How does through-composed form differ from strophic song form?

In the context of musical form, the primary difference between strophic and through-composed song forms lies in how the melody relates to the text across successive stanzas.

• Strophic form: This structure is common in hymns and traditional ballads. In this form, different poetic stanzas are set to the same repeating melody.1
• Through-composed form: In contrast, a through-composed song provides new, non-repeating music for each stanza of the text. Unlike strophic works, which rely on the repetition of a melodic unit, through-composed melodies lack a repetitive plan, often following a structure such as a-b-c-d.23

While strophic form emphasizes consistency through the repetition of a musical theme, through-composed form prioritizes continuous musical development without returning to previously heard melodic material.13