AoS2 - Music for a While Flashcards

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1
Q

Name the instruments used in Music for a While

A

Soprano voice, Bass Viol and Harpsichord

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2
Q

What part do the Bass Viol and Harpsichord (LH) play?

A

Ground Bass

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3
Q

What is a figured bass?

A

Played by the Basso Continuo, where the harpsichord ‘realises’ the harmonies from the figures underneath the score

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4
Q

What is the similarity between the harpsichord parts in Music for a While and Brandenburg?

A

Music for a While and Brandenburg both contain elaborate and decorative RH harpsichord parts

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5
Q

Is the Music for a While text setting syllabic or melismatic?

A

Mainly syllabic, with some extended melismas

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6
Q

What is word painting?

A

Where the music emphasises the words in the text, for example going up on the word ‘heaven’

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7
Q

Where is there an extended melisma in Music for a While?

A

The word ‘eternal’

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8
Q

What is the word painting on the word ‘Wond’ring’

A

Descending scale, like a musical sigh

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9
Q

What is repetition text and why is it used?

A

To emphasise a certain word or feeling, for example “drop” is sung nine times to emulate the snakes dropping from Alecto’s head

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10
Q

What makes the word “pains” word painting?

A

There is dissonance to symbolise pain

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11
Q

What makes the word “eas’d” word painting?

A

It resolves the dissonance from the word “pains”

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12
Q

What is the range of the soprano melody line?

A

A ninth

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13
Q

Is the music conjunct or disjunct?

A

The music is mostly conjunct (stepwise)

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14
Q

Why are rests used so frequently?

A

To break up phrases and allow for breathing

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15
Q

What is a descending sequence?

A

Where a phrase is repeated a note lower than before, immediately after the first time it is heard

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16
Q

Ornamentation is frequently used - what types of ornamentation are included in Music for a While?

A

Trills, appoggiaturas, grace notes, upper mordents, lower mordents

17
Q

Which two parts use ornamentation frequently?

A

The soprano part and the harpsichord right hand part

18
Q

What is the overall structure of Music for a While?

A

The piece follows a ground bass structure. It is based around a three bar long ground bass.

19
Q

What is ground bass?

A

A short recurring melodic pattern in the bass part acting as a structural element

20
Q

What era is Music for a While from?

A

Baroque

21
Q

What are the main features of the Ground Bass in Music for a While?

A

It’s three bars long
It consists of entirely quavers
Its melody is arpeggio shape based
It uses semitone intervals
Heard four and a half times in the tonic key before modulations
Rises and then falls
Has a characteristic fall of an octave at the end

22
Q

What is the main texture of the piece?

A

Melody dominate homophony, tune and accompaniment

23
Q

Which instruments provide the accompaniment?

A

The LH of the harpsichord and the Bass Viol

24
Q

The harpsichord RH and the vocal line sometimes intertwine. What is the technical term for this?

A

Counterpoint

25
Q

What is the best way to describe the use of chords in Music for a While?

A

Diatonic, all fitting with the key

26
Q

How can you describe the type of harmony?

A

Functional - the chords used are I, IV and V, mostly. There are other chords used, but the harmony is still functional

27
Q

At the end of each ‘ground’ what is the cadence?

A

Perfect, V-I

28
Q

When a note carries on the harmony of a previous chord before resolving, what is this chord?

A

Suspension (bar 3)

29
Q

Give an example of when dissonance can be heard

A

‘Pains’ in bar 12

30
Q

There is no tempo marking for the piece, but what tempo would be appropriate?

A

Slow - it’s a song meant to calm Alecto and stop her from punishing Oedipus!

31
Q

What is the metre?

A

4/4 simple quadruple time

32
Q

Which two types of note are most commonly used?

A

Quavers and semiquavers, though there are a wide variety of notes used

33
Q

Which part frequently uses dotted rhythms?

A

The RH of the harpsichord