Baroque Music Flashcards
Plainchant
Plainchant is a religious singing with these characteristics;
-Sung acapella
-Sung in Latin
-Free flowing (e.g. no time signature)
-Sung in unision
-Melismatic
-Modal
Mode
Mode is a type of 8 note scale. There are 7 modes, one for each of the white notes found on a keyboard. The Ioniar mode (based on the note c) is now known as C major and the Aeolian mode (based on the note A) forms the basis for modern minor scales.
Mass
A Mass is a Roman Catholic church service. It is sung in Latin and has fixed text, made up of 5 sections. The mass has 3 or 4 voice parts which are sung in harmony, Acapella and often in a polyphonic texture (weaving parts).
Relative Major/Minor
Major and Minor Keys with the same Key signature.
Melodic Minor Scale
The sixth and seventh notes are raised in the ascending form of the scale and lowered in the descending form.
Basso Continuo
Played by a keyboard instrument and another bass instrument such as a cello, double bass or bassoon. The keyboard instrument was either a harpsichord or an organ. As well as playing the bass line, the keyboard player would fill out the harmonies and lead the orchestra.
Acciaccatura
The word acciaccatura comes from the Italian, “to crush”. It is written using a grace note with a stroke through the stem. The objective is to play the grace (or crushed) note as quickly as possible thus taking as little time from the main note as possible.
Mordent
A Mordent indicates that the note is to be played in a single rapid alternation with the note above or below it. The upper Mordent alternates with the note above and has no line through the ‘squiggle’. The lower Mordent alternates with the note below and has a line through the ‘squiggle’.
Melodic minor scale
The sixth and seventh notes are raised in the ascending form of the scale and lowered in the descending form e.g. Ascending A,B,C,D,E,F#,G#,A’ and descending A’,G,F,E,D,C,B,A.
Oratorio
An Oratorio is a large scale sacred vocal work. Oratorio’s tell stories from the bible. They are sung in English and are performed by an SATB Choir and Orchestra.
Recitative
These are sung speech. They serve the purpose of telling parts of the story as well as being links between the Choruses and Arias.
Da Capo Aria
These are in ternary form (A,B,A). They are called Da capo arias because the
instruction D.C. Al Fine appeared at the end of Section B. This told the singer to go back, repeat and finish at the end of Section A. To keep the repeat interesting the singer was expected to add
ornamentation.
Obbligato
A prominent instrumental countermelody in a song
Baroque Orchestra
Woodwind - Flute, Oboe, Bassoon.
Brass - Natural Trumpet, Natural Horn, Trombone.
Percussion - Timpani
Ritornello
The word ‘Ritornello’ means ‘return’. A main theme is played at the start of a movement and then returns between other sections called episodes. This results in the structure being A-B-A-C-A.
