Ok so anyone explain the different musical forms?

Sonata -- A three or four movement form or solo instrument or instrument and accompaniment. The first movement is usually allegro and always in the tonic of the piece as a whole. It's also in sonata-allegro form. The 2nd movement is usually a slow movement, adagio maybe, and usually in a related key (dominant, subdominant, relative major, etc.) The third movement is typically a dance, usually a minuet or scherzo and tend to be in the same key as the first movement. If a sonata only has three movements, it usually omits this one. The final movement is usually very fast, sometimes even presto. Like the first movement, it is always in the key of the movement as a whole and is often sonata-allegro as well, or perhaps a related form or even rondo.

Symphony -- A sonata for orchestra, essentially. The symphony shares the structure of the sonata, though it almost always has four movements. The dance movement may be the second movement with the slow movement as the third, as in Beethoven's 9th symphony. Interestingly, the symphony didn't evolve from the sonata as one might expect but actually has its roots in opera overtures. Early symphonies were actually regarded as relatively minor works and were even quite short, about 15 or so minutes on average.

Concerto -- Also a "sonata for orchestra" but with a number of important differences. Concertos are almost always in three movements and lack the dance movement. Their hallmark is the technique of "pitting" a solo instrument and the orchestra against each other. Surprisingly, some composers have written works called "concertos for orchestra".

Sonata form -- Contains three sections, an exposition, a development, and a recapitulation. The exposition contains two themes, the second of which is in a different key, reached by a transition between them, and typically ends with a closing theme or codetta. The development basically breaks those themes down, rearranges the motifs, modulates, etc. to produce a kind of tension, which is resolved by the recapitulation, in which the two themes appear again, though in the same key and with the transition modified.

Theme and Variations -- A theme, usually rather simple and memorable, is presented. The theme goes through a series of variations, where it is modified in various ways, such as changing orchestration, mode, accompaniment, etc. This form is often the basis of independent pieces, but it may appear in larger forms, usually as the slow movement of a sonata or symphony.

Rondo -- An initial theme A appears and other themes B, C, etc. alternate with it, resulting in a form such as ABACA. Rondos are typically fast, though slow movements with the form exist. The sonata and rondo form may be combined into the sonata rondo form, ABACABA in which A and B are the two exposition themes and C is the development.

Dance -- The dance form is used for minuets, scherzos, and various other dances. The form is ABA', with A being the dance, B the trio, and A' a return, often reduced in some way. The A and B sections themselves are usually in binary form AB with a return to the first theme at the end. The A and B sections themselves may be repeated. The trio shares this binary form while the final A' section may lack the repetitions. The overall form becomes thus: AABB-CCDD-AB.

Sonata -- A three or four movement form or solo instrument or instrument and accompaniment. The first movement is usually allegro and always in the tonic of the piece as a whole. It's also in sonata-allegro form. The 2nd movement is usually a slow movement, adagio maybe, and usually in a related key (dominant, subdominant, relative major, etc.) The third movement is typically a dance, usually a minuet or scherzo and tend to be in the same key as the first movement. If a sonata only has three movements, it usually omits this one. The final movement is usually very fast, sometimes even presto. Like the first movement, it is always in the key of the movement as a whole and is often sonata-allegro as well, or perhaps a related form or even rondo.

Symphony -- A sonata for orchestra, essentially. The symphony shares the structure of the sonata, though it almost always has four movements. The dance movement may be the second movement with the slow movement as the third, as in Beethoven's 9th symphony. Interestingly, the symphony didn't evolve from the sonata as one might expect but actually has its roots in opera overtures. Early symphonies were actually regarded as relatively minor works and were even quite short, about 15 or so minutes on average.

Concerto -- Also a "sonata for orchestra" but with a number of important differences. Concertos are almost always in three movements and lack the dance movement. Their hallmark is the technique of "pitting" a solo instrument and the orchestra against each other. Surprisingly, some composers have written works called "concertos for orchestra".

Sonata form -- Contains three sections, an exposition, a development, and a recapitulation. The exposition contains two themes, the second of which is in a different key, reached by a transition between them, and typically ends with a closing theme or codetta. The development basically breaks those themes down, rearranges the motifs, modulates, etc. to produce a kind of tension, which is resolved by the recapitulation, in which the two themes appear again, though in the same key and with the transition modified.

Theme and Variations -- A theme, usually rather simple and memorable, is presented. The theme goes through a series of variations, where it is modified in various ways, such as changing orchestration, mode, accompaniment, etc. This form is often the basis of independent pieces, but it may appear in larger forms, usually as the slow movement of a sonata or symphony.

Rondo -- An initial theme A appears and other themes B, C, etc. alternate with it, resulting in a form such as ABACA. Rondos are typically fast, though slow movements with the form exist. The sonata and rondo form may be combined into the sonata rondo form, ABACABA in which A and B are the two exposition themes and C is the development.

Dance -- The dance form is used for minuets, scherzos, and various other dances. The form is ABA', with A being the dance, B the trio, and A' a return, often reduced in some way. The A and B sections themselves are usually in binary form AB with a return to the first theme at the end. The A and B sections themselves may be repeated. The trio shares this binary form while the final A' section may lack the repetitions. The overall form becomes thus: AABB-CCDD-AB.

This is all very interesting, but heck! I like to just make music! I don't tend to set sights on forms and such because it tends to limit the music I really want to make. ;)

Oh well. It might come in handy. Thanks! :)

Thanks. I understand what youre saying Marlon. I only wanted to know because thorn played an etude.

Thanks. I understand what youre saying Marlon. I only wanted to know because thorn played an etude.

Yes, it's always interesting to read about these things. ^.^

I only wanted to know because thorn played an etude.

An etude (french for study) is a piece composed for practice. In Thorn's case, he was playing a study for the piano.