Domain Two - Music Flashcards
Dynamics
Volume or intensity of a tone; can be played loudly (forte) or softly (piano)
Harmony
Two or more tones played simultaneously that support the melody I’ve music texture or mood
a group of notes that are played behind the melody (example: play several different notes at the same time on piano - using harmony) ; change how music sounds by changing the harmony
Pitch
Hearing a note and being able to reproduce it either vocally or with an instrument
vocal cords and musical instruments produce vibrations in the air; as the frequency of these vibrations change, the pitch changes
Faster the vibration, higher the note — slower the vibration, lower the pitch
intonation - whether the pitch of a particular note is played in tune, sharp (higher) or flat (lower)
Rhythm
Pattern of musical movement through time; what makes music move and flow; measured in units of time and organized by sets or patterns that can be repeated
The way sounds beat within different lengths and accents that combine into patterns
Steady pulse (beat), but can also have different kinds of beats (i.e. stronger or longer)
First beat of a bar is typically a strong beat; typified by a waltz in 3/4 time
Tempo
Pace of the beat - measured by number of beats per minute
Speed at which a composer desires his musical composition to be performed
Metronome - machine that helps musicians adjust rates of speed (tempi) for faster or slower beats
Faster the tempo — more beats per minute
Important component in changing the expressiveness of character and mood of the musical composition (example: fast tempo — more energy, aggression, vitality)
Most marches are performed at a rate of 120 beats per minute
Presto - very fast Allegro - fast Moderato - moderate Adagio - slow Largo - very slow
Tone
The sound produced by an individual instrument or singer
each family of instruments and type of instrument is distinct from all others
Timbre (“tam-ber”)
Unique tonal quality of a musical sound; tone “color”; makes one instrument sound different from another;great effect on the mood of the music
Can be described as bright, shrill, brittle, or light OR dull, harsh, forceful, or dark; each type of instrument have a distinct tone, but each instrument can also have a different tone from other instruments that are similar
** all violins have the same tone qualities yet due to mainly the manufacturer it has a different timbre or tone quality
Chamber music
Music played by one to twenty performers
Chord
Several notes sounded together
Consonance
Combination of tones that produces a quality of relaxation
Dissonance
Combination of tones that produces a quality of tension
Fugue
Based upon a short theme calle d a subject - fugue subject contains both rhythmic and melodic motifs
Opening of the fugue is announced by one voice alone - second voice then restates the subject, usually on a different scale - a third and then a fourth voice, each carrying the subject
Lied
A type of German song
Lyre
Ancient harp
Motif
Recurring group of notes, such as the four notes played at the beginning of (and restated throughout) Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony
Movement
A large section of a lengthy composition