Ternary form facts for kids

Ternary form is a musical structure that has three main parts. Imagine it like a musical sandwich! It's also known as song form or minuet and trio. These names all describe music that has three clear sections.

The three sections are usually written as A-B-A. This means the first part (A) is played, then a different part (B) is played, and finally, the first part (A) comes back again.

• The music in the A sections is the same, or very nearly the same. It's like returning to a familiar melody.
• The music in the B section is different from the A sections. This part usually provides a musical contrast. For example, it might be played in a different but related musical key, or it might have a different mood or rhythm.

The B section is often called the "trio," especially in minuets, scherzi, marches, and polonaises. This name came about because a Baroque composer once wrote the B section of his minuets for only three instruments, making it sound lighter and different from the main A sections.

Images for kids

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  Diagram of a minuet and trio

See also

In Spanish: Forma ternaria para niños