Fortspinnung

Fortspinnung (English: spinning-forth) is a German term conceived in 1915[1] to refer to a specific process of development of a musical motif.

In this process, the motif is developed into an entire musical structure by using sequences, intervallic changes or simple repetitions.

Thus the Forspinnungsprinzip counters the principle of the German Periode, common to the Wiener Klassik sonata, which is metrically finite (albeit not closing, as such).

It is also possible to use the fortspinnung form term that stands for a structure with three parts: In Baroque music, melodies and their lyrics were prose.

[opening gesture] [amplification...] [...] [...] [close] This developmental process and its resulting musical structure are used mainly in the Baroque period.