Which section restates the main themes in the home key, often in shortened form?

• A. Recapitulation
• B. Exposition
• C. Development
• D. Coda

Answer: (A)

In sonata form, the section that restates the main themes in the home key is the recapitulation. After the music has wandered through different keys and developmental twists, the recapitulation brings back the initial themes, but this time all in the tonic key, often condensed for a concise return. This creates a sense of return and unity, letting listeners recognize the familiar ideas in a stable key before the movement concludes. By contrast, the exposition is where those themes are first introduced, typically in contrasting keys; the development develops and modulates them, and a coda serves as a concluding tail, not primarily a restatement of the main themes in the home key.