Development (music)

This practice has its roots in counterpoint, where a theme or subject might create an impression of a pleasing or affective sort, but delight the mind further as its contrapuntal capabilities are gradually unveiled.

15 in D major, Op 28 (the "Pastoral" Sonata) shows a number of these processes at work on a small scale.

Charles Rosen (2002) marvels at the simplicity of the musical material: "The opening theme consists of nothing but four F sharps in descending octaves, followed by a light and simple I/ii/V7/I cadence with a quirky motif repeated four times.

The bass line traces a decisive progression through a rising chromatic scale:To quote Rosen again, writing à propos of this movement: "As Beethoven's contemporary, the painter John Constable, said, making something out of nothing is the true work of the artist.

For instance, the “immensely energetic sonata movement”[6] that forms the main body of the overture to Mozart’s Opera Don Giovanni announces the following theme during the initial exposition.