FormForm

What is Form in Music?What is Form in Music?

Everything has a FormEverything has a Form

A Lily has a different form than a A Lily has a different form than a Lilac.Lilac.

Lily LilacLily Lilac

An oak tree has a different form than An oak tree has a different form than a weeping willow tree. a weeping willow tree.

Oak Tree Oak Tree Weeping WillowWeeping Willow

Music has many different Music has many different forms.forms.

Form in music refers to its design.Form in music refers to its design. The pattern in which the melody, The pattern in which the melody,

harmony, and rhythm are organized harmony, and rhythm are organized is the form. is the form.

Each piece of music has a distinct Each piece of music has a distinct form that makes it different from form that makes it different from other pieces of music.other pieces of music.

Lets look at one type of Lets look at one type of musical form…..musical form…..

Ternary FormTernary Form

Ternary form has three parts.Ternary form has three parts.

The first part is restated at the end. The first part is restated at the end.

The pattern looks like this:The pattern looks like this:

A B A A B A

What does ternary form What does ternary form sound like?sound like?

Golliwog’s CakewalkGolliwog’s Cakewalk

Golliwog’s Cakewalk is a piece composed Golliwog’s Cakewalk is a piece composed by Claude Debussy (1862-1918)by Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

It is from a group of short piano pieces It is from a group of short piano pieces called called

the Children’s Corner. the Children’s Corner. Debussy wrote this piece for his Debussy wrote this piece for his

daughter.daughter. It is about a rag doll and its make It is about a rag doll and its make

believe dance.believe dance.

Lets listen to Golliwog’s Lets listen to Golliwog’s CakewalkCakewalk

It is in Ternary FormIt is in Ternary Form

Lets listen…..Lets listen…..

A B AA B A