| Hierarchical level | Function/type | Label | Short label | Short explanation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phrase level | Function | antecedent | ant | 2-bar bi, 2-bar ci, ending with HC or IAC |
| Subphrase level | Function | basic idea | bi | Smallest formal unit of a theme (typically 2 bars in length) |
| Subphrase level | Function | cadential idea | cad | Realizes a cadential progression at the end of a theme/phrase |
| Section level | Function | closing theme | cls | follows the EEC, new melodic material or primary theme based |
| Section level | Function | coda | coda | Module or section after the recapitulation, framing the movement (as an after-the-end function) |
| Section level | Function | codetta | cdta | closing section, various lenghts (single bar up to a larger phrase) → post-cadential |
| Subphrase level | Function | compound basic idea | cbi | Basic idea is enlarged; it consists of two distinct parts, featuring prolongational harmony (rather than ending with a cadence). |
| Phrase level | Function | consequent | cons | Following a first thematic phrase, there is a restatement of bi, closing with ci on PAC. |
| Subphrase level | Function | continuation | cont | Second part of sentence, leads to cadence at the end (HC, IAC or PAC), unless the theme is of the dissolving type |
| Subphrase level | Function | continuation idea | conti | An idea, different from the basic idea, initiating the continuation phrase of a sentence. |
| Subphrase level | Function | contrasting idea | ci | Smallest formal unit of a theme (typically 2 bars in length); is in (melodic and/or harmonic) contrast to a preceding basic idea. |
| Section level | Function | development section | dev | 4 modules: 1) link from exposition; 2) entry zone; 3) central-action zone; 4) retransition |
| Section level | Function | essential expositional closure | eec | structural close of exposition |
| Section level | Function | essential sonata closure | esc | structural close of whole sonata |
| Section level | Function | exposition | exp | Two-part or continous form/type |
| Section level | Function | first theme | 1st | This is the first theme occuring in a theme zone, whether the primary, the secondary or the closing theme zone. |
| Subphrase level | Function | fragmentation | frag | breaking melodic material and/or formal units into smaller chunks |
| Phrase level | Type | hybrid1 | hyb1 | Antecedent + continuation |
| Phrase level | Type | hybrid2 | hyb2 | Antecedent + cadential progression |
| Phrase level | Type | hybrid3 | hyb3 | compound basic idea + continuation |
| Phrase level | Type | hybrid4 | hyb4 | compound basic idea + consequent |
| Section level | Function | introduction | intro | Module or section before the exposition, framing the movement (as a before-the-beginning function) |
| Phrase level | Type | period | pd | Two-part structure, consisting of an antecendent (HC or IAC) and a consequent (concluded by PAC) |
| Section level | Function | postcadential | pcad | material after the cadential arrival; after PAC → closing section / codetta, after HC → standing on V ; “Anhang” in historical terminology |
| Subphrase level | Function | presentation | pres | First part of sentence, containts two bi’s (rarely one or three bi’s), but does no lead to no cadence. |
| Section level | Function | primary theme | pt | Establishes home key, presents primary melodic material, and/or introduces the instrumental apparatus. Also refer |
| Section level | Function | primary theme zone | ptz | Establishes home key, presents primary melodic material, may contain more than one → primary themes |
| Section level | Function | recapitulation | recap | Essential sonata closure and re-composition |
| Section level | Function | retransition | rtr | More specifically, in the classial style it concerns section between formal cadence and return of a new largeV or I in preparing the repeat of the exposition |
| Movement level | Type | ritornello form | ritornello | Six part structure: 1) opening ritornello for orchestra, 2) a solo section, 3) subordinate-key ritornello for orchestra, 4) solo section functioning as recapitulation, 6) closing ritornello for orchestra interrupted by solo cadenza |
| Movement level | Type | rondo form | rondo | Alternation of refrain (invariably in the tonic key, or changing keys) and contrasting couplets |
| Movement level | Type | rounded_binary | ABA’ structure, grouped such that a bipartite design emerges (also known as Minuet form). | |
| Section level | Function | second theme | 2nd | This is the second theme occuring in a theme zone, whether the primary, the secondary or the closing theme zone. |
| Section level | Function | secondary theme | st | leads to PAC in subordinate key and EEC |
| Section level | Function | secondary theme zone | stz | leads to PAC in subordinate key and EEC, may contain more than one theme |
| Section level | Function | section | sec | Generic designator of a larger-scale unit of a formal whole (e.g., exposition, development). |
| Phrase level | Type | sentence | sent | Two-part structure, consisting of a presentation (no cadence) and a continuation (concluded by a half or full cadence). The presentation in turn is made up of two (less frequently one or three) basic ideas. |
| Movement level | Type | simple_binary | AB or AA’ | |
| Movement level | Type | simple_binary.balanced | AB or AA’, with rhyming endings. | |
| Movement level | Type | sonata form | sonata | Blending binary and ternary components, it involves a modulation and cadential confirmation of a secondary key (first part) as well as a transposition section (recapitulated 2nd theme in the tonic key; second part) |
| Movement level | Subtype | sonata form.type1 | sonata.type1 | Sonata form without development section |
| Movement level | Subtype | sonata form.type2 | sonata.type2 | Sonata form with second half merging development and recapitulation (typically lack of double return) |
| Movement level | Subtype | sonata form.type3 | sonata.type3 | Ternary sonata form (i.e., with main theme recapitulation) |
| Movement level | Subtype | sonata form.type4 | sonata.type4 | Rondo-sonata form / sonata-rondo form |
| Movement level | Subtype | sonata form.type5 | sonata.type5 | Concerto sonata form |
| Movement level | Type | ternary | Tripartite structure; if [A][BA’], it is referred to as “rounded binary”. | |
| Movement level | Type | ternary.da_capo | ABA; exact repetion of A without repeats. | |
| Movement level | Type | ternary.through_composed | ABC; tripartite structure with no repetitive relationships between the sections involved. | |
| Section level | Function | transition | tr | Independent/new material or dissolving (primary based), move towards MC |
| Movement level | Type | unary form | unary | Structure without large-scale thematic repetition, potentially subdivided by caesurae and/or contrasting sections |
Vocabulary
Form labels and abbreviations
The table below is a subset of https://cloud.bruckneruni.at/index.php/s/awFF9yZE3reSxoG?dir=/&openfile=true which is still work in progress. These include the most relevant labels and abbreviations for piloting the guidelines.
The vocabulary of formal concepts referring to formal functions is grouped according to their position in the formal hierarchy: Movement, Section, Phrase, Subphrase levels. Each term corresponds either to a formal type or a formal function. Most labels come with an abbreviation which is the preferred way to use it.
In order to learn about how labels are combined, please refer to Syntax.