Binary Form

Binary is a simple form common in dance-genre pieces such as the minuet, gigue, allemande, trio, and the courante. It is also sometimes found in scherzo movements, which developed as a more exciting replacement for the minuet in symphonic forms.

Binary forms are most easily identified by how repeat signs clearly separate the music into two distinct parts.

Be careful: 1) Other forms also use repeat signsfor binary form, we are looking for two distinct sections.2) Sometimes the repeats are written out and slightly varied.

In binary forms, the second section is often noticeably longer than the first.

Melodic TerminologySimple: (1) A binary form is simple if the music of the second section is completely different from that of the first section. (2) A binary form could also be simple if the music of the second section is almost exactly the same as that of the first section.

Balanced: A binary form is balanced if both sections end with the same music. (They have the same tail. Similar to how many South Park episodes have the same OMG, you killed Kenny at their ends. Do not confuse this with rounded.

Rounded: a binary form is rounded if the second section begins with new material (the digression) but then returns to the music that was heard at the very beginning of the first section. At the end of the digression and before the return to the main tune, there is often a HC and a pause (caesura). Do not confuse this with balanced.

In balanced binary, you hear just the ending material of each section as being the same. In rounded binary, you get a return in the second section of the very first music you hear (the beginning material)

Harmonic TerminologySectional: A binary form is sectional if the first section ends on tonic in the original key.

Continuous: A binary form is continuous if the first section ends away from the original tonic. (Perhaps it closed on V or in a different key.)

LabelingWith the combination of harmonic and melodic terminology, we now have six (6) options for labeling binary forms:

Simple Sectional Simple Continuous Balanced Sectional Balanced Continuous Rounded Sectional Rounded Continuous

Hints for Labeling1. Analyze the last chord of the first section. Is it the original tonic (sectional)? Is it not the original tonic (continuous)?

2. Does the very beginning of the first section come back in the second section after a digression (rounded)?

3. Does just the end of the first section come back to end the second section (balanced)?

4. Are the two sections just completely different or almost exactly the same (simple)?

Note of Interest: Sonata Form stems from Rounded Continuous Binary Form