Sonata Form Developments

Sonata Form
Development
Uses of Development
• The modulation to V in the Exposition mandates

a return to I for the Recapitulation; in effect the
development is a large scale V-I motion.
Thematic Transformation
• Fragmentation
• Deformation
• Use of themes or fragments in imitative

contrapuntal textures
• Transposition and arrangement in rapidly

modulating sequences
Beethoven: Symphony No. 4
• An example of a beautifully structured and

elegantly conceived development.
Four Sections
• Section 1: makes a large-scale movement from F

Major (the key of the dominant) to D Major,
with a stop on A Major (m. 203) as a large-scale
dominant to D Major.
Four Sections
• Section 2: Set in the major mediant key of D

Major, begins with a ‘false recapitulation’ of the
primary theme, and then moves on to combine
the theme with a new contrapuntal member.
Four Sections
• Section 3: set in the subdominant key of E-flat

Major, broad and climactic.
Four Sections
• Section 4: the retransition, beginning with a

rather enigmatic G Major (submediant major
triad) and then thorough a series of enharmonic
shifts creates an augmented sixth chord in B-flat
Major, which is then used to resolve to a
cadential 6/4 in B-flat Major. However, the
cadential 6/4 does not actually resolve, but
instead gives way to a tonic triad proper at
measure 337 and the beginning of the
recapitulation.
Upper Analysis: from A. Peter Brown, “The Symphonic Repertoire”, Vol. II
Lower Analysis: from Percy Goetschius, “The Larger Homophonic Forms of Western Music”
Opening
• Main Theme
• This was a common practice in the middle of

the century -- the main theme stated in the
dominant.
• It became something of a stereotype by the

end of the century, but was never wholly
abandoned.
Opening
• Haydn Symphony No. 17 in F Major comes from

the early 1760s, and is a good example of
developmental practice before the 1780s.
• The development opens with the primary theme

in the dominant, and then quickly follows it with
the primary theme in the tonic.
Analyzing a Development
• “Key Planes” can be useful for determining the

sections of a development.
• Each “key plane” is a particular key center

which is well established.
• Most key planes will mark important divisions

within a development.
Analyzing a Development
• Haydn Symphony No. 17’s development will

demonstrate a key-plane harmonic analysis.
Key-Plane Analysis
-The beamed notes indicate the most important planes.

-Open-head notes represent the most important of those
planes.
-Notes with stems are less-important planes.
-Non-stemmed notes are significant harmonic motion, always
connected in some way to one of the planes.
Opening
• It’s possible to open the development with an

entirely new theme -- J.C. Bach in particular
tended to do this. (Mozart was strongly
influenced by Christian Bach.)
• In this example (Symphony in D Major, Op. 18

No. 4) we hear the opening of the Exposition, a
second of silence, and then the opening of the
Development.
Opening
• Mozart liked to open the Development with a

repeat of material from the very end of the
Exposition -- sort of like a “join” between the two
sections.
• Symphony No. 39, I: end of Exposition and

then the beginning of Development.
• Symphony No. 25: also end of Exposition and

beginning of Development.
Opening
• Another technique is to open the Development

with a short modulatory passage, and then state a
theme from the Exposition.
• Mozart: Symphony No. 40: modulates to F-

sharp minor, then states P.
• Mozart: Symphony No. 41: moves to 2S, but

in E-flat Major.
The Cadence in vi
• One of the most common features encountered in

a Development is a solid cadence in vi, typically
about 2/3 of the way through the Development.
The Cadence in vi
• Haydn: Symphony No. 17 shows this clearly:

