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Music Appreciation > Chapter 4-8 Vocabulary > Flashcards

Chapter 4-8 Vocabulary Flashcards

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1
Q

Half Step

A

Smallest interval used in the Western system; the octave divides into twelve such intervals; on the piano, the distance between any two adjacent keys, whether black or white. Also Semi Tone

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2
Q

Micro-Tones

A

Musical interval smaller than a semitone (half step), prevalent in some non-Western musics and some twentieth-century music.
Intervals smaller than half steps.

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3
Q

Chromatic (Chromatic Scale)

A

Melody or harmony built from many if not all twelve pitches of the octave. A chromatic scale consists of an ascending or descending sequence of half steps.

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4
Q

Sharp (Sharp Signs #)

A

Musical symbol (#) that indicates raising a pitch by half a step.

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5
Q

Flat (b)

A

A musical symbol (b) that indicates lowering a pitch by half a step.

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6
Q

Whole Step

A

Interval consisting of two half steps.

Two half steps make a whole step.

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7
Q

Key

A

Defines the relationship of pitches with a common center, or tonic. Also a lever on a keyboard or woodwind instrument.

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8
Q

Diatonic (Diatonic Scale)

A

Melody or harmony built from the seven pitches of a major or minor scale. A diatonic scale encompasses patterns of seven whole steps and half steps.

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9
Q

Pentatonic (Pentatonic Scale)

A

Five note pattern used in some African, far Eastern, and Native American musics; can also be found in Western music as an example of exoticism. See also Gapped Scale.

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10
Q

Tritonic (Tritonic Scale)

A

A three note pattern also found in the music of some African cultures.

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11
Q

Inflection

A

Small alteration of the pitch by a microtonal interval. See also Blue Note.

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12
Q

Rest Chord/Resting Chord

A

A chord that achieves a sense of resolution of completion, normally the tonic.

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13
Q

Tonic Chord (I Chord)

A

Triad built on the first scale note, the I chord.

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14
Q

Active Chords

A

In the diatonic system, chords that need to resolve to the tonic chord. These include the dominant and subdominant chords.

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15
Q

Dominant

A

Chord built on the fifth scale step, the V chord.

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16
Q

Subdominant

A

Chord built on the fourth scale step, the IV chord.

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17
Q

Modulation

A

The process of changing from one key to another.

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18
Q

Transpose/Transposition

A

The shifting of a piece of music to a different pitch level.

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19
Q

Texture

A

The interweaving of melodic (horizontal) and harmonic (vertical) elements in the musical fabric.
Refers to the interweaving of the melodic lines with harmony

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20
Q

Monophony (Monophonic)

A

Single-line texture, or melody without accompaniment.

A single voice or line without accompaniment

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21
Q

Heterophony (Heterophonic)

A

Texture in which two or more voices (or parts) elaborate the same melody simultaneously, often the result of improvisation.

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22
Q

Polyphony (Polyphonic)

A

Two or more melodic lines combined into a multivoiced texture, as distinct from monophonic.
A many-voiced texture with different melodic lines

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23
Q

Counterpoint

A

The art of combining in a single texture two or more melodic lines,

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24
Q

Homophony (Homophonic)

A

Texture with a principal melody and accompanying harmony, as distinct from polyphony.
One melodic voice is prominent over the accompanying lines or voices

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25
Q

Homorhythmic (Homorhythm)

A

A type of homophonic texture in which all voices move together, with the same words.

26
Q

Imitation

A

Melodic idea presented in one voice or part and then restated in another, each part continuing as others enter.
When a melodic idea is presented in one voice, then restated in another– is a common unifying technique in polyphony

27
Q

Canon

A

Type of polyphonic composition in which one musical line strictly imitates another at a fixed distance throughout.

28
Q

Round

A

Perpetual canon at the unison in which each voice enters in succession with the same melody (for example: row, row, row your boat).

