Baroque and Classical

Question 1

Affections

Answer 1

Emotional states or moods conveyed through music, a concept prominent in Baroque music theory.

Question 2

Unity of Mood

Answer 2

A characteristic of Baroque music where a piece maintains a consistent emotional atmosphere throughout.

Question 3

Camerata

Answer 3

A group of intellectuals, musicians, poets, and scholars who gathered in Florence, Italy, in the late 16th and early 17th centuries to discuss and promote the arts, particularly opera.

Question 4

Opera

Answer 4

A form of musical theater in which a dramatic work is set to music, often accompanied by orchestration, singing, and sometimes dance.

Question 5

Overture

Answer 5

An instrumental composition that precedes an opera, ballet, or other large-scale vocal work, setting the mood and themes of the piece to follow.

Question 6

Recitative

Answer 6

A vocal style used in opera and oratorio that imitates the natural inflections of speech, often used to advance the plot or convey dialogue.

Question 7

Aria

Answer 7

A solo vocal piece within an opera, typically expressing the emotions or thoughts of a character.

Question 8

Libretto

Answer 8

The text or script of an opera, oratorio, or musical, containing the words to be sung or spoken.

Question 9

Dido and Aeneas

Answer 9

An opera by English composer Henry Purcell, based on the tragic love story from Virgil’s Aeneid.

Question 10

Fugue

Answer 10

A contrapuntal composition technique in which a short musical theme, called the subject, is introduced and then developed through imitation in multiple voices.

Question 11

Subject

Answer 11

The main theme or musical idea upon which a fugue is based.

Question 12

Retrograde

Answer 12

A technique in which a musical theme is played backward, reversing the order of its notes.

Question 13

Classical period dates

Answer 13

Approximately 1750 to 1820, characterized by composers such as Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven.

Question 14

Baroque period dates

Answer 14

Approximately 1600 to 1750, known for its ornate style and composers such as Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi.

Question 15

Chamber music

Answer 15

Music composed for small ensembles, typically one player per part, designed to be performed in a chamber or intimate setting.

Question 16

Minuet and Trio (ABA, triple meter)

Answer 16

A form of dance music popular in the Baroque and Classical periods, consisting of two contrasting sections (the minuet and trio), each in triple meter.

Question 17

Cantata

Answer 17

A vocal composition with instrumental accompaniment, often based on a religious or secular text, consisting of several movements including recitatives, arias, and choruses.

Question 18

Symphony

Answer 18

A large-scale orchestral composition typically consisting of several movements, each with its own distinct character and form.

Question 19

Sonata Cycle chart

Answer 19

A diagram illustrating the structure and progression of movements in a multi-movement sonata, such as a sonata for piano or chamber ensemble.

Question 20

Basso continuo

Answer 20

A form of musical accompaniment consisting of a bassline, often played by a cello or bass instrument, and a keyboard instrument providing harmonies based on figured bass notation.

Question 21

Figured bass

Answer 21

A system of musical notation used in the Baroque period, where numbers or symbols are placed below the bassline to indicate the chords to be played by the keyboardist.

Question 22

Concerto grosso

Answer 22

A concerto form popular in the Baroque period, featuring a small group of soloists (concertino) contrasted with a larger ensemble (ripieno).

Question 23

Tutti

Answer 23

Italian for “all,” indicating that the entire ensemble should play together.

Question 24

Terraced dynamics

Answer 24

A characteristic of Baroque music where changes in volume are abrupt rather than gradual, creating a contrast between loud and soft passages.

Question 24

Cadenza

Answer 24

A virtuosic solo passage in a concerto or other work, often improvised or written out by the performer to showcase their technical skill.

Question 25

Ode to Joy

Answer 25

A famous choral movement from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, setting the text of Friedrich Schiller’s poem “Ode to Joy.”

Question 25

Sonata form (aka sonata-allegro

Answer 25

A musical form used in the first movement of many Classical sonatas, symphonies, and concertos, characterized by its three main sections: exposition, development, and recapitulation.

Question 26

Development

Answer 26

The second section of sonata form, where the thematic material from the exposition is developed, fragmented, and transformed through various keys and harmonic progressions.

Question 26

Exposition

Answer 26

The first section of sonata form, where the main thematic material is presented, typically featuring two contrasting themes in different keys.

Question 27

Recapitulation

Answer 27

The final section of sonata form, where the thematic material from the exposition is restated, often with modifications, and resolved in the tonic key.

Question 28

Handel’s Messiah (genre):

Answer 28

An English-language oratorio composed by George Frideric Handel, featuring a libretto compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer.

Question 28

Well-Tempered Clavier

Answer 28

A collection of keyboard compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach, consisting of preludes and fugues in all major and minor keys, designed to demonstrate the possibilities of well-tempered tuning systems.

Question 29

Sequence

Answer 29

A melodic or harmonic pattern that is repeated at a higher or lower pitch level.

Question 30

Vienna

Answer 30

The capital city of Austria, renowned as a cultural center and a significant hub for Classical music during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Question 31

Don Giovanni (character):

Answer 31

The title character of Mozart’s opera “Don Giovanni,” a libertine nobleman known for his seductive exploits and eventual downfall.

Question 32

Movement

Answer 32

A self-contained section of a larger musical work, typically characterized by its tempo, key, and form.

Question 33

Fidelio

Answer 33

Beethoven’s only opera, known for its themes of freedom and justice.

Question 34

Mozart’s 3 opera masterpieces

Answer 34

“The Marriage of Figaro,” “Don Giovanni,” and “The Magic Flute,” considered among the greatest operas ever composed.

Question 35

Oratorio vs. opera

Answer 35

Oratorio is a large-scale musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists, often with a religious theme and performed without staging or costumes, whereas opera is a staged drama set to music.

Question 36

Cantata vs. oratorio

Answer 36

Cantata is a shorter vocal composition with instrumental accompaniment, often performed in a church service, whereas oratorio is a larger, more dramatic vocal work typically performed in concert settings.

Question 37

Trill

Answer 37

A rapid alternation between two adjacent notes in a musical composition.

Question 38

Baroque melodies

Answer 38

Melodies characterized by ornamentation, virtuosity, and contrapuntal complexity, typical of the Baroque period.

Question 39

Castrato

Answer 39

A male singer who was castrated before puberty to preserve his high singing voice, prominent in Baroque opera.

Question 40

Countertenor

Answer 40

A male singer who sings in a vocal range higher than that of a typical male voice, often using falsetto or a mixed voice.

Question 41

Suite

Answer 41

A collection of instrumental pieces, often dances, performed as a cohesive unit, typically in the same key or tonal center.

Question 42

Rondo

Answer 42

A musical form featuring a recurring main theme (refrain) interspersed with contrasting sections (episodes).

Question 43

Scherzo vs. minuet

Answer 43

Both are musical forms in triple meter often used as the third movement in Classical symphonies and sonatas. A scherzo is typically faster and more playful than a minuet.

Question 44

Motive

Answer 44

A short musical idea, typically consisting of a few notes, that forms the basis of a musical composition or theme.