Baroque and Medieval- test 2 Flashcards

1
Q

Gregorian chant

A

which consists of melody set to sacred Latin texts and sung without accompaniment.
(The chant is monophonic in texture.)

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2
Q

church modes

A

Similar to the major and minor scales, but uses a different pattern of intervals to give them an “otherwordly” sound

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3
Q

Pope Gregory

A

He reorganized the Catholic liturgy; Even though he is credited with its creation,
Gregorian chant evolved over hundreds of year

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4
Q

Word painting

A

Musical representation of specific images

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5
Q

Palestrina

A

An important Italian Renaissance composer; He composed exclusively for the Catholic Church;
He was the music director for St. Peter’s in Rome; He composed 104 masses and approximately
450 other sacred works

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6
Q
  1. Terraced dynamics
A

loud then soft; no crescendos or diminuendos

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7
Q

basso continuo

A

–harpsichord and a cello or bassoon

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8
Q

figured bass

A

A system of numbers that the keyboard player would have to interpret to create the chords

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9
Q

movement

A

piece that sounds fairly complete and independent but is part of a larger composition

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10
Q

tutti

A

the full orchestra or a large group of musicians contrasted with a smaller group

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11
Q

ritornello

A

a repeated section of music usually played by the full orchestra; the refrain

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12
Q

libretto

A

text of an opera

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13
Q

aria

A

song for solo voice with orchestra accompaniment; expresses an emotional state through melody

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14
Q

recitative

A

vocal line which imitates the rhythms and pitch fluctuations of speech

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15
Q

chorus

A

a group of singers performing together

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16
Q

overture or prelude

A

orchestral composition which opens an opera

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17
Q

castrato

A

male singer castrated before puberty to retain high voice range

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18
Q

trill

A

the rapid alternation of two musical pitches

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19
Q

French overture

A

opening piece in Baroque suite; two parts—first with dotted rhythms and the second quick

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20
Q

chorale

A

hymn tune sung to a German religious text

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21
Q

chorale prelude

A

short composition for organ, based on a hymn tune

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22
Q

concerto gross

A

composition for several instrument soloists and small orchestra

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23
Q

fugue

A

polyphonic composition based on one main theme or subject

24
Q

opera

A

drama that is sung to orchestral accompaniment on one main theme or subject

25
Q

sonata

A

an instrumental composition in several movements for 1 to 8 players

26
Q

trio sonata

A

three melodic lines; played by 3 instruments and a basso continuo

27
Q

solo concerto

A

a piece for a single soloist and an orchestr

28
Q

prelude and fugue

A

short piece usually serving to introduce the fugue; polyphonic composition

29
Q

mass

A

sacred choral composition made up of five sections

30
Q

What are the parts of the Ordinary of the Mass?

A

Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus dei

31
Q

cantata

A

composition in several movements, usually for chorus

32
Q

oratorio

A

large-scale composition for chorus, soloists and orchestra, without acting scenery or costumes often based on biblical stories

33
Q
  1. What type of composition is the Messiah and who wrote it?
A

Oratorio/ Handel

34
Q

What type of composition is Orpheus and who wrote it?

A

Opera/Monteverdi

35
Q

Who wrote over 450 concerto grossi and solo concertos during the Baroque period; and his nic-name is the
Red Priest?

A

Vivaldi

36
Q

Which Baroque composer was born in Germany but spent most of his adult life writing music in England?

A

Handel

37
Q

Which Baroque composer had 2 wives, 20 children, and worked for the Lutheran Church in Germany?

A

Bach

38
Q

in what city was the first public opera house opened?

A

venice

39
Q

What were the castrated male singers of the Baroque period called?

A

Castrato

40
Q

is a fugue mostly chords or mostly polyphonic?

A

polyphonic

41
Q

What Baroque instrument would use music written with Figured Bass?

A

Harpsichord

42
Q

In what country was opera first written?

A

Italy

43
Q

In what language did Bach write his cantatas

A

German

44
Q

What are the three most common movement in a concerto grosso?

A

fast/slow/fast

45
Q

What piece, many times, precedes the fugue?

A

prelude

46
Q

What is unusual about the ending of many Baroque pieces written in a minor key?

A

ends with a major chord

47
Q

Changes in texture are more frequent in Bach’s music than in Handel’s

A

false

48
Q

list the dates of the baroque period

A

1600-1750

49
Q

The Messiah was performed with more singers and instruments in the Baroque period than it is today.

A

false

50
Q

What is program music and what Baroque composer wrote program music?

A

Instrumental music associated with a story, poem, idea or scene/Vivaldi

51
Q

unity of mood

A
  • Usually one basic mood; what begins joyfully will remain that way throughout
  • No emotional state was off limits. Composers could try to express joy, sorrow, discord
  • Specific rhythmic or melodic patterns were used to convey these emotions
  • The exception was in vocal music—though one emotion would be presented for a length of time before yielding to a different emotion
52
Q

rhythm

A
  • Unity of mood through the continuity of the rhythmic patterns.
  • Patterns heard at the beginning of a piece are repeated throughout
  • The forward motion is rarely interrupted—though there are complete cadences throughout, there is not a sense of completion on the very end of the piece.
  • The beat is far more important in Baroque music than in Renaissance or Middle Age music
53
Q

melody

A

• Melodies also help to create this continuity of mood
• The forward drive of a piece can be heard in the sequential use of melodies
• Baroque melodies are elaborate and ornamental and generally not easy to remember or to sing
Dynamics

54
Q

dynamics

A
  • Dynamics tend to be fairly consistent throughout

* Terrace dynamics; no crescendos and dimenuendos

55
Q

texture

A

• Usually polyphonic; particularly instrumental music
• Imitation was common; one voice would start a melody, then another voice would take it up, etc.
Depended on the composer—Bach typically wrote polyphonic music whereas Handel would contrast between polyphonic and homophonic—especially in this vocal music; usually because text needed to be expressed in a different way