Strophic form is a musical setting where each stanza of a poem is sung to the same melody. This is a common practice in many musical genres, including:
* Hymns: Many traditional hymns use strophic form, with each verse sung to the same melody.
* Folk songs: Many folk songs follow a strophic structure, allowing for easy memorization and improvisation.
* Art songs: Composers like Schubert, Schumann, and Brahms often set poems to strophic melodies in their art songs.
* Choral music: Strophic settings are popular in choral music, allowing the focus to be on the text and the harmonies.
Examples:
* "Amazing Grace" is a famous hymn that uses strophic form.
* "Greensleeves" is a traditional English folk song with a strophic melody.
* Schubert's "Ave Maria" is an art song set to a strophic melody.
Strophic form is a simple and effective way to set poetry to music, allowing the music to enhance the words without overshadowing them.