Classical Flashcards
What is a “Broken Chord”?
- Notes of a chord played separately
- Not necessarily in order
What is an “Arpeggio”?
- Notes of a chord played one after the other
- Ascending or decending
What is an “Alberti Bass”?
- Type of broken chord
- Arpreggiated accompaniment
What is a “Symphony”?
- Extensive work for Orchestra
- Four movements
- Contrasting timbre, dynamics and tonality
What is the “Tonality” of a piece?
- Key of the piece
What does “Major” mean?
- Bright sound
- “Happy”
What does “Minor” mean?
- Dark sound
- “Sad”
What does “pp” mean?
- Pianissimo
- Very soft/quiet
What does “p” mean?
- Piano
- Soft/quiet
What does “mp” mean?
- Mezzo Piano
- Moderately quiet
What does “dim” mean?
- Diminuendo
- Gradually getting quieter
What does “mf” mean?
- Mezzo Forte
- Moderately loud
What does “f” mean?
- Forte
- Loud
What does “ff” mean?
- Fortissimo
- Very loud
What does “cresc.” mean?
- Crescendo
- Gradually getting louder
What is a “Sonata”?
- Work for solo instrument with piano accompaniment
- Work for solo piano
What is “Sonata Form”?
- Not just Sonata
- First movement of Sonata, Symphonies, Concertos and overtures
What are the 3 main sections of a Sonata?
- Exposition
- Development
- Recapitalation
What is the “1st Section”?
- 1st theme
- In tonic key
- Vigorous and rhythmic
What is the “Bridge”?
- Contrasting section
- Modulates and leads to 2nd subject
What is the “2nd Section”?
- 2nd theme
- New key
- More tuneful and less vigorous than first
What is the “Exposition”?
- Sonata Form
- 2 subjects
- Contrast in key and character
- Ends with a Coda
What is the “Coda”?
- Section which brings piece to satisfactory conclusion
Define “Theme and Variation”?
- Theme - Melody
- Variations - Altered theme
What is an “Obbligato”?
- Prominent solo instrument in vocal music
What is a “String Quartet”?
- Musical ensemble of 4 string players
- 2 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello
What is “Chamber Music”?
- Music intended for a room or chamber
- Small group. one performer per part
What is a “Concerto”?
- A work for solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra
What is a “Cadenza”?
- Solo instrument showing off
What is a “Cadence”?
- End of a phrase and section
What is a “Perfect Cadence”?
- Sense of completion
- Chord V to Chord I
What is an “Imperfect Cadence”?
- Incomplete ending
- Chord V ending
What is an “Interrupted Cadence”?
- Surprise ending
- Chord V to any other than Chord I
What is a “Plagal Cadence”
- Amen cadence
- Ending of hymns
- Chord IV to Chord I
What is a “Dominant 7th” chord?
- Used for definite resolution of piece or section
What is an “Opera”?
- Play or drama set to music
- Sung and acted
- Solos, arias, recitatives, chorus and orchestra
What is a “Recitative”?
- Mix of song and speech
- Used to move story on
- Block chord accompaniment
What is a “Mass”?
- Biblical work
- Latin
- Contrapuntal textures
- “Kyrie eleison”, “Gloria”, “Credo Sanctus”, “Benedictus”
