Assessment 2 Terms Flashcards
Mannerism
An art term that describes paintings and sculptures characterized by their use of distortion, explicit word painting, and unsettling juxtaposition for dramatic effect.
-Extreme dissonance, unusual harmonic progressions, exaggerated word painting
Musica Reservata
Music “reserved” for a select audience of elite noble-born or aristocratic listeners.
(see mannerism)
Syntactic
Essential idea is presented and varied throughout a work
Affect
Predominant emotion of text or musical work
Basso Continuo
Continuous bass; the supporting instrumental line that provides framework for the supporting voice
-allowed the soloist to focus on projecting the text
Figured Bass
The numerical system used to deviate from root position harmonies
Motoric Rhythm
Rhythm is propulsive, moving forward at all times. Characteristically Baroque
Monody
A style of accompanied solo song, with an embellished upper voice and a simple basso continuo
Soloist + simple basso continuo
Homophonic/homophony
Principle melodic line with supporting voices that articulate the harmonies.
Homorhythmic: Voices move together
e.g. Claudio Monteverdi “Cruda Amarilli”
Embellishment
Ornamentations that decorate the main melody of a composition
Sprezzatura
Term Caccini used to describe the freedom and disregard for meter and rhythm in monody singing.
Music written to sound free and spontaneous
Italian Madrigal
Italian vocal music emerging in the 1530’s that featured 3 or more singers.
Textually and musically more complex than the frottola
Through-composed: Music that doesn’t have any repeating sections
Cross relation
Simultaeous or nearly simultaneous sounding of two pitches a half–step apart
AKA Minor 2 interval
Chromaticism
Movement in half-steps
Tragedie en musique
Genre of French opera
Began the use of the French overture
All written in honour of King Louis
Recitative semplice/secco
Voice with only basso continuo
Used in long passages of prose
Sparse in sound; timbral simplicity
Recitative accompagnato
Voice supported by full orchestra
Used for high drama and intensity sections
Opera Seria
“Serious opera” from Italian classical antiquity.
Strict division of recitative and arias.
Emphasis on virtuosity, especially in da capo arias
Use of castrati
AKA Italian opera
Da Capo Aria
Type of aria consisting of 3 sections: A, B, A’
Singers expected to embellish
AKA an “early sonata form”
Castrato
Boys who were castrated to preserve their naturally high voices pre-puberty
Gave them range of soprano with power of male voice
Prima prattica
“First practice”. Traditional Rennaisance polyphony
Seconda prattica
“Second practice”. Traditional baroque era.
Focuses on the projection of text
Closely associated with practice of monody
Overture
Introductory movement to an opera
Sublime
The juxtaposition of different emotions
Cadenza
Solo passage in the end of a concerto movement or aria
Displays of virtuosity
Usually improvised
Cantata
Umbrella term for baroque vocal music
(Bach wrote many sacred cantatas)
Known as solo madrigal in 17c
Patronage
Rich aristocrat who hires musicians/composers
Air de cour
“Courtly air”. Genre of secular French song
Either polyphonic or homophonic (voice + lute)
Obbligato accompaniment
Style of homophony where supporting parts contribute important material to the work
Oratorio
Genre of vocal music similar to opera (recitatives, arias, choruses), but without the staging or costumes
Most revolve around religious subjects
Chorale
A hymn, either in harmonized form or as a melody
Ostinato
Figure presently repeatedly in succession
Tetrachord
Series of 4 notes in a scale
Passus duriusculus (aka chromatic fourth)
An interval of a fourth with all or almost all pitches filled in chromatically
AKA tetrachord with all chromatic intervals filled in
Ritornello
Returning instrumental section that establishes key and mood in arias and concertos
Sarabande
3rd dance movement of a baroque suite
Slow, in 3/4 time
- Allemande
- Courante
- Sarabande
- Gigue
Concerto Grosso
Type of Baroque concerto featuring a concertino (group of soloists) and the ripieno (larger ensemble)
The term also encompasses the ripieno concerto, a work for large ensemble with no soloists
Solo Concerto
Type of Baroque concerto featuring a 1 or 2 soloists against ripieno large ensemble
Ripieno/tutti
The larger ensemble within a concerto grosso
Ripieno Concerto
Type of concerto for large ensemble, with no soloists
Concertino
A small group of soloists within the concerto grosso
Fortspinnung
Technique used to spin out motives
Music in a “spun out” style
Fugue
Work with a series of imitative entries, usually in a single theme (but may have multiple themes as well)
Focused on textures, keyboard only
Episode
- Non imitative section within a fugue
2. In a rondo, an extended passage that appears between entrances of the main theme
Subject
Imitative melody(s) in a fugue
Answer
Imitates subject of a fugue up a 5th (in dominant key)
Countersubject
Contrapuntal theme played against the subject in a fugue
Rondo Form
A movement in the form: ABACA
Recurring theme (A) constitutes the refrain, and the contrasting themes (B,C, etc) constituting the episodes (couplets)
Theme and variations
A composition where a theme is contrasted against variations of itself.
Sturm and Drang
“storm and stress” Characterized by minor mode, extreme leaps, jagged syncopations, and sudden dynamic contrasts
Stretto
Overlapping entries of the subject (fugue)
Increases tension and need for final resolution
Style brise
Broken chords and arpeggiations for keyboard that imitates the (arpeggiated) chords in lute music
Suite
In Baroque/classical era: Series of dance-like movements
Later: Collection of movements that are outside the category of other established genres
Ordre
The french term for the baroque suite
Partita
German and Italian name for the baroque suite
Lesson
The English name for the baroque suite
Allemande
The first movement in a baroque suite
Moderate tempo, 4/4 time
Courante
The second movement in a baroque suite
Fast, 3/4 time
Gigue
The fourth movement in a baroque suite
Fast, 6/8 time
Binary Form
A musical form that consists of 2 parts
Rounded binary: A,B,A’
Toccata
Type of work for keybaord that is freely constructed, not based on prexisting material, features rapid passagework
Sonata Form
A form used in the 1st movement of concerto.
A movement in sonata form has an exposition, a development, and a recapitulation. An introduction and coda are sometimes added.
Exposition
The first section in the sonata form
Present all major themes in the movement
Moves from tonic to dominant, or in minor key works, from minor to relative major
Development
The second section in the sonata form
Develops the ideas from the exposition
Typically manipulates themes, moves through a variety of keys, and avoids the tonic
Unstable tonality, (in dominant or relative minor key)
Recapitulation
The third section in the sonata form
Returns with the opening idea of the movement in the tonic key
Cadenza in concertos
Coda/codetta
A closing section of a work or movement
Usually prolongs the piece what is expected harmonically
Alberti bass
Repetitions of a broken triad in the accompaniment
Periodic structure
Form consisting of many modular units of equal length, initially associated with dance music.
Antecedent
Phrases that move from I to V
Consequent
Phrases that move from V to I
Salon
Light music
Sinfonia
Any of several instrumental forms, primarily of Italian origin. In the earlier Baroque period (mid-17th century), the term was used synonymously with canzona and sonata. For most of the 17th and 18th centuries, the name referred particularly to orchestral introductions to operas and cantatas.
AKA Large ensemble orchestral work
Minuet
Dance form music, usually a movement in suite, sonata, or symphony
Double-exposition form
Type of sonata form, with a opening tutti exposition and subsequent solo exposition. (Followed by development, recapitulation, cadenza, coda)
Tutti exposition stays in the tonic, while solo exposition modulates from tonic to secondary key area
Concerto form
Work featuring a soloist, or soloists against a larger ensemble
