ANALYZING CLASSICAL FORM

Contrasting Middle (B)

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The contrasting middle of the small ternary is more loosely organized than
the preceding exposition. This looser organization is achieved by a variety of
means, foremost among them being harmonic. The B section often starts on the
home-key dominant and, with few exceptions, concludes with that harmony.
(In some cases, the section consists entirely of a single dominant prolongation.)
Prominent sequential progressions within the B section can reinforce this harmonic instability all the more.
The contrasting middle also achieves a looser organization through
phrase-structural means. The B section is usually less symmetrical than the A section
and frequently undergoes extensions, expansions, etc. Occasionally, the B section
contains an 8-m. sentence ending with an HC; but the period form is rarely (if ever)
used. Most typically, however, the individual phrase functions identified within the
B section do not normally come together to yield a conventional theme type.
Whereas the B section contrasts with the A section primarily by means
of harmony and phrase structure, the appearance of new melodic-motivic
material can create contrast as well. The B section may also feature prominent
changes in dynamics, articulation, texture, and accompanimental figuration.
The use of polyphonic devices, especially motivic imitation among the voices,
often distinguishes the contrasting middle from the exposition, which is usually
more homophonic in texture.
Standing on the Dominant
In the simplest cases, the B section is supported exclusively by dominant harmony (either literally or prolonged). The formal function of this passage can
more technically be termed a standing on the dominant.
Typically a new 2-m. idea is introduced and repeated. If the section is longer than four measures, fragmentation may then ensue (look ahead to Ex. 7.10
for an illustration).
Example 7.5: the entire B section prolongs L7. Observing the right-hand part alone, we
might identify a 1-m. unit that is simply repeated three times. But the octave-leaping
gesture of the left-hand part groups mm. 67 into a single 2-m. idea, which is repeated
in mm. 89. Remember: when identifying repeated units, make sure not to overlook the
largest-sized units (see again the text box Analyzing Fragmentation in Chap. 6).
NO CADENCE AT END OF STANDING ON THE DOMINANT

It is easy to automatically place an HC label at the end of a standing on

the dominant, especially, as in Example 7.5, where the final event brings a
fermata, to create a clear stop in the musical motion.
(continued)