AoS2: Music for Ensemble Flashcards
A single melodic line
Monophonic
A chordal style or melody and accompaniment: moving together
Homophonic
A more complex (contrapuntal) texture with a number of different lines
Polyphonic
Vocal improvisation using wordless / nonsense syllables
Scat
Music made up on the spot
Improvised
Flattened 3rds, 5ths, 7ths
Blue notes
Off-beat accents
Syncopation
A phrase played / sung by a leader and repeated by others
Call and response
Bass line that ‘walks’ up and down the notes of a scale / arpeggio
Walking bass
‘Jazzy’ rhythm with a triple / dotted feeling
Swung rhythms / style
A song for 2 singers
Duet
A song for 3 singers
Trio
A piece of music played by a small group
Ensemble
A large group (usually the full company / cast)
Chorus
A vocal style that imitates the rhythms and accents of speech
Recitative
An orchestral introduction to the show, which usually uses tunes from the show
Overture
A new melody, combined with the theme
Countermelody
A decorative, higher pitched line
Descant
A short canon
Round
Long, held notes
Drone
A specific chord progression used in blues music
12 bar blues
A group of 4 performers
Quartet
A group of 5 performers
Quintet
A group of 6 performers
Sextet
A group of 7 performers
Septet
A group of 8 performers
Octet