29
Q

Form

A

Structure and design in music, based on repetition, contrast, and variation; the organizing principle of music.

30
Q

Repetition

A

Repetition fixes the material in our minds and satisfies our need for the familiar.

31
Q

Contrast

A

The use of opposing musical elements to emphasize difference and variety.
Contrast stimulates our interest and feeds our desire to change.

32
Q

Strophic Form

A

Strong structure in which the same music is repeated with every stanza (Strophe) of the poem.

33
Q

Through-Composed/Through-Composed Form

A

Strong structure that is composed from beginning to end, without repetitions of large sections.

34
Q

Variation

A

The compositional procedure of altering a preexisting musical idea. See also Theme and Variations.

35
Q

Improvisation

A

The creation of a musical composition while it is being performed, as in Baroque ornamentation, cadenzas of concertos, jazz, and some non-Western musics.

36
Q

Binary Form (A-B)

A

Two part (A-B) form with each section normally repeated. Also Two Part Form

37
Q

Ternary Form (A-B-A)

A

Three part (A-B-A) form based on a statement (A), contrast (B), and repetition (A). Also Three Part Form.

38
Q

Theme

A

Melodic idea used as a basic building block in the construction of a piece. Also Subject.

39
Q

Thematic Development

A

Musical expansion of a theme by varying its melodic outline, harmony, or rhythm. Also Thematic Transformation.

40
Q

Sequence

A

Restatement of an idea or motive at a different pitch level.

When a motive is repeated at a different pitch.

41
Q

Motives

A

Short melodic or rhythmic idea; the smallest fragment of a theme that forms a melodic-rhythmic unit.

42
Q

Call-and-Response

A

Performance style with a singing leader who is imitated by a chorus of followers. Also Responsorial singing.

43
Q

Responsorial Music/Responsorial Singing

A

Singing, especially in Gregorian chant, in which a soloist or a group of soloists alternates with the choir. See also Call-and-Response.

44
Q

Ostinato

A

A short melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic pattern that is repeated throughout a work or a section.

45
Q

Movements

A

Complete, self-contained part within a larger musical work.

46
Q

Tempo

A

The rate of speed or pace of music.

The rate of speed, or pace, of the music.

47
Q

Dynamics

A

Element of musical expression relating to the degree of loudness or softness, or volume, of a sound.

48
Q

Nonlexical (Syllable)

A

Syllable that does not carry specific meaning; a nonsense syllable

49
Q

Scat Singing

A

A jazz style that sets syllables without meaning (vocables) to an improvised vocal line.
Made up syllables

50
Q

Vocalise/Vocalize

A

A textless vocal melody, as in an exercise or concert piece.

Melodies sung on a neutral sound like “ah”

51
Q

Vernacular

A

The common language spoken by the people as distinguished from the literary language, or language of the educated elite.

52
Q

Secular (Secular Music)

A

Nonreligious music; when there is text, it’s usually in the Vernacular.

53
Q

Strophe

A

A unit or verse of poetry; also a Stanza.

54
Q

Stanzas

A

A unit or verse of poetry; also a Strophe.

55
Q

Refrain

A

Text or music that is repeated within a larger form.

56
Q

Chorus

A

Fairly large group of singers who perform together, usually with several on each part. Also a Choral Movement of a large scale work. In jazz, a single statement of the melodic-harmonic pattern.

57
Q

Syllabic

A

Melodic style of one note set to each text syllable.

58
Q

Neumatic

A

Melodic style with two or four notes set to each syllable.

59
Q

Melisma (Melismatic)

A

Melodic style characterized by many notes sung to a single text syllable.

60
Q

Word Painting

A

Musical pictorialization of words as an expressive device; a prominent feature of the Renaissance madrigal.

61
Q

Sacred/Sacred Music

A

Religious or spiritual music, for church or devotional use.

62
Q

Latin

A

The language of the Roman Catholic Church

Music Appreciation (19 decks)

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