The book’s primary achievement is the distinction between (e.g., a "sentence" or "sonata") and formal function (the specific role a unit plays, like "beginning," "middle," or "end").
The text is organized with rigorous logic, moving from the smallest building blocks to full movements. William E Caplin Analyzing Classical Form Classical Form: Theory of Formal Functions for ...
: Caplin argues that music has a "unique temporal character." A phrase doesn't just exist; it initiates, continues, or concludes. The book’s primary achievement is the distinction between