'And the Glory of the Lord' - George Fredric Handel Flashcards
Movement
An independant section within a longer piece of music. (‘And the Glory of the Lord is the fourth movement in Messiah)
Diatonic
Notes belonging to the current key.
Oratorio
A large-scale composition for solo voices, usually on a biblical subject. It is performed on stage rather than in an opera style.
Pitch
The highnes or lowness of a note or piece of music.
System
A group of staves that are played simultaneously.
Motif
A short, distinctive melody or rhythm that is used in various ways to form a much longer passage of music.
Sequence
A motif that is immediatly repeated in the same part, but at a higher or lower pitch.
Imitation
When a melody in one part is copied a few notes later in a different part. The melody in the first part continues.
Modulation
The process of changing key.
Terraced Dynamics
Clear contrast, rather than gradual changes, between loud and soft sections. A feature found in Baroque music.
Syllabic
A vocal style in which each syllable is set to its own note.
Texture
The relationship between the various simultaneous lines in a piece of music.
Homophonic
A texture in which one part (usually the highest) has the melodic interest, which the other parts accompany.
Contrapuntal
A texture that uses counterpoint.
Counterpoint
Two or more different melodies sounding together.
Perfect Cadence
Chord V (the dominant chord) followed by chord I (the tonic chord) at the end of a phrase.
Syncopation
The effect created when accented notes are sounded of the beat of on weak beats, often with rests on some of the strong beats.
Hemiola
A rhythmic device in which two groups of three beats (strong-weak-weak, strong-weak-weak) are performed as three groups of two (strong-weak, strong-weak, strong-weak).
Monophonic
A texture consisting of a single unaccompanied melody, which may be performed by a soloist or by many people performing in unison or in octaves.
General Pause
A total silence in a piece for a number of performers
