First Rondo
I. Names
3-Part Adagio
Full sectional ternary
Simple ternary
Compound ternary
Slow Movement Large Ternary
First Rondo (Schoenberg & Goetschius)
II. Usually found in slow movements; although sometimes in faster pieces as well:
Haydn Piano Trio in E-Flat Major H XV:29/i
Haydn Pf Sonata in B-Flat major H XVI:41/ii (fast finale)
III. Most often used by Haydn
IV. Distinction of First Rondo to Song Form with Trio
While the SFwT displays simple part forms, clearly separated by frequent and decisive cadences, the First Rondo is one continuous whole.
V. Formally analogous to 3PSF (small ternary)
A. However, small & large ternaries are fundamentally different forms! Corresponding parts are comparable to one another in only superficial ways.
B. In the First Rondo, at least one of the themes is a song form unto itself.
C. The differences between principal and interior themes (and their settings) is much greater than between parts of a song form.
D. Usually there is a noticeable change of accompaniment and texture between the themes in the First Rondo.
E. First Part
1. Relatively stable; achieves closure with PAC
2. In the small ternary, it may modulate and then close in a subordinate key; the large will end in the home key even if there has been an internal modulation. Thus Part III needs not make any adjustments; usually it follows Part I quite closely.
F. Second Part
1. Typically closes with tonic harmony, although not usually in the home key—whereas small ternary typically ends on V (or in fact may be an expansion of V throughout.) Also, small ternary generally highlights V throughout—where large may well have no such emphasis.
G. Another way to think of this is Part I & III are considered “main theme” or “home key stable section” while Part II is considered a secondary theme (key) area—in other words, it bears some resemblance to the sonata principle. Geotschius thinks in these terms as well. However the middle part is not all that commonly organized as a truly separate theme, but may be considered an “interior” theme.
VI. Characteristics of Part II ‘Interior Theme’
A. Resides in home key but parallel modality (instead of the secondary key, which would be the case with a true secondary theme.)
B. Form is usually related in some way to a song form (2- or 3-part), although frequently altered or truncated in some way.
VII. Discussion of the Structure of Part I
A. Home key to PAC. Usually 3PSF, occasionally 2P.
1. Schubert: Pf Sonata Op 147/ii (Complete 3PSF, 27 measures)
B. Part I Structure
1. Usually modulates to subordinate key to PAC, although not always; if it doesn’t modulate, then Part II of the theme will then move to another key.
a) Haydn Symphony 92/ii
Part I is a 16-measure parallel period by identity, but the consequent doesn’t actually move to the tonic—instead it moves to a cadential 64 almost identically with the antecedent.
b) Haydn Symphony 100/ii
Part I is a parallel period with a repeated antecedent; the consequent ends on V and then expands by four measures.
c) Mozart Pf Sonata K545/ii
Part I is a parallel period (with a decorated consequent) ending on I. Part II is firmly in V.
d) Very rarely Part I of the Theme stays in the home key throughout.
e) Haydn Symphony 101/ii
The “Clock” symphony. Part I of the theme is two 4-bar phrases with a 1-bar extension at the beginning. Part II is 5+4+4, then Part III.
f) Beethoven Quartet Op 18 No 6/ii
Part I is an 8m parallel period by identity; Part II 4 measures; Part III is highly decorated but otherwise unchanged from Part I.
2. There may be other designs, conventional or not, even one-part forms.
a) Beethoven: Sonata Op. 2 No. 1/ii is incipient 3PSF
b) Beethoven Pf Sonata Op. 2 No. 3/ii: 8m period with extended consequent.
c) Beethoven: Sonata Op. 31 No. 1/ii: incomplete 3PSF with Part I of the song form a parallel double period
d) Haydn Pf Trio H XV:27/ii 3 thematic units, each ending with a PAC in the home key.
e) Brahms: Symphony No. 3 Andante (group of 4 phrases, quasi 3PSF, 24 measures)
VIII. Transition
A. Sometimes there is none—there’s an abrupt change of key, but usually there is at least something.
B. Geotschius discusses transitions at length—better saved for our discussions on sonata form.
IX. Discussion of the Structure of Part II “Interior Theme”
A. Contrasts with MT in a variety of ways, although in general we may expect it to be motivically derived. Typical is a striking change in modality—frequently this is in the minor (if the home mode is major) or vice-versa.
