Fernando G asked 8 years ago
Hello Jon. I’m going over the beginner’s course, and in lesson 7 you analyse the small ternary form. What I don’t get is why do you called it “Bagatelle”. Are bagatelles in small ternary form? Is it used exclusively (as in every small ternary form piece is a bagatelle)? How do they relate? Or other titles like scherzo, prelude, waltz or mazurka are also in small ternary form, or in other, yet unknown (as of lesson 7) form?
Thanks in advance!
Jon Brantingham Staff answered 8 years ago
Fernando,
The bagatelle is more of a kind of piece. Traditionally they are relatively short, and on the easier to play side of things. They don’t have to fit to any specific form and often may have some additional themes or slightly more development. Small ternary form on the other hand is a primary theme type, and so it can be used as a standalone, or as a section within a larger movement such as sonata form.
I picked the bagatelle as an model for the course as it doesn’t have the baggage that something like sonata form has, but it also leaves some more room for interpretation as to what the final product could be.
There is a decent definition on Wikipedia which I recommend reading through.
Fernando G
replied 8 years ago Thank you for the answer, I see. I don’t know if you address this topic (that is, how are different types of pieces composed, except for the sonata form, which I believe is what the course 201 is all about) in further in other courses, but I hope that sometime in the future you’d be able to upload videos explaining how, say, a minuet is built, or an allamande or a romance, etc. I know there are some articles out there, but I would be great to hear from a person who clearly has a gift for explaining things.
Cheers!