Editing Sonata form (section)

==In concerti==

An important variant on traditional sonata-allegro form is found in the first movement of the Classical [[concerto]]. Here, the sonata-allegro's customary 'repeated exposition' is replaced by two different but related sections: the 'tutti exposition' and the 'solo exposition'. Prototypically the 'tutti exposition' does not feature the soloist (except, in early classical works, in a 'continuo' role), and does not contain the decisive sonata-exposition modulation to the secondary key. Only when the 'solo exposition' is under way does the solo instrument assert itself and participate in the move to (classically) the dominant or relative major. The situation is only seemingly different in the case of Mozart's concerto [[Piano Concerto No. 9 (Mozart)|No. 9]], where the soloist is heard at the outset: as the later unfolding of those movements makes clear, the opening piano solo or early piano flourishes actually ''precede'' the start of the exposition proper.  This presentation is also found in Classical-to-Romantic transition, such as Beethoven's piano concertos [[Piano Concerto No. 4 (Beethoven)|No. 4]] or [[Piano Concerto No. 5 (Beethoven)|No. 5]], and Romantic concertos, like [[Piano Concerto (Grieg)|Grieg's A minor concerto]] or [[Piano Concerto No. 2 (Brahms)|Brahms' B{{music|b}} major concerto]].

A structural feature that the special textural situation of the concerto makes possible is the 'ownership' of certain themes or materials by the solo instrument; such materials will thus not be exposed until the 'solo' exposition. Mozart was fond of deploying his themes in this way.

Towards the end of the recapitulation of a concerto movement in sonata form, there is usually a [[cadenza]] for the soloist alone. This has an improvisatory character (it may or may not actually be improvised), and, in general, serves to prolong the harmonic tension on a dominant-quality chord before the orchestra ends the piece in the tonic.

Some may decline the existence of "double exposition" - they would say the first subject theme actually extends far out from the start of the "tutti exposition" to the first subject of the "solo exposition", meaning there is only one exposition.{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}}