CHAPTER VII

THE OLDER RONDO FORM

One of the earliest instrumental forms to be worked out[77] was the Rondo, which is merely an extension of the _three-part_ principle of "restatement after contrast" and which, by reason of its logical appeal, has retained its place to this day. Originally the Rondo was a combination of dance and song; that is, the performers sang and danced in a circle--holding one another's hands. The music would begin with a chorus in which all joined, one of the dancers would then sing a solo, after which all would dance about and repeat the chorus; other solos would follow, the chorus being repeated after each. The characteristic feature, then, of this structure is the _continual recurrence_ to a principal motive after intervening contrasts--hence the name Rondo (French, Rondeau); exemplifying a principle found not only in primitive folk-songs and dances but in literature, _e.g._, many of the songs of Burns and the Rondeaux of Austin Dobson. For it is obvious that the form answers to the simplest requirements of unity and contrast. Frequent examples of the Rondo are found in all early instrumental composers: Bach, _e.g._, the charming one in C minor in his third Partita; Couperin, Rameau, Haydn and Mozart. It is found also in vocal works, _e.g._, Purcell's well-known song "I Attempt from Love's Sickness to Fly." From the standpoint of modern taste, however, Beethoven was--with few exceptions--the first to treat the form with real genius; and so our illustrations are taken chiefly from his works and from those of his successors. Although there need be no arbitrary limit to the alternation of the chief part with the subsidiary portions--in fact, Beethoven's humorous _Rondo Capriccio, On a Lost Farthing_ has as many as _eleven_ sections--it gradually became conventional for the form to consist of _five parts_: a first presentation and two repetitions of the main theme together with two contrasting portions called _Episodes_, to which a free Coda was often added. The form would then be A, b, A´, c, A´´, Coda--A´ and A´´ indicating that the repetition need not be _literal_, but often varied rhythmically and harmonically; not, however, so as to obliterate the original outline. For in a well-constructed Rondo the main theme must be one of such direct appeal that we _look forward_ to hearing it _again_; and the successive repetitions must be so planned that we can easily enjoy this pleasure of reminiscence. It also became customary not to block off the sections with rigid cadences but often to insert modulatory passages, thus securing a continuous flow of thought. This practise we see particularly in Beethoven and Schumann. The form which we are discussing is the so-called Older Rondo Form, clearly derived from the dance described above. Beginning[78] with Beethoven, however, we find numerous examples of a different kind of rondo treatment which developed in connection with the Sonata Form--to be explained later. The Rondo-Sonata Form, as it is generally called, is in fact a hybrid type, with certain features derived from rondo structure and certain from the pure sonata form. The Finales to Beethoven's Sonatas, when entitled Rondos, are--with few exceptions--of this Rondo-Sonata type. An excellent example, which should be well known, is the Finale of the Sonata Pathétique. Although there are many cases of _free_ treatment of the rondo principle, they are all based on one or the other of these two fundamental types. Schumann was extremely fond of this Older Rondo Form, as may be seen from his frequent practice of writing two Trios to the Scherzos of his Symphonies. A moment's thought will make clear that a Scherzo with two Trios and the customary repetitions will conform exactly to the pattern given above, _i.e._, A, b, A´, c, A´´ Coda, _e.g._, Scherzo, First Trio = First Episode, First return, Second Trio = Second Episode, Final return and Coda--five portions in all, or six when there is a Coda. For convincing examples see the Scherzos of the First and Second Symphonies. Schumann's well-known _Arabesque_ for pianoforte, op. 18, is a beautiful, clear-cut example of the form; with an interpolated modulatory passage between the first episode and first return, and a poetic Coda which has, for its closing measures, the chief motive in augmentation (already referred to on p. 45). To show Schumann's partiality for this form the student may be referred to Nos. 2 and 8 of the _Kreisleriana_ (op. 16) and to Nos. 1, 2 and 3 of the "Nachtstücke" (op. 23). The third of the _Romances_ (op. 28)--a remarkably free example in the grouping of the material and in the key-relationship--is cited in the Supplement (No. 37). An excellent example (readily accessible), popular by reason of its freedom of treatment, as well as for its inherent sparkle and dash, is the Finale of Weber's Sonata in C major, op. 24--the so-called _Moto Perpetuo_. The most famous example of this form in classical literature is undoubtedly the Finale of Beethoven's _Waldstein Sonata_, op. 53, with its melodious and easily remembered first subject, _e.g._

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its two episodes in A minor and C minor (which afford most dramatic contrasts to the lyric quality of the main subject) and its glorious, long-extended Coda of about three pages.[79]

[Footnote 77: For a complete account of the historical development see the article on Form in Grove's Dictionary Vol. II and Hadow's _Sonata Form_, Chapter IX.]

[Footnote 78: There is an early example in the Rondo of Mozart's Sonata for Pianoforte in B-flat major.]

[Footnote 79: For a complete detailed analysis of the movement see Prout, _Applied Forms_, pp. 120-121.]

As stated above, the Older Rondo-Form has not become obsolete; indeed, by reason of its possibilities for emphasis and contrast it has commended itself to modern composers. Striking examples may be found in the Finale of Brahms's Pianoforte Sonata in F minor, in the Finale of Tchaikowsky's Fourth Symphony and, above all, in the Symphonic Poems of Strauss, _Don Juan_ and _Till Eulenspiegel_, in which the form is admirably adapted to the dramatic needs of these descriptive works. Additional examples, which can be readily procured, are the Slow Movement of the _Sonata Pathétique_, op. 13, Beethoven's well-known _Andante in F major_--remarkable for its brilliant Coda--and his Rondo, already cited, _On the Lost Farthing_. (See Supplement No. 38). Although there is a certain stiffness in this form these examples afford the student excellent rudimentary practise in ease of listening.