B. It’s very rare for the interior theme to begin immediately after the principal theme in the same key, and without a change of key.
C. There should be a marked change in style. A lot of the themes will be motivically derived from the principal theme—but that may be less the case in Romantic music.
D. Occasionally the theme resides in a related tonal region (Note: from the original notes it appears that the author was not looking carefully at the modality of the piece in question: there were a lot of mistakes in his original list, due to all of these being in minor keys and not major.)
1. Parallel Major
Haydn Pf Trio H XV:18/ii
Beethoven Pf Sonata Op 28/ii
2. Submediant
Beethoven Vln Sonata Op 12 No 2/ii
Beethoven Pf Sonata Op 79/ii
3. Subdominant
Haydn Pf Trio H XV:25/ii
E. An interior theme is never set primarily in the standard subordinate key—thus this makes it very different from a a subordinate (secondary) theme. However, note that in Beethoven Pf Sonata Op 2 No 1, there is an underlying sonata principle at work: the interior theme begins in the relative minor, but quickly moves to the key of the dominant (the standard subordinate key)—and the theme that is stated in the subordinate key is restated in the tonic key during the coda.
F. Organization: 3PSF, occasionally 2PSF
1. Often the 3PSF is left structurally incomplete, often in ways that significantly distort the form:
a) Lack of an authentic cadence
b) Entire A’ section omitted
c) Contrasting middle section (B) of 3PSF may be eliminated, followed directly by a retransition—often substantial.
2. It is likely to be a shorter, more concise design than the principal theme. It is even possible that it is a one-part form.
G. As a rule, the interior theme is left on the dominant of the home key, in order to facilitate the return.
X. Discussion of the Structure of Part III; Coda
A. Usually the third part is structured the same as the first, although typically with numerous ornamental changes
XI. Hybrid and Dubious Forms
A. It is quite possible for a 3PSF to have the breadth more suitable to an entire movement, and also for First Rondo forms to be so concise that they almost seem like 3PSF.
1. Breadth
a) Mendelssohn SWW Op 16 #3
b) Chopin Nocturne No. 4 Op 15 #1
2. Concision
a) Schubert Pf Sonata Op 143 Andante
b) Beethoven Pf Sonata Op 79/ii is a small but genuine First Rondo.
XII. Examples for Study
A. Haydn Symphonies
1. No. 89/ii
2. No. 92/ii
3. No. 104/ii
B. Haydn String Quartets
Op. 54, No. 2/iv (unusual structure)
Op. 64, No. 3/ii (Part I 2PSF, extended coda)
Op. 64, No. 4/iii (Part I 3PSF (A mods to V); Part II main theme in parallel minor; transitional passage at the end of Part II; codetta as extended final cadence)
Op. 64, No. 5/ii (“The Lark”) (Part I 3PSF; A is double parallel period with mod to V; A’ is considerably rewritten but moves to I; the ending of it serves as transition.) Part II: lowered mediant (C Major) clearly derived from main theme; Part II moves into V of A. Part III keeps the same modulation to V as did Part I—it is left to an extended coda to bring us back to I, which includes a restatement of the primary theme—although quickly developed.
Op. 64, No. 6/ii (Part I 2PSF; each part repeated with variation. Immediately into Part II—parallel minor—and change of mood, although motivic connections are clear; goes to V. Part III is Part I, but with a wonderful violin 1 obbligato and some incredible harmonic riches.)
Op. 71, No. 2/iv (Part I 3PSF with standard repeats; Part II in parallel minor; Part III pretty much Part I—but then Part III repeats as an Allegro—and then there’s a fast coda!)
