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Definitions Flashcards

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0
Q

Absolute music

A

Instrumental music without extra musical associations

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1
Q

Abellimenti

A

Ornaments or or embellishments

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2
Q

A Cappella

A

Without accompaniment

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3
Q

Accelerando; accel.

A

Becoming gradually faster

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4
Q

Accent >

A

To emphasize a note

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5
Q

Accidentals

A

Sharps, double sharps, flats, double flats or natural signs used to raise, lower or return a note to its normal pitch, this only last through the measure

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6
Q

Accompaniment

A

Vocal or instrumental parts that accompany a melody

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7
Q

Acoustic

A

A non amplified or non electric instrument

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8
Q

Acoustics

A

The science of sound

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9
Q

Adagio

A

A slow tempo which is faster than largo and slower than andante

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10
Q

Aeolian

A

A mode that corresponds to the half and whole step patterns created when playing A-A on the white keys of the piano; same as the natural minor scale.

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11
Q

Agitato

A

Agitated

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12
Q

Al coda

A

To the coda

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13
Q

Al fine

A

To the end

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14
Q

Allegretto

A

A lively quick tempo that is slightly slower than allegro

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15
Q

Allegro

A

Cheerful, quick or fast

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16
Q

Al segno

A

Go to the sign

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17
Q

Alto

A

The lowest female singing voice; A high falsetto male singing voice

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18
Q

Alto clef

A

The C clef usually used by the viola, where the C lies on the third line of the staff

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19
Q

Andante

A

A moderate graceful tempo, slower than Allegretto and faster than adagio

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20
Q

Aria

A

A solo vocal piece usually associated with opera and oratorios

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21
Q

Aria buffa

A

A comic aria

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22
Q

Arioso

A

Lyrically

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23
Q

Arpeggio

A

The notes of a chord played one after another

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24
Q

Ars antiqua

A

Literally ‘old art ‘. Used to indicate music of the 12th and 13th centuries

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25
Q

Ars nova

A

Literally ‘new art’. Used to indicate the music of the 14th century

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26
Q

A tempo

A

Return to the original tempo or speed

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27
Q

Atonal

A

Music without a tonal center or key

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28
Q

Ballet

A

A dance set to music that depicts a story

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29
Q

Baritone clef

A

The F clef on the third line of the staff

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30
Q

Baroque

A

The historical period of music roughly from 1600-1750

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31
Q

Bass clef

A

The F clef on the fourth line of the staff

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32
Q

Basso buffo

A

Comical bass voice in an Opera

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33
Q

Basso ostinado

A

A bass part of a composition that is repeated

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34
Q

Basso profundo

A

The male bass voice that extends below the common bass range

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35
Q

Binary form

A

A musical form where one section is followed by a contrasting section : AB

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36
Q

Cadence

A

The melodic or harmonic ending of a phrase,section, movement or complete composition

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37
Q

Cadenza

A

A virtuosic solo section of a piece used to display the performers technique, either written by the composer or improvised by the performer

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38
Q

Camerata

A

Small schools of writers and musicians in the 16th century

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39
Q

Cantabile

A

Singing

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40
Q

Cantata

A

A multi movement vocal work for chorus and/or soloists with orchestral accompaniment that is performed without staging

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41
Q

Capo

A

The head of the beginning of a piece

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42
Q

Cappella

A

In the church style

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43
Q

C clef

A

A movable clef that indicates the placement of middle c on the staff

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44
Q

Chamber music

A

Music for a small ensemble where each part is played by only one performer and suitable for a small room

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45
Q

Chamber orchestra

A

A small orchestra

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46
Q

Chant

A

Unaccompanied monophonic sacred plainsong in free rhythm

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47
Q

Church modes

A

Scales originally used in the medieval church. Dorian, Phrygian , Lydian, mixolydian, aeolian, locrian and Ionian

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48
Q

Circle of fifths

A

The clockwise arrangement of successive keys arranged in order of ascending fifths

49
Q

Coda

A

An ending section of a movement or piece

50
Q

Comic opera

A

An opera with comical elements and a happy ending

51
Q

Concertino

A

A short concerto usually In one movement

52
Q

Concerto

A

A composition for orchestra and soloist

53
Q

Concerto grosso

A

A baroque concerto that uses a full orchestra and a group of soloists

54
Q

Consonance

A

Combinations of notes that produce the feeling of rest. Consonant intervals are major and minor thirds and sixths, perfect fourths, perfect fifths and octaves

55
Q

Counterpoint

A

Composing with two or more melodies that are to be played simultaneously. Literally note against note

56
Q

Da capo

A

From the beginning

57
Q

Da capo al coda

A

Go back to the beginning of the piece and play to the coda indication, then skip to the coda

58
Q

Da capo al fine

A

Go back to the beginning and play til the fine/ end of piece

59
Q

Da capo aria

A

An opera aria in three sections with the third being a repetition of the first

60
Q

Deceptive cadence

A

Where the progression moves from the dominant chord to a chord other than the tonic usually to the submediant

61
Q

Decrescendo

A

Gradually getting softer

62
Q

Diminished interval

A

Minor or perfect intervals lowered by a half step

63
Q

Dorian mode

A

A mode that corresponds to the whole and half step patterns created when playing D-D on the white keys of the piano

