The knowledge that finales are by tradition (and perhaps also necessarily) "different" from other movements has been around a long time, but this work examines, comprehensively and in detail, the special nature of finales in instrumental music.
Why are finales different from other movements? Why can we nearly always tell whether a movement comes first or last in a work with several movements? Is the special character of finales necessary as well as traditional? Michael Talbot explores these questions in depth. His wide-ranging analytical and historical survey covers instrumental (and some vocal) music from the Renaissance up to the present day.
One of the strengths of Talbot's attitude towards his very diverse material is his straightforwardness concerning the reasons for subtle, gradual changes in the nature of the finale.
