The Recapitulation

In musical terms, the recapitulation of the sonata form is the closing part of the movement, in which expository themes are restated. Often times, it is a close if not exact repetition of the exposition with regards to material content. Of course, material (the noun) is simply material (the adjective); the matter from which a thing is made only consists of matter and relates to the physical, not the intellectual or spiritual. But, thankfully, music is not single-dimensioned like the physical, but is experienced both intellectually and spiritually as well.

Because this is so, the recapitulation will never, never be the same as the exposition. The contrasting middle section which lies between the exposition and recaptulation, the development, is expressive with gestures of instability and flux; at times, the development is downright stormy and tumultuous. Thus, in listening to a movement as a whole, the recapitulation cannot psychologically be the same experience as the exposition, even if the two share exact material content.

Music is an expression through time. So is life.

I look the same. But I will never, never be the same as I was a year ago. After all, how can the recapitulation be the same after all it has been through.