By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

• understand how a given sonata form movement could be analyzed, following the method in Caplin 1998
• discuss how the formal elements of sonata form might have equivalents in other repertoires

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:

• the transposition of the groove up a minor second in verse 3, as compared to the use of a contrasting key for the subordinate theme in a Classical sonata, and the “truck-driver’s” or “pump up” modulation in pop music (see Everett 1997, 151, nn. 17–18; Ricci 2000, 130–33).
• whether “King Kunta” might be heard as tripartite generally, or as a manifestation of sonata form specifically (exposition (0:00–2:04), development (2:04–2:26), recapitulation (2:26-3:04)). This connection might be made in terms of text focus, groove structure, or other musical features.
• the features of the “outro” section that are similar to codas in sonata form
• the use of silence in “King Kunta” as fulfilling a similar formal function to standing on the dominant in sonata form

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.