Exam 1 Flashcards
Mass
Collection of prescribed texts for Christian liturgy (includes Communion)
Ordinary (most important: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei)
The movements of the mass whose texts does not change from day to day in the church year
Proper (most important: Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory, Communion)
The movements of the Mass whose texts change from day to day
Antiphonal Psalmody
A style of singing psalms in the Mass and the Office in which the psalm itself is sung by alternating choirs
Antiphon
The melodic section of antiphonal psalmody sung by everyone before and after the psalm
Neume
The notation symbols that originated in the 9th century and became the square notation used for chant. One neume can mean anywhere from 1 to 6 pitches
Monophonic
Music with a single melodic line
Psalm
One of a collection of 150 sacred poems found in the book of Psalms in the Hebrew Bible
Doxology
The Christian verbal formula that is attached to the singing of psalms, reinforcing large points of belief
Unheighted Neumes
Early notation in which only pitch direction is given, but not relative pitch
Heighted Neumes
Early neumatic notation in which relative but not exact pitch is indicated by relative height (prior to 4-line staff)
Hexachord
A collection of six notes used by Guido to teach singing
Tenor
In a psalm tone, the pitch that is repeated for recitation
Final
In a mode, the organizing pitch where a given melody in that mode is to end
Guido d’Arezzo
11th century monk and music theorist. Wrote Micrologus, which included instructions for teaching singing
Gamut
The known musical theoretical universe, as defined by Guido’s hexachordal system
Hymn
A sacred poem set to music, each stanza having the same structure and rhythm and set to the same music
Strophic
A song or hymn in which all stanzas are set to the same music
Organum
Early word for polyphony
Polyphony
Music in which there are multiple independent lines
Discant
A style of polyphony in which the voices move close to the same rate of speed
Florid Organum
A style of polyphony in which the top voice moves much faster than the lower
Intonation
The melodic formula that begins a psalm tone, leading to the tenor
Mediant
The melodic formula that ends the first half of a psalm verse
Termination
The melodic formula of a psalm tone that completes a psalm verse, leading to the next verse or back to the antiphon
Psalm tone
The portion of antiphonal psalmody in which the psalm is sung
Responsorial Psalmody
A style of singing psalms in the Mass or Office in which a soloist alternates with the full choir
Neumatic
One syllable of text is set to 1-6 notes
Syllabic
One syllable of text is set to one note
Melismatic
One syllable of text is set to many notes
Schola Cantorum
The professional choir that sang the liturgy in Rome; traveled to Frankish areas to teach chant
Authentic
Those modes whose range is generally above their finals
Plagal
Those modes whose range is predominantly around their finals
Chant Dialects
The regional chant practices that existed in Western Europe before the standardization of chant in the 8th-9th centuries
St. Benedict
Founder of Benedictine monastic order; wrote the Rule of St. Benedict (6th century), which prescribed the organization of a monk’s day
Office Hours (also Monastic Office; Divine Office)
The organization of a monk’s day, divided into eight separate prayer services at prescribed times (Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, sext, Nones, Vespers, Compline)
Collection of prescribed texts for Christian liturgy (includes Communion)
Mass
The movements of the mass whose texts does not change from day to day in the church year
Ordinary (most important: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei)
The movements of the Mass whose texts change from day to day
Proper (most important: Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory, Communion)
A style of singing psalms in the Mass and the Office in which the psalm itself is sung by alternating choirs
Antiphonal Psalmody
The melodic section of antiphonal psalmody sung by everyone before and after the psalm
Antiphon
The notation symbols that originated in the 9th century and became the square notation used for chant. One neume can mean anywhere from 1 to 6 pitches
Neume
Music with a single melodic line
Monophonic
One of a collection of 150 sacred poems found in the book of Psalms in the Hebrew Bible
Psalm
The Christian verbal formula that is attached to the singing of psalms, reinforcing large points of belief
Doxology
Early notation in which only pitch direction is given, but not relative pitch
Unheighted Neumes
Early neumatic notation in which relative but not exact pitch is indicated by relative height (prior to 4-line staff)
Heighted Neumes
A collection of six notes used by Guido to teach singing
Hexachord
In a psalm tone, the pitch that is repeated for recitation
Tenor
In a mode, the organizing pitch where a given melody in that mode is to end
Final
11th century monk and music theorist. Wrote Micrologus, which included instructions for teaching singing
Guido d’Arezzo
The known musical theoretical universe, as defined by Guido’s hexachordal system
