Exam 1 Flashcards
Pitch
Highness or lowness of the note, depending on the frequency
Note
A musical symbol denoting pitch and duration
Timbre
The quality of a sound that distinguishes one voice or instrument from another
Melody
Succession of a single pitches perceived by the ear as a unit
Range
Distance between the lowest and highest pitches of a melody, an instrument, or a voice
Contour
The overall shape of a melodic line as it moves upward or downward or remains static
Interval
The distance and relationship between two pitches
Conjunct
Smooth, connected melody that moves principally by small intervals
Disjunct
Disjointed or disconnected melody with many leaps
Phrase
A musical unit, often a component of a melody
Cadence
Resting place in a musical phrase, a musical punctuation
Rhyme scheme
The arrangement of rhyming words or corresponding sounds at the end of poetic lines
Climax
The high point of a melodic line or piece of music, usually representing the peak of intensity, range, and dynamics
Countermelody
An accompanying melody sounded against the principal melody
Beat
Regular pulsation, a basic unit of length in musical time
Meter
Organization in rhythm in time; the grouping of beats into larger, regular patterns, notated as measures
Measures/bars
Metric group of beats, notated on the musical staff with bar lines
Bar lines
Vertical lines on a staff that separate measures, or bars
Downbeat
First beat of the measure, the strongest in any meter
Simple meters
Meter in which the beat is divided into two, as in duple, triple and quadruple meters
Compound meters
Meter in which each main beat subdivides into three rather than two; 6 8 is a common example
Syncopation
Deliberate upsetting of the meter or pulse through a temporary shifting of the accent to a weak beat or offbeat
Offbeats
A weak beat or weak portion of the beat
Polyrhythm
The simultaneous use of several rhythmic meters, common in the twentieth century music and certain African musics
Additive rhythms
Patterns of beats that subdivide into small, irregular groups (ex. 2+3+2+3=10), common in some Eastern European and non western musics
Non-metric
Music lacking a strong sense of beat or meter, common in certain non-western cultures
Harmony
The simultaneous combination of notes and the ensuing relationships of intervals and chords
Chord
Simultaneous combination of three or more pitches that constitute a single block of harmony
Scale
Series of pitches in ascending or descending order, comprising the notes of a key
Octave
Interval between two notes eight diatonic pitches apart; the lower note vibrates half as fast as the upper and sounds an octave lower
Triad
Common chord type; consisting of three pitches built on alternate notes of the scale
Tonality
Principle of organization around a tonic; or home, pitch, based on a major or minor scale
Dissonance
Combination of tones that sounds discordant and unstable, in need of resolution
Consonance
Concordant or harmonious combination of pitches that provides a sense of relaxation and stability in music
Drone
Sustained sounding of one or several pitches for harmonic support, a common feature of some folk musics
Sharp
Music symbol (#) that indicates raising a pitch by a half step
Flat
Musical symbol (b) that indicates lowering a pitch by a half step
Whole step
Interval consisting of two half steps
Major and minor scales
Major scale- W H H W W W H
Minor scale- W H W W H W W
Tonic-dominant-tonic
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Diatonic
Melody or harmony built from the seven pitches of the major or minor scale. A diatonic scale encompasses patterns of seven whole and half steps
Pentatonic
Five note pattern used in some African, far Eastern, and Native American musics, as well as Anglo-American folk music
Microtones
Musical interval smaller than a semitone, prevalent in some non-Western music and some twentieth century music
Tonic
The first note of the scale, or key; do
Dominant
The fifth scale step; sol
Subdominant
Fourth scale step, fa
Modulation
The process of changing from one key to another
Transposition
The shifting of a piece of music to a different pitch level
Monophony
Single line texture, or melody without accompaniment
Heterophony
Texture in which two or more voices (or parts) elaborate the same melody simultaneously, often the result of improvisation
Polyphony
Texture resulting from combining two or more melodic lines, as distinct from monophonic
Homophony
Texture with a principal melody and accompanying harmony, as distinct from polyphony
Homorhythmic
Texture in which all voices, or lines, move together in the same rhythm
Imitation
Melodic idea presented in one voice or part and then restated in another, each part continuing as others enter
Canon
A list of composers and/or works assigned value and greatness by consensus. Also, a type of polyphonic composition in which one musical line strictly imitates another at a fixed distance throughout
Round
Perpetual canon at the unison in which each voice enters in succession with the same melody
Form
The organizing principle in music; it’s basic elements are repetition, contrast, and variation
Variation
The compositional procedure of altering a preexisting musical idea
Strophic
Song structure in which the same music is repeated with every stanza (strophe) of the poem
Through composed
Song structure that is composed from beginning to end, without repetitions of large sections
Improvisation
Spontaneous creation or elaboration of music through performance, as in Baroque ornamentation, cadenzas of concertos, jazz, and some non Western musics
Binary form
Two part (A-B) form with each section normally repeated
Ternary form
Three part (A-B-A) form based on a statement (A), contrast (B), and repetition (A)
Theme
Melodic idea used as a basic building block in the construction of a piece
Motive
Short melodic or rhythmic idea; the smallest fragment of a theme that forms a melodic-harmonic-rhythmic unit
