Band Final Flashcards
Key Signatures
the sharp, flat, or natural signs placed at the beginning of a staff indicating the tonality of the composition.
poco a poco
Italian term for a little. Typically used to modify tempo markings as in “accelerando poco a poco” meaning “getting faster little by little.”
accelerando
Gradually accelerating or getting faster
lento
slow
accents
a stress or special emphasis on a beat to mark its position in the measure
D.S. al fine
A mark in a composition which informs the performer to repeat a specific section of the composition marked by adal segno sign and play to the end.
D.C. al fine
A directive to the performer to go back to the beginning of the composition and play to the end
D.S. al Coda
“from the sign;” .” It directs the player to return to a spot earlier in the score that’s marked by the symbol. If the marking says D.S. al Coda, then the player is supposed to play from the to a “To Coda” marking, then jump to a coda section at the end of the music
D.C. al Coda
- literally means “from the head [beginning] to the coda.” D.C. al coda is an indication to repeat from the beginning of the music, play until you encounter a coda, then skip to the next coda sign to continue.
Attack
the method or clearness of beginning a phrase
Release
the end of a musical note, the antonym of ‘attack’
a tempo
a directive to return to the original tempo after a deliberate deviation
dynamic markings
symbols written into a composition that are a directive to the performers to perform the indicated passage with a specific dynamic
sempre
italian for always
allegro
A fast tempo marking between allegretto and vivace. A composition in fast tempo, especially the first and last movements of a sonata, symphony, etc.
polyphonic
Music composed for many parts or voices, each with its own melody, thus creating a rich texture of sound.
homophonic
A style of composition in which there is one melody, and all the voices and accompaniments move rhythmically together distinct melody with accompanying harmony, but all move in the same rhythmic pattern.
marcato
marked, accented, emphatic, stressed
carol
English Medieval strophic song with a refrain (called a burden) repeated after each stanza.
simple meter
a meter where each beat in a measure can be subdivided by two
compound meter
a meter where each beat in a measure can be subdivided by three. It is commonly distinguished by dotted note.
rallentando
A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition with a gradual slowing of the tempo.
baroque
The music of the period c. 1600 - 1750 C.E., directly following the Renaissance and preceding the Classical era. This style is characterized by a lot of ornamentation, thus the name; it is also distinguishable by its use of basso continuo and application of the doctrine of the affections.
tie
A curved line drawn over or under the heads of two notes of the same pitch indicating that there should be nobreak between them but they should be played as a single note.
slur
A sign in musical notation consisting of a curved line drawn over or under a series of notes, indicating that those notes should be played legato. The slur also indicates the grouping and phrasing of a passage in a composition.
Meno
the Italian term for less. It is typically used as to modify other directives as in meno mosso or “less motion”.
Irregular meter
establish a regular metric pattern from an asymmetrical sequence of two or more time signatures.
Sostenuto
Sustained
Con moto
A directive to perform the indicated passage of a composition with motion or quicker.
Texture
Term which refers to the vertical structure of a composition. That is to say, how many parts or voices there are, what the configuration (close, open, etc.) of the voices is, how the voices interact, etc.
Sforzando
A directive to perform a specific note or chord of a composition with particular emphasis.
Meno mosso
less motion or with a slower tempo
Vivace
A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition in a lively or brisk manner.
Allargando
Growing broader, louder and slower
Molto
An expression used to augment the directive to which it is applied.
Tenuto
A directive to perform a certain note or chord of a composition in a sustained manner for longer than its full duration
Rubato
A practice common in Romantic compositions of taking part of the duration from one note and giving it to another. It involves the performer tastefully stretching, slowing, or hurrying the tempo as she/he sees fit, thus imparting flexibility and emotion to the performance.
Legato
A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition in a smooth, graceful, connected style, as opposed tostaccato. It is often indicated by a slur over the effected notes or as an accent mark with a line over the notes to be performed in this manner.
Maestoso
A directive to perform the designated passage of a composition in a stately, dignified, majestic fashion.
Note values
The note value is the duration of a note, or the relationship of the duration of the note to the measure.
Phrasing
art of performing music in a way that allows each phrase to be conceived as a single unit.
Common time
4/4 time
ritardando
A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition with a ritard the tempo, to gradually delay the tempo.
Tempo I
A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition in the original tempo of the composition, usually after a diversion from that original tempo.
Moderato
A directive to perform the designated passage of a composition in a moderate tempo; moderately, restrained.
Staccato
A style of playing notes in a detached, separated, distinct manner, as opposed to legato.
Accelerando
Gradually accelerating or getting faster.
Crescendo
directive to a performer to smoothly increase the volume of a particular phrase or passage.
Andante
A moderate tempo marking between largo and moderato. This tempo typically has between 76 and 108 beats per minute.
Piu
Italian for ‘more’
Major Scale
W-W-H-W-W-W-H
C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C’
Cantabile
Singing or performing in a melodious and graceful style, full of expression.
Subito
suddenly
Enharmonic pitches
The phenomenon that two separate pitch notations stand for the same sound
Chromatic Scale
A scale which divides the octave into its semitones. There are twelve semitones, or half steps, to an octave in the chromatic scale.
Half step
the smallest interval in the system of Western music
Whole step
step An interval of two semitones, a major second.
Accidentals
A mark placed before a note which indicates that the previously understood pitch of the note should be altered by one or two half steps
Pitch
The specific quality of a sound that makes it a recognizable tone. Pitch defines the location of a tone in relation to others, thus giving it a sense of being high or low.
Interval
The distance between two pitches
Chorale
A hymn of the Lutheran church, usually written for four voice harmony. The melody is usually in the top voice, with supporting harmony in the lower voices
Hymn
song of praise or adoration to a deity.
Subdivision
To break up a larger metrical pattern into smaller parts so that it may be more easily understood.