Gamut
A sacred poem set to music, each stanza having the same structure and rhythm and set to the same music
Hymn
A song or hymn in which all stanzas are set to the same music
Strophic
Early word for polyphony
Organum
Music in which there are multiple independent lines
Polyphony
A style of polyphony in which the voices move close to the same rate of speed
Discant
A style of polyphony in which the top voice moves much faster than the lower
Florid Organum
The melodic formula that begins a psalm tone, leading to the tenor
Intonation
The melodic formula that ends the first half of a psalm verse
Mediant
The melodic formula of a psalm tone that completes a psalm verse, leading to the next verse or back to the antiphon
Termination
The portion of antiphonal psalmody in which the psalm is sung
Psalm tone
A style of singing psalms in the Mass or Office in which a soloist alternates with the full choir
Responsorial Psalmody
One syllable of text is set to 1-6 notes
Neumatic
One syllable of text is set to one note
Syllabic
One syllable of text is set to many notes
Melismatic
The professional choir that sang the liturgy in Rome; traveled to Frankish areas to teach chant
Schola Cantorum
Those modes whose range is generally above their finals
Authentic
Those modes whose range is predominantly around their finals
Plagal
The regional chant practices that existed in Western Europe before the standardization of chant in the 8th-9th centuries
Chant Dialects
Founder of Benedictine monastic order; wrote the Rule of St. Benedict (6th century), which prescribed the organization of a monk’s day
St. Benedict
The organization of a monk’s day, divided into eight separate prayer services at prescribed times (Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, sext, Nones, Vespers, Compline)
Office Hours (also Monastic Office; Divine Office)
Leonin
Major composer of the School of Notre Dame Polyphony (Paris); flourished mid to late 12th century
Perotin
Second generation of Notre Dame composers; flourished late 12th – early 13th centuries. Composed many substitute clausulas for older Notre Dame repertory.
Magnus Liber Organi
Book containing organum and clausulae by Notre Dame composers; original is lost
Anonymous IV
English student at the University of Paris in the 13th century who wrote about Leonin, Perotin, and the Magnus Liber Organi.
Organum duplum, (triplum, quadruplum)
Respectively two-voice, three-voice, and four-voice organum
Clausula
A section of discant organum, clearly bounded by obvious changes in texture
Substitute clausula
A clausula written separately from a larger piece of organum that can be substituted for a discant section in an older work of organum
Rhythmic modes
A classification system of six kinds of rhythmic patterns that are used repetitively in Notre Dame polyphony (12th-13th centuries)
Motet
Originally a substitute clausula with added words in the upper part(s). Quickly became a free-standing composition; usually had sacred themes (sometimes combined with secular texts) and multiple texts, sometimes combining Latin and French.
Long
The longer of the two standard rhythmic note values of the later Middle Ages; introduced in the context of rhythmic modes used by the school of Notre Dame polyphony
Breve
Originally, the shortest rhythmic value as defined by Notre Dame composers; was superseded by smaller note values in the late 13th century
Semi breve
A note value introduced in the late 13th century; a division of the breve
Minim
The shortest note value in the Ars nova notational system introduced in the early 14th centry; a division of the semi-breve.
Philippe de Vitry
Theorist and composer; major founder of the Ars nova style of composition and notational system
Ars nova
Translation: “new art.” A school of polyphonic composition of 14th - century France, founded by de Vitry and marked by rhythmic and metrical variety and a slow-moving isorhythmic tenor.
Mood (Modus)
The relationship between the long and the breve in Ars nova music theory
Time (Tempus)
The relationship between the breve and the semi-breve
Prolation (Prolatio)
The relationship between the semi-breve and the minim
Isorhythm
Translation: “same rhythm;” a compositional technique featuring a series of note values that repeats, usually in the tenor, creating the formal structure of the composition
Talea
The series of rhythmic note values that recurs in the tenor voice of an isorhythmic composition
Color
A series of pitches that repeats, usually in the tenor voice, in an isorhythmic composition; may or may not synchronize with the talea.
Isorhythmic motet (or Mass movement)
A motet or Mass movement featuring isorhythm in the tenor voice
Guillaume de Machaue
Composer of the later Ars nove (mid 14th century); worked as a canon at the Cathedral at Reims and in the court of John of Bohemia; professional composer
Messe de Nostre Dame
The major sacred composition of Machaut; a polyphonic setting of the Mass ordinary, featuring isorhtyhm in the Kyrie, Sanctus and Agnus Dei
Tenor
Beginning in the 12th century, the slower-moving voice in a polyphonic composition that contains the original chant or chant excerpt; later on (15th century) tenors also contain other pre-existent works.
