Other Musical Forms; Rondos, Fugues, Canons, and more

Rondo

    A rondo is a piece with two or three parts.  The first section is called the "A" section, the second is the "B" and the third, if there is one, is "C." 

     The A is always played first.  Then the B is played and the A is repeated.  If there is a C, the A is returned to after the C is played.

     In the the classical era, there were three common rondo formats:

     A-B-A-B-A

     A-B-A-C-A

     A-B-A-C-A-B-A


    Beethoven String Quartet Rondo Form  (A-B-A-C-A-B-A)  4:30



Fugue


   Video:   "What is a Fugue?"  8.5 minutes

    J.S. Bach - Tocatta and Fugue in D minor  (digital representation)  8.5 minutes


Canon

   A canon is a piece of musical where the primary melody line is played a second (and maybe a third) time after the melody line first starts but before it ends.

  In it's most simplistic form, it is a "round."  Think of singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" as a child.  After the first singer(s) sing "Row, row, row, your boat" the second singer(s) start singing "Row, row, row, your boat" as the first singers sing "Merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream."      


   Pachelbel - Canon in D (digital representation)  4.5 minutes




Theme and Variations