ABAC Form

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Section 12.3 ABAC Form

Many popular songs from the 1930s–1950s were in the 32-bar ABAC form. Well-known examples include “White Christmas ¹,” “Someday My Prince Will Come ²,” and “When I Fall In Love ³.”

“Star Dust” is an example of an ABAC form that is usually performed with a verse preceding the refrain.

Table 12.3.1. Hoagy Carmichael, “Star Dust” (1927)

0:00–0:13	Introduction, 4 bars
0:13–1:13	Verse, 16 bars (8 bars + 8 bars)

1:13–1:41	A section, 8 bars
1:41–2:07	B section, 8 bars
2:07–2:32	A section, 8 bars
2:32–2:57	C section, 6 bars

2:57–3:12	Coda, 4 bars

The ABAC form may also occur as ABAB’ where the B’ section begins the same as the B section but ends differently.

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Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom

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Section 12.3 ABAC Form