Concerto Through Time

Question 1

Which period involved the harpsichord?

Answer 1

The Baroque period

Question 2

Baroque music is atonal. True or false?

Answer 2

False - Baroque music is tonal (Western composers used major and minor keys to write this, replacing modal music)

Question 3

What group of instruments was dominant during the Baroque period?

Answer 3

String instruments

Question 4

What period was it that ran from 1750’s - 1820’s?

Answer 4

Classical

Question 5

When was the Baroque period?

Answer 5

1600’s - 1750’s

Question 6

Which period went from 1820’s - 1900’s

Answer 6

Romantic

Question 7

Give the correct order for these periods, 1st to most recent:
Romantic
Baroque
Classical

Answer 7

Baroque
Classical
Romantic

Question 8

Name some famous composers from the Baroque period

Answer 8

Bach
Vivaldi
Handel

Question 9

Which woodwind instruments were commonly used in the Baroque period?

Answer 9

Flute, recorder, oboe and bassoon

Question 10

During which period was the clarinet invented?

Answer 10

The Classical period

Question 11

What is a basso continuo, and which period does this relate to?

Answer 11

A continuous bass part, Baroque period

Question 12

Why were the dynamics of the Baroque period restrained to very loud or very quiet?

Answer 12

Because the harpsichord cannot gradually change between the two

Question 13

Name some famous composers from the Classical period

Answer 13

Beethoven
Mozart
Haydn

Question 14

Name some famous composers from the Romantic period

Answer 14

Chopin
Tchaikovski
Purcell
Wagner

Question 15

What was the main difference between orchestras over time?

Answer 15

They grew

Question 16

Which period was was the piano introduced?

Answer 16

Classical

Question 17

In the classical period, which group generally played most of the melodies?

Answer 17

The violins/ string section

Question 18

Classical symphonies tended to have 4 movements. True or false?

Answer 18

True

Question 19

What is a symphony? (Classical)

Answer 19

A big piece for an entire orchestra. They can last more than an hour

Question 20

What is a sonata?

Answer 20

Usually written for one instrument, with 3 or 4 movements

Question 21

During which period did the soloist have a ridiculously difficult part, where they could show off?

Answer 21

The Romantic period

Question 22

Five the definition of a cadenza

Answer 22

A piece performed by the soloist. Before the romantic period, they were mostly improvised

Question 23

What is a basso continuo?

Answer 23

A continued bass part often played on an organ or harpsichord, but could be on the cellos, double basses or bassoons. Feature of baroque period

Question 24

Give the dates for the periods

Answer 24

Baroque - 1600 to 1750
Classical - 1750 to 1820
Romantic - 1820 to 1900
20th Century - 1900 to 2000

Question 25

In the baroque period, what did composers use to contrast their music?

Answer 25

Modulation to change keys

Question 26

Talk about the easy ways to recognise baroque music/ their features

Answer 26

The melodies are built from short musical ideas/ motifs, that repeat quite often
The harmonies are simple, with a fairly narrow range of chords (mainly I and V)
The melody is packed with ornaments, making it more interesting
The music often involves counterpoint - with 2 or more melodies played at the same time. This texture is described as contrapuntual or polyphonic
The dynamics change suddenly, as the harpsichord couldn’t gradually change dynamics
Small orchestra
Polyphonic

Question 27

Which structures were developed in the baroque period?

Answer 27

Binary and ternary form

Question 28

Which groups of instruments were dominant in the baroque period?

Answer 28

String instruments - violins, violas, double basses, cellos

Keyboard instruments - harpsichord, organ

Question 29

What instruments from these groups were used in the baroque period?

a) Strings
b) Woodwind
c) Keyboard
d) Brass

Answer 29

a) Violins, violas, cellos, double basses
b) Flute, recorder, oboe, bassoon
c) Harpsichord, organ
d) Trumpet and horns, but with limited valves

Question 30

What us the definition of a concerto?

Answer 30

It is a work for orchestra and soloist(s). They’re made up of movements, with common themes but contrasting tempos, keys, moods, etc.

Question 31

What are the 2 types of baroque concerto and what do they include?

Answer 31

1) Solo concerto - a single solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra
2) Concerto grosso - small group of soloists is contrasted with the rest of the orchestra (the ripieno) and the basso continuo

Question 32

What are common features of the classical period?

Answer 32

Homophonic
Diatonic
Balanced phrasing
Alternating bass and (simple) chords
Terraced dynamics
Classical sized orchestra
Solo concerto more popular - one soloist
Improvised solos
Piano, clarinet
Larger range of percussion (timpani more, bass drums, snare drums, triangles, cymbals)

Question 33

What are common features of the classical period?

Answer 33

Homophonic
Diatonic
Balanced phrasing
Alternating bass and (simple) chords
Terraced dynamics
Classical sized orchestra
Solo concerto more popular - one soloist
Improvised solos
Piano, clarinet
Larger range of percussion (timpani more, bass drums, snare drums, triangles, cymbals)
Strings dominant, played most of the melodies
Wind instruments play extra notes to fill the harmony. When they do get the tune, often just double the strings
Clear, simple structure - question and answer
Diatonic
Constant, clear tempo
Sonata form

Question 34

What does diatonic mean?

Answer 34

All the notes belong to the main key (or at least mostly)

Question 35

What are the 3 parts of sonata form?

Answer 35

Exposition - Themes are exposed/ heard for the first time
Development - Themes go through interesting twists and turns
Recapitulation - themes are recapped/ played again

Question 36

What ideas did romantic composers show?

Answer 36

Ideas of love, hate, happiness, grief, life and death

Inspired by the natural world and the supernatural

Question 37

Give some features of the romantic period

Answer 37

Much more dramatic - VIRTUOSO
Wide range of dynamics, sudden and gradual changes could go from ppp to fff then back again.
Sforzandos
Dolce, amoroso, agitato
Tempo changes - rubato (robbed time)
Extra notes to chords for interesting harmonies, also created dissonance showing pain & misery
Show off, technically difficult
National pride - folk tunes and dance rhythms from homelands
Romantic sized orchestra
Piccolo, bass clarinet, contrabassoon (octave lower) + to wind
Percussion had xylophones, glockenspials, drums, cymbals, bells, triangles
Celestes (keyboard sounds like glockenspial) & harps
Brass more valves to pay more notes, trombones and tubas added
Large range of texture, timbre and dynamics
PIANO
Solos not improvised, but VERY complex - cadenzas