Binary Form

As a software developer binary means only one thing ;) A base 2 counting system using the digits 0 and 1. However, in music, the term binary general refers to the structure of a piece, and, not surprisingly, pieces that have two distinct but related sections.

For example; I've recently started playing the piano again, and the current piece I'm working on is a simple Gavotte in G major by Handel. George Frideric Handel was born in 1850, the same year as J.S. Bach. Both composers worked during a period now know as the Baroque era, which extended roughly from 1600 to 1760, and is followed by the Classical period.

During this time binary forms where a common musical structure and a number of variations on this theme exist. The Gavotte piece by Handel is typical of this style, and can be classed as having a 'Rounded Binary' form, A B A, where A and B represent the two sections of music, and the A section is repeated. A free pdf of the sheet music can be found here.