cyclic form

In musical analysis, a multi-movement work in which the same motif, theme, melody, or other notable compositional element is used throughout, at times in a different context or manifestation from its original form. Early examples include works by Handel and Vivaldi, but not until the 19th century did this technique reach its fruition, in works including Beethoven's Fifth Symphony (1808), Liszt's Piano Sonata in B Minor (1853), and compositions based on the theories of Wagner's leitmotif and Berlioz's ‘idée fixe’ (a repeated theme).