Audio - Renassissance

Question 1

May 2019 Exam - Answer the following question for the audio excerpt:
Title:
Composer:
Title of the collection in which this piece is found:
Form of this work:
Identify and briefly explain two specific musical features of this work.
1.
2.

Answer 1

P. 60
Title: The Carman’s Whistle
Composer: Byrd
Title of the collection in which this piece is found: Fitzwilliam Virginal Book
Form of this work: theme and variations
Identify and briefly explain two specific musical features of this work.
1. the tune is followed by 8 variations in texture and rhythm
2. it is in Ionian mode (C major)
3. The tune has imitative texture and ornaments
4. variation 8 has the thickest texture and the fullest sound on the harpsichord

Question 2

August 2019 Exam - Answer the following question for the audio excerpt:
Title:
Composer:
Genre:
Era:
Name the texture demonstrated in this excerpt:
Briefly describe the harmonic language employed in this work.

Answer 2

P. 43
Title: Ave Maria…virgo serena
Composer: Josquin
Genre: Motet
Era: Renaissance
Name the musical texture demonstrated in this excerpt: homorhythmic (all the voices are in the same rhythm)
Briefly describe the harmonic language employed in this work.
- it uses triadic harmony and ends with open fifths

Question 3

May 2019 Exam - Answer the following question for the audio excerpt:
Title:
Composer:
Era:
Name the musical texture demonstrated in this excerpt:
Identify and briefly explain two specific musical features of this work:
1.
2.

Answer 3

P. 43
Title: Ave Maria…virgo serena
Composer: Josquin
Era: Renaissance
Name the musical texture demonstrated in this excerpt: homorhythmic (all the voices are in the same rhythm)
Identify and briefly explain two specific musical features of this work:
1. uses triadic harmony
2. use of rests to heighten important words
3. ends with open fifths
ps - the question already asked about homorhythmic so it cannot be used as a musical feature again.

Question 4

Dec 2017 Exam - Answer the following questions for the audio excerpt:
Title:
Composer:
Era:
Collection in which this work is found:
Identify and briefly explain two specific musical features of this work:
1.
2.

Answer 4

p. 61
Title: The Carman’s Whistle
Composer: William Byrd
Era: Renaissance
Collection in which this work is found: Fitzwilliam Virginal Book
Identify and briefly explain two specific musical features of this work:
1.theme and 8 variations
2. Ionian mode (C major)
3. Variation 8 (the one in the audio excerpt) has the thickest texture and fullest sound

Question 5

May 2018 Exam - Answer the following questions for the audio excerpt:
Title:
Composer:
Form:
Era:
Identify the collection that includes this work.
Name two instruments that might have performed this work in the era it was written.
1.
2.

Answer 5

p. 60 (Ex. 2.15)
Title: The Carman’s Whistle
Composer: Byrd
Form: theme and variations
Era: Renaissance
Identify the collection that includes this work. Fitz
Name two instruments that might have performed this work in the era it was written.
1. harpsichord
2. virginal

Question 6

December 2019 Exam - Answer the following questions for the audio excerpt.

Title:
Composer:
Era:
Genre:
Name the musical texture demonstrated in this passage:
Identify and briefly explain two specific musical features of this work.
1.
2.

Answer 6

p. 43 (the final couplets)

Title: Ave maria…virgo serena
Composer: Josquin des Prez
Era: Renaissance
Genre: motet
Name the musical texture demonstrated in this passage: polyphonic
Identify and briefly explain two specific musical features of this work.
1.homorhtymic texture (all 4 voices sing mostly the same rhythm)
2. use of rests to to increase the impact of the words
3. uses triadic harmony

Question 7

Answer the following questions for the audio excerpt.

Title:
Composer:
Era:
Genre:

Give two examples of word painting:
1
2

Identify and briefly explain two other musical features of this work.
1
2

Answer 7

Title:Moro, lasso, al mio duolo
Composer: Carlo Gesualdo
Era: Renaissance
Genre: Madrigal (Italian)
Give two examples of word painting:
1 - descending chromatic line represents death and grief
2 more rhythmic activity on the word ‘vita’ (life)

Identify and briefly explain two specific musical features of this work.
1. Highly chromatic opening passage
2. imitative texture contrasts with chordal (homorhythmic) passage