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The archetypal sentence, consists of two, 4 bar semi-phrases. These are the
presentation phrase (4 bar), and continuation phrase (4 bar). Contained within the
continuation phrase, is the cadence.
This musical phrase normally establishes the tonic, or the home key. It states a basic
idea. This basic idea can have any number of motives, but you dont want to
overwhelm your listeners with confusion, so normally you will have one or two
motives at most. After the basic idea is stated, it is normally repeated. In order for this
repetition to establish the home key better, it will have to fall into one of three
categories: exact, statement-response, or model-sequence
Exact Repetition
This is just as it sounds. You have an exact copy of the basic idea.
Model-Sequence
Statement-Response
After the presentation phrase, we follow up the music sentence with a continuation
phrase. The continuation phrase can have the same types of repetition as the
presentation phrase, but it also has some other unique characteristics. These are:
Harmonic Acceleration, Fragmentation, Liquidation and a Cadential Idea.
Harmonic Acceleration
This is speeding up the time change of the underlying harmony. In the presentation
phrase, the harmonic speed is one chord for two bars. In the continuation it starts as
one chord per bar, and then speeds up in bar 7 to two chords per bar.
Fragmentation
This is basically what it sounds like. You break up the basic idea into smaller
fragments, usually one of the unique motives. You can use this for the repetition.
Liquidation
If you take a look at bar 7, youll notice that the melody starts to get very simple,
leading into two half-notes. This is called liquidation, and it is stripping away the
uniqueness of the melody and simplifying it.
Cadential Idea
This is basically ending your theme with a cadence. In this case, I chose to leave it
open with a half-cadence. Normally you would not end your first sentence on an
authentic cadence, unless you had a half-cadence within the presentation phrase.
Sentence Form?
(SYMPHONY N 3 J. BRAHMS)
(SYMPHONY N 3 J. BRAHMS)
(F. CHOPIN, NOCTURNE IN F MINOR, OP. 55, N 1)
(PIANO CONCERTO NO.2, OP.19 L. V. BEETHOVEN)
The Three Types of Sentences
1) Simple sentence
Simple sentence model with 2-bar development
more:
https://symposium.music.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=10629:a-
taxonomy-of-sentence-structures&Itemid=124