1.7 Expository and developmental

In order to listen with a larger perspective of a musical work, it is important to distinguish between expository and developmental passages.

The function of an expository section is to establish identity . Its goal is to make a musical material memorable and recognizable . “My name is Bond—James Bond” is an expository statement.

The following are examples of expository statements:

Whereas an expository section shows what a musical material is , a developmental section shows what the material can do . Development sections are characterized by instability and rapid change; they postpone rest . 007 jumps from a plane and speeds down a mountainside on one ski, pursued byvillains from every direction. This is an example of development .

The terms exposition and development are commonly used in classical music, to denote large sections wherematerial is either introduced or rapidly transformed. However, the concept of expository or developmental may be generalized to any kind of music.

Distinguishing between the expository and the developmental

Stability facilitates recognition: That is why suspects in a police line-up are asked to stand still. Inmusic, expository statements are usually “grounded” in some way: They are often repetitive; and they are often supported by a fixed,reliable accompaniment.

On the other hand, if a suspect is trying to escape, it is better to keep moving . In developmental passages , stability is undercut: Repetitions become more cursory andincomplete; fixed accompaniments are absent.

The opening of the fourth movement of Robert Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E-flat Major is grounded by bothextensive repetition and a steady accompaniment.

In the following developmental passage, Schumann’s theme is no longer anchored: The instruments enter inimitation, pushing the music towards new destinations. Notice that the original steady accompaniment is replaced by faster movingfigures.

As in the Schumann example, the opening of the second movement of Bela Bartok’s String Quartet No. 2 is groundedby repetition and a steady accompaniment.

Once again, in the following developmental passage, the music becomes more mobile and unrooted.

As the above examples indicate, the pace of events speeds up in developmental passages. Thus, whereas expository passages allow the time for complete statements , development passages are characterized by fragmentation . Fragmentation enables the music’s progress to accelerate. When you travel, you can’t bring all of your belongings with you; instead,you bring just an overnight bag with a change of clothes. Similarly, you can’t afford to carry a whole theme with you duringa developmental passage: Taking the time to play the theme in its entirety would slow you down. Instead, you must travel “light,”with just a fragment of the theme.

The Finale of Mozart’s Symphony no. 40 in g-minor begins with the following expository statement. Note howeach half of the theme is repeated, increasing its stability.