Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content
Sign In Skip to Content

Music
Education
Guide

 

Understanding music

Form and structure

The element of form explores the overall structure of pieces of music and the parts within these broader structures, such as repetition and variation.

Some pieces of music conform to specific structures including binary form (A-B), where, two sections have differing themes or motifs, ternary form (A-B-A), sonata form or song form, but composers take many diversions from established structures in their work.

The music from different cultures also has established musical forms. For example, in Northern Indian classical music the raga (an Indian mode or scale) may initially be elaborated upon quite slowly and lead into an extensive improvisational passage which is usually much faster. The range of musical forms is enormous and constantly evolving; these are just a few examples.

Song form

Some songs just have a verse and a chorus. Usually the melody of verses is the same, but the lyrics change. The chorus has the same lyrics and melody. But many contemporary songs also have a pre-chorus, and/or a pre-verse and a bridge that is often different to all other parts of the song. It is often the climax of the song. Songs also have codas, which are small endings often drawing on the chorus.

Variations on themes

A theme is established and then embellished in a range of ways. Often a piece pays homage to the work of another composer.

  • ‘Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis’, by Ralph Vaughan Williams, performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
  • ‘Piano Variations on a Theme’, by Robert Schumann performed by Clara Schumann.

Symphonic form

Symphonies often have four movements. The first movement has a fast tempo, the second a slow tempo, the third is often a dance form or scherzo (suggesting a joke) and the fourth is often a rondo (meaning round and round or back to the original theme). Within each movement there are further structures.

Examples of symphonic form

‘Symphonia Eluvium’ by Elena Kats-Chernin. Performed by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra

This symphony was developed in response to the Queensland floods of 2011. The composer’s notes describe the form of the work:

I had begun composing a symphony about Brisbane, commissioned by the Brisbane Festival, when in January 2011 the tragedy of the Queensland floods struck. I decided to completely rethink the concept and start from scratch. The symphony became my response to the enormously devastating event that cost lives and destroyed so much, but also united people in so many ways. The symphony’s four movements were inspired by: the emotional turbulence and noise of the floods, the aftermath, the stories of the survivors, the incredible efforts from people around the country, including the Mud Army, coming to help and clean up, remembering the dead, reflecting on what had happened, and the powerful optimism that soon emerged to rebuild and move on.

© Elena Kats-Chernin, used with permission

Ideas for learning about form

Primary

Use a range of shaped cards (circles, triangles, squares) or picture cards relating to different phrases in songs students sing and ask students to place down the correct cards for each different phrase they hear and the same card for repeating phrases. For example with Heads and Shoulders Knees and Toes, students would use a different card for each phrase. They might like to point out how the first line differs to the second. Different movements or use of different body percussion or non-melodic percussion for each line by different groups of students also helps them listen for and respond to the structure.

Secondary

Students listen to parts of Gustav Holst’s ‘The Planets’ that is in ‘Suite’ form because a series of pieces are united by a common theme. Students listen to Jupiter and are told it is one of the planets in the solar system but not told which one. They draw the planet they think it might be as they listen and describe why they think this. Students compose three short soundscapes about different aspects of space to create a suite. Or different groups may each create a piece to go towards the class Space Suite. Soundscapes could be about black holes, aliens, stars, meteorites or the Pillars of Creation.

Just take a look at the images from Hubble for some inspiration.

Musicals

Musicals also have a distinctive form, beginning with an instrumental overture that combines features from the songs that follow. Songs usually include upbeat ensemble pieces, ballads and often, humorous or character pieces. Depending on the age of students and their interests, compare the structure of the sequencing of pieces in a range of musicals.

Musicals have their roots in music hall and opera. Students can read up on these different forms and perhaps create their own musical themes.

Kate Miller-Heidke recently composed the score for the opera, The Rabbits, based on the book of the same name by Australian authors John Marsden and Shaun Tan. Watch the song ‘Where?’ from this opera and talk about its structure. How is the shaping of this piece similar or different to songs and arias in other theatrical musical scenarios and how is its form conducive to a theatrical production?

Talk about ‘builds’ in such ballads and ask students to write a ballad for a theatrical production based on their knowledge of this form.

Secondary

Famous sitar player, Ravi Shankar, collaborated with George Harrison from The Beatles on the piece ‘Prbhujee’, written by Ravi Shankar. Students can compare the form of this piece and also the fusion of cultures in its structure with the more traditional form of Indian classical music used by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan on sarod. Listen to his Raga Bageshri (Sarod).

‘Family’, by Icelandic singer Björk, has an interesting form. Ask students to describe the use of melodic repetition and the variation in accompaniment and how this impacts on their perception of the form of the piece. What is being expressed in this piece and how does Björk go about achieving her intended meaning? How do Andrew Thomas Huang’s visuals impact on the meaning?

Link arrow. 

Musical theatre

Back to Top