The knowledge that finales are by tradition (and perhaps also necessarily) 'different' from other movements has been around a long time, but this is the first time that the special nature of finales in instrumental music has been examined comprehensively and in detail. Three main types of finale, labelled 'relaxant', 'summative', and 'valedictory', are identified. Each type is studied closely, with a wealth of illustration and analytical commentary covering the
entire period from the Renaissance to the present day. The history of finales in five important genres — suite, sonata, string quartet, symphony, and concerto — is traced, and the parallels and divergences between these traditions are identified. Several wider issues are mentioned, including
narrativity, musical rounding, inter-movement relationships, and the nature of codas. The book ends with a look at the finales of all Shostakovich's string quartets, in which examples of most of the types may be found.
- ISBN10 0198166958
- ISBN13 9780198166955
- Publish Date 24 May 2001
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 8 March 2021
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Oxford University Press
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 264
- Language English