Sonata

Originating in the Baroque period as a piece to be played ("suonare"), the sonata evolved into a foundational multi-movement structure in Western classical music. It is primarily composed for a solo instrument, most often a keyboard, or for a solo instrument with piano accompaniment. The form was codified during the Classical era, famously by composers like *Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart* and *Ludwig van Beethoven*, who established a three or four-movement plan centered on dramatic development. Its capacity for both rigorous intellectual design and profound emotional expression secured its place as a principal vehicle for instrumental composition through the Romantic era and beyond.