How aware were Classical period composers of sonata form?

Question

I am interested in how consciously composers like Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven would have written pieces in sonata form, and whether they wrote any treatises or descriptions of their pieces that approach a modern understanding of sonata form (i.e. exposition, theme one in tonic, theme two in dominant, development, recapitulation). 

It's highly likely they would be aware of common sonata form features in sonatas, but did they actually acknowledge it?

Thanks for any answers, it is quite hard to find any useful information on this online but apologies if a similar question has already been asked.

Jason · Accepted Answer

Of course they were conscious of what they were doing. They knew they were writing in sonata form. They wouldnt have just composed a piece and it suddenly was just Sonata form. They structured it on purpose in that way. It was the absolute convention during the Classical era. If Haydn or Mozart did it any different way for their first movement of the symphony it would be considered a kind of blasphemy. Beethoven did what he liked basically. He still wrote Sonata form in the exact structure but may have added a motif (like in his 5th symphony). 

To sum it up yes they did structure it according to the specific form. They may not have called it exactly an exposition with the 1st theme bridge and 2nd theme, development recap. They definitely had to call it something. As far as I know there are no known notes that they wrote about their pieces. Maybe try looking for original copies of the score and see if it is marked at all

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How aware were Classical period composers of sonata form?

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