# Structures



## Jord (Aug 13, 2012)

I've recently started composing my own pieces of classical music, i started a year ago in school and wrote a Sonata for my GCSE Music course, i've started writing another piece and i want to write a piece for a full orchestra but i'm not sure on structures other than Sonata form, i know of others like Symphonies, Minuets and Concertos but i'm not too sure on the characteristics of each one.
Would anyone be able to give me some guidance with structures and what would be some structures to compose when writing for a classical orchestra?


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

Check out this guys channel!
It should help you a little.


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## Klavierspieler (Jul 16, 2011)

A symphony is a sonata for orchestra. Good luck.


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## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

Jani's thing is excellent for some context, but I really wouldn't copy the Eroica for structure at GSCE level unless you're some kind of Mozart/Mendelssohn.

Also, this is a long post where I list some forms. It's a little boring but I hope its what you're after, because if not then its pointless, but never mind 

Symphonies and Concertos etc. are forms or genres, rather than structures. A symphony will tell you its for orchestra, and a concerto for orchestra and a soloist, but neither tell you anything about structure except for conventions. Here are some (most normal) structures: your teacher ought to have told you this I'd have thought, mine did about 5,000 times, but here goes anyway.

1. Binary: AB - typically both halves are repeated and B ends up with a sort of recap of A. NOT RECOMMENDED. (except on a small scale - see next)

2. Ternary: ABA - You have a tune, so stuff with it (A) and then have a contrasting section in the middle, perhaps in the minor key or something (B). This is the _classic_ GSCE form, so you may or may not want to avoid it based on this fact. Minuet and Trio form (you alluded to minuets in your post) is an ABA structure. Typically the minuet and the trio are both in binary form, except on the second and final A, the repeats are not done in the minuet.

3. Rondo: ABACA...A - Here there is a recurring theme with contrasting sections in the middle. This is quite a good form to use, except that A has to be good to make it work. Typically rondo's are fast and cheerful.

4. Theme and Variations: speaks for itself. You write a theme and then vary it a few times. This is not recommended either, as varying tunes is a difficult business, and I would say requires a bit of knowledge to do well.

5. Sonata form: King of forms. Exposition-development-recap-(coda). This is the best one to use particularly if you are aiming for the highest marks. You could add a slow introduction at the beginning for good measure (examples of this include Haydn's London symphonies, I suggest looking at 104 or perhaps 94/99/101 if you don't know the works)

All of these are usable for an orchestra, and in a symphony. Typically a first movement is in sonata form, a dance in minuet and trio (ternary) form, and the last movement is often a rondo. The slow movement's forms vary a lot.

I wrote a symphonic movement for my GSCE: slow introduction + sonata form.
I wrote a string quartet movement for my AS levels: slow introduction + sonata form.
I wrote a symphonic movement for my A2: slow introduction + sonata form.

Guess what I'm going to recommend  I would seriously suggest however considering repeats carefully. The classic, taught, sonata form has only one repeat. Other's include two (probably not) or none. I would suggest that if you do use one then have a significant (if not overdone) coda - because otherwise it will not sound finished enough at the end, or if you don't to kill the repeat but make the material sound significant enough first time round anyway. I liked my codas and so the one repeat form was fine for me anyway.


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## Jord (Aug 13, 2012)

Thanks for the help guys, helped a lot


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## Rapide (Oct 11, 2011)

Study _Structures I_ _Structures II_ by Pierre Boulez.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structures_(Boulez)


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## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

Why not invent your own structures?


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