Binary Form

• made up of A (statement) and B (counterstatement) ​

• usually repeats both parts (ex. A A B B)

• usually similar in rhytyhm, melody and texture​

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Binary Form

Listening Guide

• a Bourree is a type of dance-inspired piece in duple meter

• lute is a plucked string instrument popular during the 16th and 17th centuries

• Two-part (binary) form: A A B B

• Duple meter, E minor

• Acoustic guitar or lute ​

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Listen for the two-part form and how a short-short-long rhythm pervades the entire piece. Also notice the downward sequence in the melody near the end of part B.

Bourree from Suite in E Minor for Lute

• about 30 seconds (or 2x as long)

• playful melody moves in leaps

• contains 4 phrases

• ends in minor

Part B

• About 15 seconds long made of two phrases

• melody gradually descends by step

• first phrase in minor, second in major

Part A

​A

0:00 1. Dancelike melody (a) in minor, short-short-long rhythm, moves downward mostly by step. Melody repeats (a'), descends to long, low major chord. Soft dynamic level.

​A

0:14 Part A repeated more loudly ​

​B

0:2​6 2. Three soft phrases with skips and steps, short-short-long rhythm continues; each brief phrase ends with long note in melody

​Fourth phrases quickly descends in sequential repetition of short-short-long pattern; minor key, long low octave ends B.

​B

0:57 Part B repeated ​

• music is continuous in flow and can't always be easily subdivided

• some music won't fit these patterns, but that doesn't make it formless ​

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Listening for Form