Ternary form

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Ternary form, sometimes called song form,[1] is a three-part musical form, usually
schematized as ABA. The first and third parts (A) are musically identical, or very nearly
so, while the second part (B) in some way provides a contrast with them. The B section is
often called the trio, especially in minuets and scherzi.[2] Examples include Schumann's "Folk
Song", Album for the Young (Op. 68, No. 9) and Chopin's Prelude in D-Flat Major (Op. 28).[3]

Contents

1 Characteristics

2 Usage

3 See also

4 Sources

5 External links

Characteristics
In ternary form, unlike the rounded binary form, each section will usually be self-contained
both thematically and tonally (that is, each section contains distinct and complete themes, and
ends with an authentic cadence.[1] The B section is generally in a contrasting, but closely
related key, usually the dominant key of the first section's tonic (a perfect fifth above) or the
relative or parallel minor or major,[1] less often the subdominant key (a perfect fifth below). It
usually also has a contrasting character; in a march, for example, the highly rhythmic and
strident character of the march itself is usually contrasted with a more lyrical and flowing trio
in the subdominant, and often in a 3/4 time signature as opposed to the 4/4 of the primary
march theme.[citation needed]
A distinction is sometimes made[by whom?] between "compound ternary form" in which each
large part of the form is itself divided in a way to suggest ternary or binary form (giving, for
example, an overall scheme of ABACDCABA) and "simple ternary form", in
which each large part of the form has no particular structure itself. Da capo arias are usually
in simple ternary form; minuets (or scherzos) and trios are normally compound [(1A1A
1B1B) (2A2A-2B-2B) (1A-1B)]. Another name for the latter is "composite ternary form".
[citation needed]

The repetition of any section results in expanded ternary form.[4]

Commonly, the third section will feature more ornamentation than the first section (as is often
the case with da capo arias). In these cases the last section is sometimes labeled A or A1 to
indicate that it is slightly different from the first A section.[citation needed]

Usage
As well as in marches, ternary form is often found in baroque opera arias (the da capo aria)
and in many dance forms, such as polkas. It is also the form used in the minuet (or scherzo)
and trio, which, in the Classical era, was usually the third movement of symphonies, string
quartets, sonatas and similar works.[citation needed]

See also

Thirty-two-bar form

Sources
1.

^ Jump up to: Jump up to: a b c "Binary and ternary form" in the Harvard
Dictionary of Music, 2nd ed. rev. and enlarged (1969). Willi Apel, ed. Cambridge,
Mass.: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press

2.

Jump up Jump up ^ See "Trio (2)" in the Harvard Dictionary of Music, 2nd
ed. rev. and enlarged (1969). Willi Apel, ed. Cambridge, Mass.: The Belknap Press of
Harvard University Press

3.

Jump up Jump up ^ White, John D. (1976). The Analysis of Music, pp. 53

54. ISBN 0-13-033233-X.

4.

Jump up Jump up ^ Benward & Saker (2003). Music: In Theory and

Practice, Vol. I, p. 315. Seventh Edition. ISBN 978-0-07-294262-0.

External links

Small Ternary Form www.artofcomposing.com