Exam 2 Terms

Question 1

Character Piece

Answer 1

A character piece is a musical composition which is expressive of a specific mood or non-musical idea. Wikipedia

Question 2

Art song

Answer 2

vocal music composition, usually written for one voice with piano accompaniment, and usually in the classical art music tradition

Question 3

Aria:

Answer 3

vocal song in an opera

Question 4

Recitative:

Answer 4

rhythmically free, speech-like singing used in an opera to advance the plot (dialogue or narrative)

Question 5

Libretto:

Answer 5

the text or words of an opera

Question 6

BINARY form:

Answer 6

[A, B]

Question 7

TERNARY FORM:

Answer 7

[A, B, A]

Question 8

THEME & VARIATION:

Answer 8

[A, A’, A’’, A’’’, A’’’’]

Question 9

RONDO:

Answer 9

[A, B, A, C, A, D, A, C, A, B, A]

Question 10

MINUET (&TRIO):

Answer 10

a ternary, dance-like movement in a Waltz time signature (3/4)

Question 11

SCHERZO:

Answer 11

a ternary, dance-like movement in a FAST 3/4 time

Question 12

SONATA FORM + its three parts:

Answer 12

a laaaarge ternary form.

1) Exposition
2) Development
3) Recapitulation

Question 13

(sonata) EXPOSITION:

Answer 13

1st theme(s) stated in original key of the piece
2nd theme(s) stated in a contrasting key

Question 14

Modulation:

Answer 14

“to change keys in music”

2nd theme(s) stated in a contrasting key

Question 15

(sonata) Development:

Answer 15

themes are reworked by being broken up, recombined, re-orchestrated, and modulated through different KEYS.

Question 16

(sonata) Recapitulation:

Answer 16

1st theme(s) stated in original key (tonic)
Modulation stated in original key 
2nd theme(s) stated in original key

Question 17

MOTIVE:

Answer 17

small musical idea taken from a melody or theme

Question 18

Program Music:

Answer 18

instrumental music intended, by the composer, to depict a story, poem, feeling, or idea

Question 19

Absolute Music:

Answer 19

instrumental music which exists simply as music, and is not in any way illustrative