64
Q

Enharmonic

A

Two notes that sound the same but are spelled differently, ie. B flat A sharp

65
Q

Evaded cadence

A

A cadence that does not resolve where it is expected to resolve

66
Q

Fermata

A

A hold or pause sign that indicates the not should be held longer than expected

67
Q

Figured bass

A

A bass part with numbers that indicate the intervals of harmony that are to be played above the bass note

68
Q

Forte

A

Loud, abbreviated

69
Q

Forza

A

With force

70
Q

French overture

A

Developed in the 18th century that has 3 sections; the first is slow the second is fast and the third is slow

71
Q

Gallant

A

The light elegant style of the 18th century

72
Q

Galliard

A

A spirited dance from the 15th century in triple meter

73
Q

Giocoso

A

Humorous

74
Q

Grave

A

Slow, heavy, solemn

75
Q

Gregorian chant

A

Roman Catholic liturgical chants developed by pope Gregory I

76
Q

Harmonic minor

A

A natural minor scale with a raised seventh providing a leading tone

77
Q

Homophony

A

Music with one melodic part that is supported by a chordal accompaniment

78
Q

Homorhythmic

A

When all the voices or parts move in the same rhythm

79
Q

Imperfect cadence

A

A cadence that ends on a dominant chord

80
Q

Incomplete cadence

A

A cadence where the highest note of the tonic chord is not the keynote

81
Q

Intermezzo

A

Short lyrical instrumental piece either part of a larger work or an independent composition; comical musical entertainment played between the acts of an opera during the 18th century

82
Q

Ionian mode

A

A mode that corresponds to the whole and half step patterns created when playing C -C on the white keys of the piano, same as a major scale

83
Q

Isometric

A

When all parts of a polyphonic piece have the same rhythm

84
Q

Largo

A

Very slow and broad

85
Q

Legato

A

To play or sing in groups of notes smoothly and without separate attacks

86
Q

Libretto

A

The words or text of an opera, oratorio or musical

87
Q

Liturgical drama

A

Medieval plays representing biblical stories with monophonic music

88
Q

Locrian mode

A

The mode that corresponds to the half and whole step patterns created when playing B-B on the white keys of a piano

89
Q

Lydian mode

A

A mode that corresponds to the half and whole step patterns created when playing F-F on the white keys of a piano

90
Q

Madrigal

A

Italian vocal music through the 14th and 16th century usually unaccompanied

91
Q

Marcato

A

Accented,stressed indicated by ^

92
Q

Melodic minor

A

A natural minor scale with the sixth and seventh degrees raised while ascending and then lowered when descending

93
Q

Mixolydian mode

A

A mode that corresponds to the whole and half step patterns created playing G-G on the white keys of the piano

94
Q

Moderato

A

In a moderate tempo

95
Q

Monophonic/ monophony

A

A single melodic line without any additional parts or accompaniment

96
Q

Offertory

A

The fourth part of the Roman Catholic mass sung by the choir during offering

97
Q

Oratorio

A

A composition for voices and instrumental accompaniment usually within a sacred text

98
Q

Overture

A

An instrumental composition used as an intro to a ballet, opera or oratorio

99
Q

Parallel motion

A

The movement of two or more parts, with the interval between the parts remaining the same

100
Q

Pastorale

A

A vocal or instrumental piece imitating the music of shepherds or idyllic scenes

101
Q

Passing tones

A

A non chordal tone that is melodically placed between two chord tones and usually occurs on a Weak beat

102
Q

Perfect cadence

A

A cadence where the progression moves froma root position dominat chord to the root position tonic chord (V-I)

103
Q

Phrygian mode

A

A mode that corresponds to the whole and half step patterns created when playing E-E on the white keys of a piano

104
Q

Plagal cadence

A

A cadence where the progression moves from a subdominant to a tonic chord (IV-V) the amen cadence

105
Q

Polyphony

A

When two or more melodic lines are combined

106
Q

Polyrhythm

A

Two or more rhythms played simultaneously

107
Q

Recapitulation

A

The section of a movement in sonata form when the themes of the exposition are repeated

108
Q

Recitative

A

A style of singing that imitates speech, usually found between arias of an opera or oratorio

109
Q

Rounded binary

A

A binary form with a repeat of the first section ABA

110
Q

Sinfonia

A

An overture to an opera, suite or cantata

111
Q

Singspiel

A

A light 18th century German opera that has spoken interludes

112
Q

Sonata form

A

Form used for the first movements of sonatas, symphonies and chamber works, it consists of 3 main sections : exposition, development, recapitulation.

113
Q

Sonata

A

A multi movement composition usually for a solo instrument but often accompanied by a piano

114
Q

Sonata da camera

A

Chamber sonata

115
Q

Sonata de chiesa

A

Church sonata

116
Q

Sonatina

A

A short sonata

117
Q

Staccato

A

Short, detached. Indicated by a dot over or under the note .

118
Q

Subdominant

A

The fourth degree of a major or minor scale

119
Q

Submediant

A

The sixth degree of a major or minor scale

120
Q

Tenuto

A

To hold a note for its full value, indicated by a line over or under the note

121
Q

Timbre

A

Tone colour or quality

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