What are the Types of Formal Structures

Types of Formal Structures: Formal structure is a concept in music theory, and forms can be categorized into one-part, two-part, and three-part forms.

One-part style: The style of a piece of music composed of one section is called one-part body or one-step style. In the past, the musical image expressed in one-part style was generally more concentrated, and the use of musical expression was relatively simple and unified, which was most common in folk songs all over China.

Two-part form: The form of music composed of two sections is called two-part form or two-part form, and it is characterized by the termination of the first section, which can be completely or incompletely terminated according to the needs of the music. The three-part form: generally refers to the two-part form, and then return to the first section as the end, in order to strengthen the thematic ideas of the first section.

The compound triad is a type of compositional structure that has exactly the same general structure as the single triad, except that in this case each of the three passages also contains a separate compositional structure. A compound triad may be a single two-part form or a single three-part form. In classical works, the middle passage is called the "middle of the trio", i.e. Trio.

Comple two-part form: consists of two parts, each of which is already a single two-part form or a single three-part form in its own right, or one of which is a section, and the other is a single two-part or single three-part form. For example: A (single two-part form) ten B (single two-part form); or: A (single two-part form) + B (phrase).

Categories of Forms

Musical forms can be categorized into two main groups according to traditional music, small forms and large forms. The small ones include one-part, two-part, three-part, two-part, and three-part. The large ones include variations, etudes, sonatas, suites, and librettos.

China's music theorist Professor Yang Ru Huai with the formula *** sexual characteristics, they are summarized as juxtaposed, reproduced, composite, cyclic, variations and sonatas, back to sonata, polyphonic music, suite of tunes and edge of the tune.