AQA Music GCSE- AoS5- Structure and Form

Structure and Form

What we will need to recognise in the Exam:

• Binary, ternary, call and response
• Rondo, theme and variations, arch-shape
• Popular song forms
• Ground bass, continuo, cadenza

Binary, Ternary, call and response

Binary

• Two sections of roughly equal length
• First section (A) is then answered by the second section (B)
• Each section is usually repeated
• There is usually a modulation in Section A which is continued into section B where there is another modulation changing the key signature back to the beginning one. 

Ternary

• Built up in three sections: A, B, A
• Section B contains a contrast in some way to Section A
• The repeat of Section A can be exactly the same as the first time or it may have added detail to make it more interesting 

Call and Response

• A musical phrase is sung by one person or musician and is followed by a responding phrase by one person or a group of musicians.
• Common in traditional African Music and African-American music like Gospel
• Think ‘Oh happy days’

Rondo, Theme and variations, Arch-shape

Rondo

• A main theme (A) keeps on returning between contrasting sections
• Would have the structure A, B, A,…