Elements of music Flashcards
Music is an _________ sound
Organized
What’s the definition of music
Music is an art form, it uses organized sound, as it means of expression, through the manipulation of the elements of music
What is rhythm
Rhythm is the controlled movements of music in time
What does Rhythm effect
“How long a tone is played The speed of which the tones are heard The regularity or irregularity with which tones are heard”
What is pitch
Pitch is the physical frequency of sound. It is the highness or lowness of sound
What is melody
“Melody is the ordering of single tones Rhythm + pitch= melody”
What is melody sometimes called
Soul of music
What’s an example of timbre
“A flute sounds different from a trumpet How you can hear the difference from your mothers voice then your fathers”
What are the six dynamics in letters
“PP P MP MF F FF”
What are the six dynamics in Italian
“Pianissimo Piano Mezzo piano Mezzo forte Forte Fortissimo”
What are the six dynamics in English
“Very soft Soft Medium soft Medium loud Loud Very loud”
What does crescendo and decrescendo mean
Gradually get loud and gradually get softer
What is texture
Texture is the complexity of a musical composition
What are the three types of textures
Monophonic, polyphonic, and homophonic
What’s the definition of monophonic and an example
One unaccompanied melody (it doesn’t have an harmony) an example is an choir singing in octaves
What’s the definition of homophonic and an example
A homophonic is a single line of melody or multiple lines of melody with chords or accompaniment. An example is a flute solo with an piano accompaniment.mother instruments playing a chord (not a melody) at the same time
What is a music form
A music form is the overall structure or plan of a piece of music.
What are the music forms
Binary AB, ternaryABA, rondoABACA
What is an binary AB
binary form has 2 musical ideas that alternate. The music always ends on the second idea
What tenary ABA
ternary form has 2 musical ideas that alternate. The music must end on the first idea
What is rondo ABACA
The first idea always repeated before and after the sections
What’s theme and variation
Theme and variation has one short melody, main melody, it is slightly or substantially changed and repeated several times. Variations are indicated with superscript
Can elements of music be changed
Any of the elements of music may be changed in a variation but the melody is still recognized
What is canon
This form begins with a melody after a measured amount of time, introduces an imitation of that Melody. Canon in strict imitation and at the same pitch are called rounds
Types of canon imitation
“Augmentation (longer note values) Diminution (shorter note value) Retrograde (original melody in reverse) Mirror (the intervals of the original are played in contrary motion)”
What is a fugue
A fugue uses counterpoints
What are counterpoints,
A counterpoint is where multiple melodic lines can be followed independently but together form harmony
How many voices does a fugue have
2 or more voices, it begins with a subject (theme) and then each additional voice that begins in imitation. The second time a subject appears it will be in a different key and is called the answer
How many parts does a fugue have and name them
“It has three parts Exposition Development Recapitulation”
What happens during exposition
The subject or theme is stated all other voices eventually enter and state the same theme but at different pitches. Then an episode happens and changes keys
What’s the development
The main theme may be heard in fragments but each voice is developed and varied. Counter expositions may occur. These are new themes that occur in reverse order. False entered and stereo may occur. Stretto is where the voices interrupt each other to intensify the music
What is recapitulation
The piece returns to the original key the theme returns, usually over a pedal note
What’s a motif
A motif is a recurring fragment or succession of noted it is used to create part or all of a melody or theme.
What can a motif be
Harmonic, melodic, rhythmic
What is a motif called if its associated with a person or a place
A leitmotif Peter and wolf uses leitmotif or each animal in the story
What is sonata form
Sonata form consists of an exposition a development and a recapitulation
A theme is the
A theme is the initial or primary melody of a piece of music
What is the exposition for sonata
The exposition determines the key and modulates to the dominant by the end of the section. The dominant is the chord build on the 5th note of a scale. This is where the musical themes motif it’s are first heard
What is the development in the sonata form
The development is the middle section where the material from the other exposition is expanded and elaborated
What’s the recapitulation in sonata form
What is heard in the exposition but alters it in some way
