Example 4. “King Kunta” in a lesson plan on sonata form
By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
35 min. Application of Caplin 1998
Spend the majority of class demonstrating how to apply the sonata form theory of Caplin 1998 to a sonata movement of your choice.
15 min. Connections to other repertoires
Explore possible connections between the formal functions of sonata form sections and “King Kunta” (a chart of the song’s form is below). Possible connections to make include:
Here, the point is not so much to argue for a clear correspondence between sonata form and form in “King Kunta,” but to explore possible connections and divergences, deepening student learning around musical features that create form and formal function.
“King Kunta” possible formal sections
Color is used to indicate sections that are identical (same color) or that share some features (the degree of similarity is represented by closeness of shades and/or colors on the color wheel). In some cases (verse 4, interrupted chorus), sections share some elements but not others. Form in this song is complicated, which makes for an even richer in-class discussion.