Elements of Rhythm, meter and tempo Flashcards
Explain compound meter.
A triple pulse is found within each beat (6/8,9/8,12/8)
Usually found in Jigs, pieces with dance like qualities such as Baroques dances.
Explain simple meter.
Each beat of the measure divides naturally into 2 equal parts. (4/4,2/4, 3/4)
Explain simple duple meter
2 or 4 beats divided by two.
Top # 2 or a 4 (4/2,4/8,2/2)
Explain simple triple
Three beats per measure each divided by 2
Top #3 (3/4,3/2,3/8)
Explain compound duple
2 beats per bar, each divided by three.
Tope number 6 (6/8)
Explain compound triple
3 beats per measure each divided by three
Tope #9 (9/8)
Schleppend
dragging (used by Mahler in Symphony #1)
Grave
Slowly and solemnly
Lent
Slowly
Moins
less
Tres
ver
vite
fast
vif
lively
Explain Syncopation
Placement of rhythmic stresses or accents where they wouldn’t normally occur.
Syncopation has been an important element of European musical composition since at least the Middle Ages. J.S. Bach and Handel used syncopated rhythms as an inherent part of their compositions; Haydn used it to create variety. Syncopation was used by Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert, especially in their symphonies, for both purposes. This can be heard in Mozart’s 38th and Beethoven’s 7th. Syncopation is an essential part of the character of some musical styles, such as jazz and ragtime. Hungarian Csárdás song-dances are always syncopated. The “Scotch snap” of Scotland also feature syncopation.[
Larghissimo
very, very slow (19 BPM and under
Grave
slow and solemn (20–40 BPM)
Lento
slowly (40–45 BPM)
Largo
broadly (45–50 BPM)
Larghetto
rather broadly (50–55 BPM)
Adagio
slow and stately (literally, “at ease”) (55–65 BPM)
Andante moderato
a bit slower than andante (69–72 BPM)
Andante
at a walking pace (73–77 BPM)
Marcia moderato
moderately, in the manner of a march[4][5] (83–85 BPM)
Moderato
moderately (86–97 BPM)
Allegretto
moderately fast (98–109 BPM)
Allegro
fast, quickly and bright (109–132 BPM)
Vivace
lively and fast (132–140 BPM)
Presto
extremely fast (168–177 BPM)
Prestissimo
even faster than Presto (178 BPM and over)
Ritardando
gradually slowing down
Accelerando
gradually accelerating
A Tempo
at the same speed from the beginning
alla
in the manner or style of,
alla breve
in short style, i.e., duple time, with the half note (minim) rather than the quarter note (crotchet) as the beat; cut time; 2/2 instead of 4/4; often marked as a C with a vertical line through it
assai
very much
poco
slightly, little
molto
much
Explain the Sonata -Allegro form
Sonata Allegro form was a development of the classical era. It represents a more open form than many of the earlier Baroque forms such as fugues, rondeau form, etc.
While there is a formula that can be applied, there was not a rigid, formal concept for the form. Rather it evolved over the classical era and beyond.
Haydn was one of the early exponents of this form. It was named “Sonata Allegro,” because the final Allegro movement of a Sonata was most often created in this form. It is by no means restricted to this general rule, however. In fact there are no hard and fast rules in writing a Sonata Allegro form. However many trends can be attributed to the form generally
Sonata Allegro form can simplistically be described as an “ABA’” form.
The first A section is called the “Exposition.” ( This section is repeated verbatim in classical performance, actually making the overall form “AABA’”).
The B section, or “Development” follows the Exposition. It usually uses some material from the Exposition, but in a more or less radically altered way.
In the A’ section or “Recapitulation,” the A material returns relatively intact.
Each of these sections has a relatively complex internal pattern as follows:
The Exposition - states the main thematic elements and has its own internal form
The Development - is an open and free-form section of the Sonata Allegro movement, usually based on thematic materials from the Exposition.
The Recapitulation returns to the material in the Exposition. However the Recapitulation is almost always different from the Exposition in that it remains in the home key (i.e., second theme stays in the home key rather than changing).
Song Example: Haydn Symphony 104
Explain the 12 bar blues form
A 12-bar blues is divided into three four-bar segments. A standard blues progression, or sequence of notes, typically features three chords based on the first (written as I), fourth (IV), and fifth (V) notes of an eight-note scale. The I chord dominates the first four bars; the IV chord typically appears in the second four bars (although in the example below, Elmore James introduces it in the first four bars); and the V chord is played in the third four bars.
The lyrics of a 12-bar blues song often follow what’s known as an AAB pattern. “A” refers to the first and second four-bar verse, and “B” is the third four-bar verse. In a 12-bar blues, the first and second lines are repeated, and the third line is a response to them—often with a twist.
In each 12-bar stanza, the third four-bar segment (9-12th bars), serves to resolve the previous four-bar segments. The resolution may signal the end of the song or set up another stanza. If the song continues, the transition to the next stanza is known as the turnaround.