Mozart: Sonata in C Major, K. 309
The Cadence in vi
• Composers began looking for ways around the

cadence in vi, which began to seem clichéd by
the 1780s.
The Cadence in vi
• A favorite dodge was to move to V/vi, instead of

vi.
• This is actually III# (i.e., the major mediant

chord) and is found fairly often at the same
location you might expect to find vi.
Mozart Sonata K. 332, I
• The Development moves to a strongly-stated V/

vi, then moves gently back to the tonic key.
Haydn
“Harmoniemesse” (1802)
• The Kyrie is in sonata form -- the outer “Kyrie” sections act as Exposition
and Recapitulation, respectively, while the “Christe” acts as the
development.
• At the very end of the Development Haydn moves to V/vi (D Major), and
then moves directly to the tonic (B-flat Major) without any intervening
chords.
• Motion by thirds: one of Haydn’s favorite devices.
• Interesting flirtation with cross-relations (F# in the D Major chord

versus F-natural in the B-flat major chord). This kind of interest in
pushing the boundaries of the permissible with cross-relations is a
Haydn handprint.
Recapitulatory (Expository)
Development
• A development which has the same structure as a

Recapitulation (or Exposition) but which follows
the key centers one might expect from a
Development.
• Tends to avoid the Closing Group, since there

isn’t any closing but a retransition into the
Recapitulation.
Correspondence Chart
• Another technique of showing the relationship

between sections in a sonata form is a
“correspondence chart”, which lines up phrases
in each section.
• It is less informative than a LaRue-style analysis,

but nonetheless can be a useful tool. (And LaRue
symbols can be added.)
• The development of Haydn Symphony No. 82 is

presented as a correspondence chart.
Haydn: Symphony No. 82 “L’Ours”, I
False and Premature Recapitulations
• “Premature” Recapitulation
• A Recapitulation which arrives much too soon,

and which may or may not be in the tonic key.
False and Premature Recapitulations
• “False” Recapitulation
• A statement of the Primary Theme in a key

other than the tonic, which is designed
specifically to surprise the listener, who may
be fooled into thinking that this is the actual
Recapitulation.
• It also helps to produce a brief moment of

consonance within the often-dissonant
Development.
Haydn Symphony No. 43, “Mercury”
During the Development, there is a Premature Recap at measure 113 (and it

sounds too soon) followed by two False Recaps in quick succession -- which
lead to the real Recap. The listener isn’t quite certain the Recap has, in fact,
been reached.

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How can the development section be structured?

How can the development section be structured?

What are some common techniques used in the development section?

What are some common techniques used in the development section?

Sonata Form

• The modulation to V in the Exposition mandates

• Use of themes or fragments in imitative

• Transposition and arrangement in rapidly

• An example of a beautifully structured and

• Section 1: makes a large-scale movement from F

• Section 2: Set in the major mediant key of D

• Section 3: set in the subdominant key of E-flat

• Section 4: the retransition, beginning with a

• This was a common practice in the middle of

• It became something of a stereotype by the

• Haydn Symphony No. 17 in F Major comes from

• The development opens with the primary theme

• “Key Planes” can be useful for determining the

• Each “key plane” is a particular key center

• Most key planes will mark important divisions

• Haydn Symphony No. 17’s development will

-The beamed notes indicate the most important planes.

• It’s possible to open the development with an

• In this example (Symphony in D Major, Op. 18

• Mozart liked to open the Development with a

• Symphony No. 39, I: end of Exposition and

• Symphony No. 25: also end of Exposition and

• Another technique is to open the Development

• Mozart: Symphony No. 40: modulates to F-

• Mozart: Symphony No. 41: moves to 2S, but

• One of the most common features encountered in

• Haydn: Symphony No. 17 shows this clearly:

• Composers began looking for ways around the

• A favorite dodge was to move to V/vi, instead of

• This is actually III# (i.e., the major mediant

• The Development moves to a strongly-stated V/

• Motion by thirds: one of Haydn’s favorite devices.

• Interesting flirtation with cross-relations (F# in the D Major chord

• A development which has the same structure as a

• Tends to avoid the Closing Group, since there

• Another technique of showing the relationship

• It is less informative than a LaRue-style analysis,

• The development of Haydn Symphony No. 82 is

• A Recapitulation which arrives much too soon,

• A statement of the Primary Theme in a key

• It also helps to produce a brief moment of

During the Development, there is a Premature Recap at measure 113 (and it

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