Sonata

Description

Sonata is a genre of instrumental music that typically consists of several movements with contrasting tempos and themes. It is often composed for a solo instrument, such as the piano, or a solo instrument accompanied by piano.

History

The sonata form emerged in the late Baroque period and became a significant genre during the Classical period. It evolved from earlier instrumental forms and became a key structure in the works of composers like Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. The sonata form typically includes three or four movements, with the first movement often in sonata-allegro form, characterized by an exposition, development, and recapitulation.