Form

Form relates to the organization of music, its structure or plan. A compositions ideas in time create its form. The form of a composition also has to do with its shape, arrangement and relationship of various musical elements. Form is perceived in terms of repetition, contrast, or variation. Form is usually diagrammed with letters to indicate how sections relate to each other through statement, departure or return. There are five basic forms for which music is organized.

Strophic

The musical form having one section only with the same music played or sung on each repeat; diagrammed as A.

Binary

The musical form having two contrasting sections, a first statement followed by a contrasting statement; diagrammed as AB form

Ternary

The three part musical form in which the last section repeats the first. A musical form having a departure from the first section and then a return of the first section; diagrammed ABA.

Variation

The musical form or repeating a clearly defined melody (theme) and successively changing it artfully and cleverly without ever losing touch with the original melody. In variation form, as each section re-dresses the main theme, the main theme is always present in the listener's ear; diagrammed as A A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 etc.

Rondo

Periodic return of a central theme; diagrammed as ABACADA.