Advanced Higher

Question 1

Anthem

Answer 1

A piece of choral religious music sung in English
Used in the Protestant church during the Renaissance period
It may be accompanied, but it is usually a cappella

Question 2

Ayre/Air

Answer 2

Ayre is the Renaissance word for song
Sung in English with a secular (non-religious) text
Song for a solo singer
Likely to be modal
Usually strophic in form
Normally accompanied by Renaissance instruments such as lute

Question 3

Ballett

Answer 3

Sung in English with a secular (non-religious) text
It is sung a cappella and is strophic in form
It goes “Fa la la”

Question 4

Chorale

Answer 4

A hymn tune sung in German
Written in four parts (SATB)
Mainly syllabic and homophonic

Question 5

Contemporary jazz

Answer 5

A style of modern jazz (essentially a term for jazz music from the 1980s to the present day)
Clear influences of pop and rock

Question 6

EDM

Answer 6

Electronic dance music
Broad range of percussive electronic music genres (e.g. house, dubstep) produced primarily for nightclubs, raves and festivals
Began in the 90s and is still popular today

Question 7

Galliard

Answer 7

Lively dance with three beats in a bar

Usually follows a pavan

Question 8

Madrigal

Answer 8

Sung in English with a secular (non-religious) text
Song in four part harmony (SATB)
Traditionally polyphonic and a cappella
Feature lots of imitation
Normally through-composed
Often uses word painting

Question 9

Motet

Answer 9

Essentially the Catholic equivalent to an Anthem
Sung in Latin
Sung in four part harmony (SATB)
Sung a cappella and is polyphonic in texture

Question 10

Nationalist

Answer 10

Expression of strong feelings for the composers country in their music
Music with a distinct flavour by which the composers nationality may be easily recognised

Question 11

Neoclassical

Answer 11

Combination of forms and structures from earlier periods and 20th century characteristics such as wider melodic leaps, expanded tonal harmonies and unpredictable rhythms
Tonal but may contain some dissonance
May include the use of ornamentation

Question 12

Pavan

Answer 12

Slow, stately dance with two beats in a bar

Usually followed by a galliard

Question 13

Rennaissance

Answer 13

From approximately 1450 - 1600
Renaissance means ‘rebirth’ and marks a period in history where there was a resurgence of interest in music based on the ideas of the ancient Greeks and Romans

Question 14

Serial

Answer 14

20th century music based on the twelve notes of the chromatic scale placed in the composer’s chosen order (this is known as a tone row or note row)
Serial music is highly dissonant and atonal

Question 15

Appoggiatura

Answer 15

Comes from the Italian ‘to lean upon’

Takes half the time value of the main note (two thirds if the main note is dotted)

Question 16

Augmented triad

Answer 16

Major triad but the 5th degree is raised by a semitone

E.g. Eb G B

Question 17

Polytonality / Bitonality

Answer 17

The use of two (bitonality) or more keys (polytonality) simultaneously

Question 18

Suspension

Answer 18

A note from one chord is held over to the next chord creating a discord, and is then resolved by moving one step to make a concord
Adds richness and drama

Question 19

Tone row / Note row

Answer 19

Series of twelve notes used for composing
All the notes are of equal importance and shouldn’t be played out of order
Each note is a different note of the chromatic scale

Question 20

Tritone

Answer 20

A dissonant interval
Sounds harsh and unpleasant
Consists of two notes, three tones away from each other
It lies right between the least harsh sounding intervals: the perfect 4th and perfect 5th

Question 21

Hemiola

Answer 21

A rhythmic effect that gives the impression of a piece of music changing from duple to triple time, or vice versa

Question 22

Turn

Answer 22

An ornament consisting of the note above, the main note, the note below, and the main note again

Question 23

Answer

Answer 23

In a fugue it is the same melody as the first subject but at a higher or lower pitch (usually in the dominant)
A real answer plays the subject using exactly the same intervals
A tonal answer plays the subject using slightly different intervals depending on the key/harmony at that time

Question 24

Antiphonal

Answer 24

Performed by two choirs in interaction, often singing alternate musical phrases
One group of voices or instruments answers another
The ‘old school’ version of call and response

Question 25

Bridge

Answer 25

A link between two themes
A short passage leading from one subject to another
Sometimes used for key changes
Common in sonata form

Question 26

Countersubject

Answer 26

In a fugue, once the subject has been played, the first voice to enter will continue by playing a continuation of the melody called a countersubject

Question 27

Fugue

Answer 27

A contrapuntal composition based on a theme
Usually written in four parts (voices)
The theme (subject) is announced in one voice part alone, then imitated by other voices in close succession

Question 28

Inversion

Answer 28

A tone row played upside down i.e. a mirror image of the original

Question 29

Leitmotif

Answer 29

A short musical theme, like a signature tune, associated with a particular character or plot element
Common in Romantic and film music

Question 30

Song cycle

Answer 30

A group, or cycle, of individually complete songs designed to be performed in a sequence as a unit
They are linked by a common theme or text
Can be solo songs or songs for choir
Usually accompanied by piano but sometimes by small ensembles or full orchestra
E.g. collections of Lieder

Question 31

Retrograde

Answer 31

A tone row played backwards

Question 32

Stretto

Answer 32

In a fugue, when the subject enters rapidly in one voice after the other
Sounds busy and frantic
Often used to build to a climax just before the end of the fugue

Question 33

Subject

Answer 33

The main theme in a composition
The main theme in sonata form
The main theme on which a fugue is based

Question 34

Consort

Answer 34

A group of similar instruments in the Renaissance period
E.g. a consort of lutes or a consort of viols
A consort made up of different instruments is called a ‘broken’ or ‘mixed’ consort

Question 35

Piano trio

Answer 35

A work for piano and two other instruments, normally violin and cello

Question 36

Sprechgesang

Answer 36

A style of half speech and half singing
Sung in German
Used in Expressionist music meaning it is atonal