# Which pieces have your favorite "development sections" in the sonata form?



## Livly_Station (Jan 8, 2014)

Despite mentioning the "sonata form" in the title -- because it's where you typically find development sections --, you're free to mention any other piece that have a typical development of the theme in a specific section. 

And cite pieces exclusively for their development sections regardless of the rest of the music. Which ones do you think are the best? You can choose based on any personal reason, either because you just like to listen to them or because you think they do an amazing job of developing the thematic material.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

What instantly came to my mind is the development section of the first movement of Beethoven's Ninth.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

always 1st mvmt, unless noted otherwise

Haydn: symphony 102 and 104

Beethoven: symphonies 3,7,8,9, Appassionata, op.106, string quartets op.18/1, 59/1, 95, 127, 133

Brahms, 3rd symphony, also finale, 4th, clarinet quintet... Brahms is incredible in thwarting expectations (o.k., so was Beethoven). In the 3rd the themes totally swap their characters in the development. In the clarinet quintet or the finale of symphony #2 the development includes a step on the brake, a very lyrically, even slowing down section etc.
Brahms also has among the best "development" and variation in non-sonata-form pieces, e.g. the scherzo of the piano quintet or the passcaglia finale of the 4th.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Two that came to mind immediately and that weren't cited yet are the development sections of (the first movement of) Schubert's _Unfinished_ symphony and of Beethoven's fifth symphony. I feel an intense emotional response to them.


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