Thematic development
Musical expansion of theme by varying its melodic outline, harmony, or rhythm
Sequence
Restatement of an idea or motive at a different pitch level
Call and response
Performance style with a singing leader who is imitated by a chorus of followers
Ostinato
A short melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic pattern that is repeated throughout a work or a section
Movement
Complete, self contained part within a larger musical work
Scat singing
A jazz style that sets syllables without meaning (vocables) to an improvised vocal line
Vocalize
A textless vocal melody, as in an exercise or concert piece
Sacred music
Religious or spiritual music, for church or devotional use
Latin
Language of the Roman Empire, language of learning at medieval and Renaissance universities and of the Roman Catholic Church
Secular music
Nonreligious music, where there is text, it’s usually in the vernacular
Refrain/chorus
Text or music that is repeated within a larger form
Syllabic
Melodic style of one note set to each text syllable
Melismatic
Melodic style characterized by many notes sung to a single text syllable
Neumatic
Melodic style with two to four notes set to each syllable
Word painting
Musical pictorialization of words as an expressive device, a prominent feature of the Renaissance madrigal
Instrument
Mechanism that generates musical vibrations and transmits them into the air
Register
Specific area in the range of an instrument or voice
Aerophones
Instruments such as a flute, whistle, or horn that produce sound by using air as the primary vibrating means
Chordophones
Instrument that produces sound from a vibrating string stretched between two points; the string may be set in motion by bowing, striking, or plucking
Idiophones
Instrument that produces sound from the substance of the instrument itself by being struck, blown, shaken, or scraped, or rubbed. Examples include bells, rattles, xylophones, and cymbals
Membranaphones
Any instrument that produces sound from tightly stretched membranes that can be struck
Homogenous
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Chamber music
Ensemble music for up to about ten players, with one player to a part
Orchestra
Any performing body of diverse instruments; gamelan, symphony orchestra
Heterogenous
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Bands
Generic name applied to a variety of ensembles, Mostar which rely on winds and percussion
Jazz bands
Instrumental ensemble made up of reed, brass, and rhythm sections
Conductor
Beat time in standard metric patterns to help the performers to keep the same tempo with a baton, decide tempo, interpret the piece for the orchestra
Concertmaster
The first chair violinist of a symphony orchestra
Genres
General term describing the standard category and overall character of a work
Medium
Performing forces employed in a certain musical work
Oral transmission
Tradition of transmitting music by example or imitation and performed from memory
Style
Characteristic manner of the presentation of musical elements (melody, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, form, texture, and tempo)
Western music
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Historical periods
Periods of time defined by a certain set of stylistic characteristics
Middle Ages
(400-1450) the earliest notated music; church music prevails; harmony and rhythmic concepts introduced
Renaissance
(1450-1600) printing and distribution of music; musical focus moves from church to palace; development of national styles
Baroque
(1600-1750) invention of opera; development of instrumental music and genres; tonal harmony developed
Classical
(1750-1825) public concerts featured; symphony orchestra flourishes, large scale compositions developed
Romantic
(1820-1900) composer as an independent artist; rise of virtuoso performer; chromatic harmony and more dissonance featured; programmatic music; nationalism in composition
Post-Romantic and Impressionistic
(1890-1915) modal and exotic scales; music influenced by art and literary movements
Pope Gregory the Great
Credited with codifying Gregorian chant
Plainchant/Gregorian chant
Monophonic melody with a freely flowing, unmeasured vocal line; liturgical chant of the Roman Catholic Church
Catholic mass
Central service of the Roman Catholic Church
Kyrie
The first musical section of the Ordinary of the Mass. it’s construction is threefold, involving three repetitions of “kyrie eleison” (Lord, have mercy), three of “Christe eleison” (Christ, have mercy), and again three of “Kyrie eleison”
Monasteries/convents
Religious communities of individuals who chose to get her in systematic religious practice
Hildegard von Bingen
(1098-1179) nun who founded a monastery and whose composition style resembles Gregorian chant but is full of expressive leaps and melismas that clearly convey the meaning of the words
Organum
Earliest type of polyphonic music, which developed from the custom of adding voice above a plainchant; they first ran parallel to the chant at the interval of a fifth or fourth and later moved more freely
Leonin
Perotin
Minstrels
Troubadours and trouveres
Medieval poet-musicians in southern France; the women are called trobairitz, those in northern France called trouveres
Estampie
A dance form prevalent in medieval France, either sung or performed instrumentally
Raimbaut de Vaquieras
(1155-1207) Typifies the tradition of the courtly troubadour; wrote Kalenda maya, which is defined as estampie; in the service of Marquis Boniface l of Montferrat, and after saving his life, joined forces with Constantinople
Quadrivium
Four topics considered essential for education: music, math, geometry, and astronomy
Ars nova
“New art”, the refined, complex style of polyphony in fourteenth century France, as exemplified by the music of Guillaume de Machaut
