Sonata

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Sonata \So*na"ta\, n. [It., fr. It. & L. sonare to sound. See
     {Sound} a noise.] (Mus.)
     An extended composition for one or two instruments,
     consisting usually of three or four movements; as,
     Beethoven's sonatas for the piano, for the violin and piano,
     etc.


     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The same general structure prevails in symphonies,
           instrumental trios, quartets, etc., and even in
           classical concertos. The sonata form, distinctively,
           characterizes the quick opening movement, which may
           have a short, slow introduction; the second, or slow,
           movement is either in the song or variation form; third
           comes the playful minuet or the more modern scherzo;
           then the quick finale in the rondo form. But both form
           and order are sometimes exceptional.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  sonata
       n : a musical composition of 3 or 4 movements of contrasting
           forms

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  34 Moby Thesaurus words for "sonata":
     Nachtmusik, absolute music, adaptation, air varie, aleatory,
     aleatory music, arrangement, chamber music, chamber orchestra,
     composition, descant, electronic music, etude, exercise,
     harmonization, incidental music, instrumental music, invention,
     nocturne, opus, orchestration, piece, production, program music,
     ricercar, score, sonatina, string orchestra, string quartet, study,
     theme and variations, trio, variation, work
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  Sonata
       
           The code name for the major {Mac OS}
          release due in mid-1999.
       
         
       {(http://devworld.apple.com/mkt/informed/appledirections/mar97/roadmap.html)}.
       
          (1997-10-15)