Rondos

Rondos, in music, refer to a form in which a principal theme, or refrain, recurs multiple times, alternating with contrasting episodes. The term derives from the Italian rondo and the French rondeau, both connected with the idea of a repeating refrain. Rondos originated in the 17th century as light instrumental pieces in Baroque music and became especially common as movements in keyboard suites and chamber works.

Common rondo designs include ABACA and ABACABA, though many variants exist. In a typical rondo, the A section presents a memorable theme that returns after each contrastive episode (B, C, etc.). The episodes modulate away from the tonic, but the form frequently returns to the home key for the A returns and the ending. Some rondos include a concluding coda that emphasizes the refrain.

In the Classical era, rondos became a standard final movement in sonatas, string quartets, and concertos. Composers such as Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven used the form to provide a satisfying, cyclical close. Notable examples include Mozart's Rondo alla Turca (the final movement of Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K. 331) and Beethoven's Rondo a capriccio, Op. 129, often nicknamed Rage Over a Lost Penny. The rondo continued to appear in Romantic and 20th-century music, sometimes in expanded or freer variants.