Op. 74, No. 3/ii (“Rider”) (Part I 3PSF; both parts repeated. Part II in parallel minor, moving into transition at end to V; Part III is an ornamented Part I; short coda beginning at measure 60 which sounds like the primary theme.) (Good starting point for lecture…)
Op. 76, No. 2/ii (Part I 3PSF with wonderful extension in B; note also that due to the slow tempo it is in 2-bar phrases, although they sound like 4-bar ones. Each of the two main sections is repeated. Part II in parallel minor (d minor), but quickly moving into F Major and Bb Major—and wonderful transition back to Part I. Part III is ornamented (highly!) repeat of Part I, with written out repeats; extended sectional coda, including a little first violin cadenza—remember that these would be written with Salomon in mind.)
Op. 76, No. 5, I (Part I 3PSF; A repeats with surprising move to vi on repeat; A’ is ornamented A. Part II: starts ambiguously but is quickly revealed as parallel minor (d minor) that also likes to move into F Major. Part II 3PSF but with quite a lot of freedom; Part III is an ornamented Part I; a delayed final cadence leads into an extended coda Allegro, which actually recapitulates the form in some ways.)
C. Haydn Piano Trios
6/ii (Second Movement (of two), Tempo di Minuetto.) Part I 3PSF A is modulating parallel period; A’ has a slight coda. Part II in F Minor—parallel minor—also in 3PSF with extended A’. Part III has a coda which begins almost as a repeat of Part III.)
8/ii (Second Movement (of two), Tempo di Minuetto.) (Part I 3PSF with extended transition between B and A’. Part II 3PSF in parallel minor (Bb Minor) A is parallel period with codetta; B moves as expected, but the return to A’ is cut off entirely, and instead we move directly to Part III. (The dominant at the end of B makes this quite possible.) Part III contains a coda.)
11/ii (Second movement (of two), Tempo di Minuetto.) (Part I 3PSF; A contrasting period; A’ has a coda. Part II 3PSF in subdominant; A parallel period with modulation to V (6-measure phrase lengths); B is properly transitional; A’ is fairly straightforward. Transitional passage 6 measures; Part III begins an expansion at the end of B (and then repeats part of the expansion); A’ is expanded with an extensive coda.)
15/ii (Part I 2PSF; A is a parallel period moving to V; B could easily move back to A’ but doesn’t. Part II in C Minor (parallel minor); motivically derived from Part I. 3PSF; A’ returns us to the tonic with a very slight transition back to C Major. Part III is an ornamented Part I; slight coda.)
18/ii (Part I Incipient 3PSF A parallel period by identity; moves to relative major; B starts C Major (relative major) and modulates quickly to V of A minor; A’ consequent of period. Part II is in the parallel major—completely expected—Incipient 3PSF. Part III is an ornamented repeat of Part I, although interestingly enough it moves to a V7—and then the last movement follows attacca.
20/iii
31/ii
30/ii
27/ii
29/I
D. Haydn Piano Sonatas
1. 40 (54)/ii
2. 41 (55)/ii
3. 49 (59)/ii
E. Beethoven Piano Sonatas
1. Op. 2, No. 1/ii
2. Op. 2, No. 2/ii
3. Op. 2, No. 3/ii
4. Op. 7/ii
5. Op. 31, No. 1/ii (very broad)
6. Op. 79, Andante (very concise)
F. Beethoven Violin Sonatas
1. Op. 12 No. 2, Andante
2. Op. 12, No. 3, Adagio
3. Op. 30, No. 2, Adagio
4. Op. 96, Adagio (very concise—probably only 3PSF)
G. Beethoven String Quartets
1. Op. 18 No. 6, Adagio
2. Piano Trio, Op. 11, Adagio
H. Schubert Piano Sonatas
1. Op. 147, Andante
2. Sonata in A Major (1828), Andantino (Interior Theme is an episode of fantastic character, in sectional form)
3. Sonata in B-Flat Major (1828), Andante
4. Op. 143, Andante (concise; da capo partly transposed)
I. Brahms
1. Pf Quartet Op. 60, Andante
2. Violin Sonata No 1. Op 78, Adagio
3. Horn Trio Op. 40, Adagio mesto (concise)
J. Chopin
1. Nocturne Op. 62, No. 1
2. Nocturne Op. 62, No. 2
3. Nocturne Op. 72, No. 1
K. Ravel: Sonatatine, second movement