Strophic form

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Strophic form (verse-repeating or chorus form) is the simplest and most durable of musical forms, elaborating a piece of music by repetition of a single formal section. This may be analyzed as "A A A...". This additive method is the musical analogue of repeated stanzas in poetry or lyrics and, in fact, where the text repeats the same rhyme scheme from one stanza to the next the song's structure also often uses either the same or very similar material from one stanza to the next.

A modified strophic form varies the pattern in some stanzas (A A' A"...) somewhat like a rudimentary Theme and variations. Contrasting verse-chorus form is a binary form that alternates between two sections of music (ABAB) although this may too be interpreted as constituting a larger strophic verse-refrain form.

Many folk and popular songs are strophic in form, including the twelve bar blues, ballads, hymns and chants. Many classical songs are also in strophic form, from the 17th century French air de cour to 19th century German lieder.

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References

See also

• Through-composed
• Strophe and Antistrophe in the lyrical performances of the Greek chorus

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