[Illustration: Example 53. Fragment of Schumann.]
[Illustration: Example 53 continued.]
This version is as complete as it can conveniently be made upon one single staff (chosen in order to economize space); but the student will find the formal design somewhat more plastically defined in the original, complete form, and he is therefore expected to refer to the latter. Part I is an unusually regular double-period, with three semicadences and a strong perfect cadence, on the original tonic, to mark its conclusion; the double-bar is an additional confirmation of the end of the Part. The second Part runs in the key of E major (the dominant of the original key) throughout; its form is only a phrase, but repeated,—as is proven by the almost literal agreement of the second phrase with the preceding one, cadence and all. Part III agrees literally with Part I in its melodic formation, but differs a little in the treatment of the lower (accompanying) voices.
In the theme of Mendelssohn's pianoforte Variations in E-flat major (op. 82), which see, the design is as follows:—Part I is a period of eight measures. Part II is also an 8-measure period, ending upon the tonic chord of B-flat major (the dominant key), as first eighth-note of the 16th measure; the following eighth-note, b-natural, represents what we have called the Retransition (in its smallest conceivable form), as it fulfils no other purpose than that of leading back into the first tone of the First Part. Part III is only a phrase, and therefore shorter than Part I; but it corroborates the beginning, and, in fact, the entire contents of the First Part.
The plan of Mendelssohn's 28th Song Without Words is as follows:—First number the 38 measures, carefully. The first four measures are an introductory phrase, or prélude; Part I begins in the second half of measure 4 (after the double-bar) and extends, as regular 8-measure period, to measure 12. Part II follows, during the same measure; its form is a period, extending to measure 20, and closing with a very distinctly marked semicadence on the dominant chord (chord of D). Part III is 14 measures long, containing therefore six more measures than the First Part; its first phrase is almost exactly like the first phrase of Part I; its second phrase (measures 25-28) differs from any portion of Part I, but closely resembles the melodic formation of Part II; its third phrase is based upon the preceding one (not as repetition, however), and is expanded to the 34th measure. The form of Part III is phrase-group. The last four measures are codetta, or postlude, and corroborate the prélude.
For exhaustive technical details of the Three-Part Song-form, see the HOMOPHOBIC FORMS, Chapters 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15.