What muscial form preceded the sonata allegro form that was often considered dramatic and rewarding.
Considered Dramatic and Rewarding, by whom.
In the Baroque period, Handel did some da capo arias, in the ABA form, among which http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1xlYIoekE8 most of us find dramtatic and rewarding.
Bach wrote in the ABA form, da capo arias, also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_aIAPGEDvE is to me dramatic.
Bach's fugue often used a variation of the ABA form, in four parts, typically.
Here is one of his few ABA in three parts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxuMO1-WWvA
symphonie fantastique, which depicts an artist's execution by guillotine, was written by the nineteenth century composer
The musical form that preceded the sonata-allegro form and was often considered dramatic and rewarding is the Baroque-era form called the ritornello form. To understand how this form led to the development of the sonata-allegro form, let me explain both forms in detail.
The ritornello form was commonly used during the Baroque period, particularly in concertos and fast-paced instrumental compositions. It is characterized by the alternation between tutti sections and solo or small group sections. The term "ritornello" means "little return" in Italian, referring to the repeated tutti sections that serve as a musical refrain.
In the ritornello form, a specific melodic theme, called the ritornello theme, is introduced at the beginning by the whole ensemble (tutti). This theme then recurs throughout the piece, usually in the same key and with similar orchestration. In between the ritornello sections, soloists or smaller instrumental groups perform contrasting episodes called episodes or interludes. These episodes showcase virtuosic display and variations on the ritornello theme.
Moving on to the sonata-allegro form, it emerged in the Classical period as a response to the ritornello form's repetitive nature. Composers started experimenting with a more dramatic and developmental structure. The sonata-allegro form, also known as sonata form or first-movement form, became the primary structure for the fast-paced opening movements of symphonies, sonatas, and concertos.
The sonata-allegro form consists of three main sections: exposition, development, and recapitulation. The exposition presents two contrasting themes: the primary theme and the secondary theme. These themes are typically in different keys, creating tension and tonal contrast. After the exposition, the development section follows, where the themes are fragmented, developed, and explored harmonically and melodically. Finally, the recapitulation restates the exposition's themes, but this time they are in the same key, providing a sense of resolution and completion.
To summarize, the sonata-allegro form, with its distinct dramatic structure, developed as an evolution of the Baroque ritornello form. The ritornello form's repetition and alternating tutti-solo structure paved the way for composers to explore more complex, developmental forms like the sonata-allegro form.