Binary form

Binary form is one of two kinds of music. It normally has two parts that are complementary to each other usually signified by AB. There are four different types of binary form. These forms are known as sectional, continuous, symmetrical, and asymmetrical. In sectional binary form, the first section (A) will end on the tonic triad. If it is continuous binary form, then it will end on anything but the tonic triad in the first part (A). In symmetrical binary form, the first part of the form (A) will go back and forth between the tonic chord and the dominant chord. In the second part of symmetrical binary form, it will gradually find its way back to the tonic chord. Therefore making it very even on both sides of the form. However, in asymmetrical binary form, the second part (B) is commonly made longer than the first by dividing the second part (B) into two sections. The first sub section of the second part (B), starts on the dominant chord and gradually mutates until! it cadences in a related key. The second subsection of the second part (B), starts on the tonic chord but does not relate melodically to the first part (A). Binary form is most commonly found in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries during the Classical and some of the Baroque period (Wolf 95). Ternary is the second kind of the two types of music. It normally has three parts that are typically labeled ABA. The theory behind this structure is an idea of statement contrast return (Kotska and Payne 338). It is commonly found that the second part (B) is out of character from the first part (A) and the third part (C). There are basically two different kinds of ternary form. They are as follows: sectional, and continuous. In sectional ternary form, the first part (A) will end on the tonic chord. A special case of sectional ternary form is called minuet and trio. In thi