that. Am i wrong here or is there a difference i am not getting? Please help, i have very little musical knowledge (i am very surprised i am understanding the video as it is) i just enjoy the music in terms of how it makes me feel and what the artist is trying to say to me through their work. Like an Expression.

[@InsidetheScore]

Sorry for late reply - I was away for my first Thanksgiving. Yes - you could think of it like that, for sure! Only with a few differences: Each movement, or 'track' is connected together in the whole (the whole being the sonata, or symphony, or concerto). Often, you hear themes that recur in later movements, or there are some kind of clear connecting ideas that bring together each movement and make it one unified, 'piece' of music, just separated into a slow movement, fast movement, dance movement, etc. You can definitely think of it to the equivalent of the album. And a good album has connecting themes between the different pieces of music. But the important think to understand is that the classical piece, say Beethoven's 5th, was conceived as *one long piece*. Even though it's split into four movements, it was written to be heard as one long piece. So it's not like he's written four separate pieces and then thought "Oh I'll put them together and make a nice sonata". He conceived the whole work as one long piece of music, separated into several movements. Does that make sense? But you're on the right track, just with a few differences

[@arbaaz9992]

@@InsidetheScore thanks so much for clearing all this up for me. And yes, it makes sense now. To methis seems like a concept album but not lyrically but musically. I love me some classical music but i have zero knowledge of music theory. So is it possible to just enjoy the music in a subjective way or more specifically focus on what it makes me feel instead of focusing on the objective part of it and try to understand or "study" it? Or is the other way around better? I feel like whenever i study something instead of just listening to it i become bored. Same thing happened with jazz. I love jazz and i do understand the complexity of the music now just not in musical terms but more like "that drum fill in the middle with the bass matched perfectly to create such a wonderful build up" kind of way.

[@InsidetheScore]

@@arbaaz9992 Yes you can of course listen subjectively (see my other videos, e.g. Expression and Emotion), but also when you understand typical classical forms, like Sonata Form, it gives you this whole massive new appreciation and understanding which massively enhances your experience. Especially when composers like Beethoven or whoever break with the norms of that form, you're like "Oh crap that's awesome! I did not see that coming". So you can appreciate it on both levels. You don't have to have a deeply theoretical understanding of it, but some understanding of the typical structures can help massively, because you then can see how the composers are working within that form, or breaking conventions, or whatever. Like 85% of classical music pre Mahler is in Sonata Form or some other form I've covered in my videos (that's a made up statistic but you get the point).

[@arbaaz9992]

@@InsidetheScore thanks so much for giving me your insights, man. As a metalhead i totally understand what you mean. I've been listening to metal for well over 4-5 years now so i do understand it quite much (not theoretically but musically) so i do like it and recognize it when certain bands break the norms. For example thrash is a pretty straightforward genre but bands like forced entry or vendetta and such (these are actually really underrated and underground 80s band i am listing here so you might not be much familiar with them even if you are into metal) use very progressive styles into their music. One of the biggest reasons i got into classical music myself was my appreciation of metal music since it is heavily inspired by classical music along with blues and punk. So to me classical music is very much just very sophisticated heavy metal without electricity 😂. Like Beethoven and stuff sounds extremely metal to me.

[@arbaaz9992]

@@InsidetheScore also, a great piece by gustav, called mars bringer of war has been a blueprint for many classic metal tune. I haven't listened to the whole suite yet but that piece was first used (as far as i know) in a song called black sabbath by the band called black sabbath, from their debut album called black sabbath 😂. It is considered to be the first metal song ever. Another famous song that used the piece was a british band called diamond head in their song "am i evil" which later was covered by metallica too. You can look them up to see the resemblance

[@shashagagarin6121]

My modules bought me here

[@octave11thpianist58]

I was laughing so hard when he said that the third movement of a sonata is like a minuet because, I remembered Moonlight Sonata 3rd movement and I don't think that was a minuet xD(Yes I know that beethoven skipped the dancing movement)

[@chezkelhui1010]

GD Schmu Boy the dancing movement is the 2nd.

[@shacharh5470]

He was talking about the full sonata, with 4 movements; the moonlight sonata has only 3 movements.

[@Streepie21]

Moonlight sonata is mid

[@Nerdcrusher]

In the real world, though, form doesn't matter. The reason why Beethoven is so popular is because the pieces/movements are individually good, not because movement 1 has a particular relationship with movement 3. Sonata form is bunk.

