On the Nature of Structural Framing
Structural framing is the reference to initial material at the end of a formal unit; this formal unit might be a theme, section, movement or even a multi-movement work. Structural framing is a special kind of thematic restatement that is fundamentally distinct from recapitulation or apotheosis. Whereas a recapitulation associates the beginning of one section with the beginning of another section, a structural frame associates the beginning of one section with its end. Thus a recapitulation is a re-beginning, an apotheosis is a triumphant arrival, and a structural frame is a closing gesture – a parting ‘adieu’ that assists the listener in the conceptual encompassment of a formal unit.