Counter tenor
A newly-composed voice written in the same style as the tenor (i.e., slower-moving) to complement the tenor. Machaut uses a counter tenor in his Messe de Nostre Dame.
Coloration
The use of colored ink in Ars nova compositions to indicate a change in meter
Mensuration shift
A fancy term for changing meters
Mutation
In Guidonian solfege, the process of changing from one hexachord to another
Hocket
Meaning “hiccup” and taken from the French word “hocquet”, this is a technique of intensification in which the upper voice alternate between singing and resting, producing a choppy melodic line.
Major composer of the School of Notre Dame Polyphony (Paris); flourished mid to late 12th century
Leonin
Second generation of Notre Dame composers; flourished late 12th – early 13th centuries. Composed many substitute clausulas for older Notre Dame repertory.
Perotin
Book containing organum and clausulae by Notre Dame composers; original is lost
Magnus Liber Organi
English student at the University of Paris in the 13th century who wrote about Leonin, Perotin, and the Magnus Liber Organi.
Anonymous IV
Respectively two-voice, three-voice, and four-voice organum
Organum duplum, (triplum, quadruplum)
A section of discant organum, clearly bounded by obvious changes in texture
Clausula
A clausula written separately from a larger piece of organum that can be substituted for a discant section in an older work of organum
Substitute clausula
A classification system of six kinds of rhythmic patterns that are used repetitively in Notre Dame polyphony (12th-13th centuries)
Rhythmic modes
Originally a substitute clausula with added words in the upper part(s). Quickly became a free-standing composition; usually had sacred themes (sometimes combined with secular texts) and multiple texts, sometimes combining Latin and French.
Motet
The longer of the two standard rhythmic note values of the later Middle Ages; introduced in the context of rhythmic modes used by the school of Notre Dame polyphony
Long
Originally, the shortest rhythmic value as defined by Notre Dame composers; was superseded by smaller note values in the late 13th century
Breve
A note value introduced in the late 13th century; a division of the breve
Semi breve
The shortest note value in the Ars nova notational system introduced in the early 14th centry; a division of the semi-breve.
Minim
Theorist and composer; major founder of the Ars nova style of composition and notational system
Philippe de Vitry
Translation: “new art.” A school of polyphonic composition of 14th - century France, founded by de Vitry and marked by rhythmic and metrical variety and a slow-moving isorhythmic tenor.
Ars nova
The relationship between the long and the breve in Ars nova music theory
Mood (Modus)
The relationship between the breve and the semi-breve
Time (Tempus)
The relationship between the semi-breve and the minim
Prolation (Prolatio)
Translation: “same rhythm;” a compositional technique featuring a series of note values that repeats, usually in the tenor, creating the formal structure of the composition
Isorhythm
The series of rhythmic note values that recurs in the tenor voice of an isorhythmic composition
Talea
A series of pitches that repeats, usually in the tenor voice, in an isorhythmic composition; may or may not synchronize with the talea.
Color
A motet or Mass movement featuring isorhythm in the tenor voice
Isorhythmic motet (or Mass movement)
Composer of the later Ars nove (mid 14th century); worked as a canon at the Cathedral at Reims and in the court of John of Bohemia; professional composer
Guillaume de Machaue
The major sacred composition of Machaut; a polyphonic setting of the Mass ordinary, featuring isorhythm in the Kyrie, Sanctus and Agnus Dei
Messe de Nostre Dame
Beginning in the 12th century, the slower-moving voice in a polyphonic composition that contains the original chant or chant excerpt; later on (15th century) tenors also contain other pre-existent works.
Tenor
A newly-composed voice written in the same style as the tenor (i.e., slower-moving) to complement the tenor. Machaut uses a counter tenor in his Messe de Nostre Dame.
Counter tenor
The use of colored ink in Ars nova compositions to indicate a change in meter
Coloration
A fancy term for changing meters
Mensuration shift
In Guidonian solfege, the process of changing from one hexachord to another
Mutation
Meaning “hiccup” and taken from the French word “hocquet”, this is a technique of intensification in which the upper voice alternate between singing and resting, producing a choppy melodic line.
Hocket