[@Elizabeth-uk7dq]

tryna study this, when he but the music in the background i blanked lol

[@greedokenobi3855]

If the first movement is a full orchestra, the 2nd movement a hapsichord, 3rd movement a full orchestra again and the 4th movement is just a piano and strings....How would that be called?

[@InsidetheScore]

A big mess!

[@greedokenobi3855]

Inside the Score .. That makes sense. But what if the 1st movement is a concerto of 3 instruments, the 2nd movement is just piano and the 3rd movement a full orchestra, would that also be a mess?

[@InsidetheScore]

@@greedokenobi3855 I was being a bit facetious. But it is very unusual to have a unified piece of music (eg a Symphony, a Sonata) where the instrumentation for each movement is so vastly different. It just wouldn't feel "unified" as a work of art. I can't think of any examples like what you've said above - can you?

[@greedokenobi3855]

Inside the Score To be honest, not exactly. To have a piano join an orchestra, I’ve seen that. But not really a piano on it’s ows in the middle. I’m actually writing a few pieces, actually I had a symphonic piece with a full orechestra and another one (a variation of it) and was looking for a nice transition (from one key to another) in between. My intention was to make it only a few chords and keep it short but as I ‘went with the flow’ it turned out to be a (in my humble opinion) amazing piece of music of nearly 7 minutes (with many themes and chord changes). I wrote this with a piano and now feel it should be for piano instead of an orchestra. The truth is, I asked you these (perhaps somewhat weird) questions to see if I could ‘get away with it’. All these terms and rules are very new to me so hope you’ll forgive me for my ignorant questions.

[@swymaj02]

i see why ppl staryed splitting these genres. seems like Sonata is a catch-all term food a lot of the music.

[@hearts4melaniemartini]

i liked when the

[@hearts4melaniemartini]

watching this for homework lmao

[@michaelwu7678]

How could you talk about Fugato and not mention Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony?!?!

[@InsidetheScore]

Haha fair point!! Damn wish I'd thought of that... Though that's more a full scale bloody five-subject fugue isn't it?

[@michaelwu7678]

Inside the Score It’s not full scale. The Coda of the 4th movement is in 5-subject invertible counterpoint but it only lasts ~2 minutes long and parts of it are fragmentary. So I think it qualifies more as a fugato. Here’s a neat video about it if you’re interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4XbiqyhnbaNmKs P.S. btw thanks for the incredible content. Please keep up the good work. People who don’t listen to classical music need to know what they’re missing! Is there anyway I can contribute to your channel through Patreon or some other means? And let me know what you think of the video if you watch it please!

[@tobiasami]

Sonata is a written music for piano only.There no such sonata for cello or violin or any instrument.

[@chaossedated]

The ABA thing just confused me more. The second movement is can be ABABA , but what makes rondo different is that it’s… ABABA… but the dance can also be ABABA… uh why are all these the same thing but different?

[@yannnique17]

Mahler 3rd Symphony has six movements. Panic!

[@steveeliscu1254]

Rondo a rarity during the romantic era..

[@name-ng7mk]

Final movement of Beethoven

[@lewecusgame7598]

I love how annoyed you sound at 5:27: "or SOMETHING." Like you're just thinking to yourself, "dang it, why can't these forms be more simple?".

[@namegoesfirstthenlastname1785]

I feel so stupid, I didn't understand a thing.

[@lakewobegonesbest8725]

Beethoven is classical?! I must disagree and insist that he is his own era: Classantic.

[@nerdcartoon2544]

dude make it simple, we're dummies

[@danipar7388]

In general the third movement is a joke... RUSSIAN COMPOSERS ENTERED THE CHAT

[@renzo6490]

I feel the information was presented too fast to be absorbed

[@superblondeDotOrg]

00:48 So basically a work which calls itself a "Sonata" should be called "Sonata EP" since it is 3 or 4 separate songs (movements) and everybody knows what an EP is. And The way the name "movement" is misleading too. This video essentially represents a slice of the absolute unrelenting stupidity of classical music theory which hasn't been fixed even after 400 years and tens of thousands of composers publishing in the genre.

[@multicollo1]

Most confusing expansion ever. What is what?

[@kei-lk2zv]

dude used powtoons