What is a musical sonata?

Sonata, type of musical composition, usually for a solo instrument or a small instrumental ensemble, that typically consists of two to four movements, or sections, each in a related key but with a unique musical character.

Who invented the sonata?

Joseph Haydn is thought of as “the Father of the Symphony” and “the Father of the String Quartet”. He can also be thought of as the father of the sonata form as a means of structuring works.

What are the 4 movements of a sonata?

The usual order of the four movements was the following: An allegro, which by this point was in what is called sonata form, complete with exposition, development, and recapitulation. A slow movement, an andante, an adagio or a largo.

Why is it called sonata?

The term sonata is first found in the 17th century, when instrumental music had just begun to become increasingly separated from vocal music. The original meaning of the term (derived from the Italian word suonare, to sound on instrument) referred to a piece for playing, distinguished from cantata, a piece for singing.

What is an example of a sonata?

A strong early example of the sonata form in practice is Pergolesi’s Trio Sonata No. 3 in G Major, written some time before the composer’s death in 1736. Classical-era popularity : Classical-period composers like Franz Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart eventually adopted the form, emphasizing its clear order and structure in their multi-movement works.

What are the parts of a sonata?

Three-part structure. The basic elements of sonata form are three: exposition, development, and recapitulation, in which the musical subject matter is stated, explored or expanded, and restated. There may also be an introduction, usually in slow tempo, and a coda, or tailpiece.

Where did the sonata originate?

sonata (sənä´tə), in music, type of instrumental composition that arose in Italy in the 17th cent. At first the term merely distinguished an instrumental piece from a piece with voice, which was called a cantata.

What is the definition of sonata?

Kids Definition of sonata. : a musical composition for one or two instruments consisting of three or four separate sections in different forms and keys.