A Form

When I teach composition to my small and big students I always spend some extra time and repeat again how important it is to have a form: beginning, middle part and ending. How to arrange them, so that they work.

It’s like a cake: when all the ingredients are mixed without a clear logic, without a balance, are messed up, one cannot expect the piece to function, to reach a heart of the listener, to be attractive. I rarely meet people (listeners and composers) who like a “messy” music. But agree, you won’t listen to such music every Sunday morning.

So, conditionally, in a piece there is always some kind of

– Introduction

– A-part

– B-part

– often C-part and

– an Ending

A-part – usually the main point is a contrast to B-part. C-part is a contrast to A and B, but shouldn’t be totally disconnected from them, otherwise the piece will fall apart. So, the C-part should have elements from the A and/or B.

Introduction should give a hint, a suggestion of what awaits us in the main part. A-part is main part of the body of a piece. B-complements it and gives a contrast, as well as creates some tension. C – part can bring additional drama (like the third person messing up a relation between the two loving people 🙂 ) Ending is a conclusion to all that happened.