Exam questions

Question 1

name the term and give a composition example: a male character in n opera, performed by a soprano, mezzo-soprano or contra-alto

Answer 1

trouser role

ex. The Marriage of Figaro

Question 2

name the term and give a composition example: the second statement of the main idea of a fugue, usually heard in the dominant key

Answer 2

counter subject
ex.Cantata no. 80- Bach
(ein feste burg ist unser Gott)

Question 3

name the term and give a composition example: the projection of a single mood or emotion through an entire composition or movement in Baroque music

Answer 3

the Affections

ex. Brandenburg Concerto no. 2 in f major

Question 4

name the term and give a composition example: Italian comic opera sung throughout with no spoken dialogue

Answer 4

opera buffa

ex. Marriage of Figaro-Mozart

Question 5

name the term and give a composition example: A baroque instrumental genre based on the opposition of the concertino and the ripieno

Answer 5

Concerto Grosso

ex. Brandenburg Concerto no. 2 in F major -JS Bach

Question 6

name the term and give a composition example: a virtuosic solo passage in improvisatory style

Answer 6

cadenza

ex. Piano Concerto in G major -Mozart

Question 7

name the term and give a composition example: a style of text setting in which many notes are sung to each syllable

Answer 7

melissmatic

ex. Haec Dies -anon.

Question 8

name the term and give a composition example: a multi-movement work made up of a series of contrasting dances, generally all in the same key

Answer 8

Suite

ex. Water Music Suite in D major -Handel

Question 9

name the term and give a composition example: Latin for “fixed song” borrowed material which serves as the structural basis of a new polyphonic composition

Answer 9

cantus firmus

ex. Haec Dies Organum -anon.

Question 10

name the term and give a composition example: A performance style in which the soloist alternates with the chorus

Answer 10

responsorial singing

ex. Haec Dies

Question 11

name the term and give a composition example: a late 18th century literary movement that aimed to shock, frighten, or overwhelm the audience with emotion

Answer 11

strurm and drang

ex.??

Question 12

name the term and give a composition example: Latin for “false music”, a performance practice whereby pitches are raised or lowered to avoid undesirable intervals

Answer 12

musica ficta

ex. Puis Qu’en Oubli- Machaut

Question 13

name the term and give a composition example: renaissance term for an instrumental ensemble may be “whole” or “broken”

Answer 13

consort

ex. Mille Regretz Pavane- Susato

Question 14

A Mass by Palestrina
title:
era:
which historical even inspired this work:
identify and explain 2 musical features:

Answer 14

Missa Papae Marcelli
Renaissance
The Counter-reformation ?
1.Polyphony, six voices SATTBB, restrained approach
2. at times all voices sing together to highlight the importance of these words, ie. Son of god

Question 15

A Chanson by Machaut
title:
era:
poetic structure:
two musical features:

Answer 15

Puis Qu'en Oubli
Middle Ages
rondeau
1. polyphonic, 3 voices all newly composed
2. a wide variety of intervals is used

Question 16

a chamber work by Schubert
title:
performing forces:
basis of the fourth movement:
form of the fourth movement:
internal form of the theme in the fourth movement:

Answer 16

Piano Quintet in A major "Trout"
piano, violin, viola, cello, double bass
Die Forelle -song by Schubert about a ruthless fisherman outwitting a trout
theme and variations
binary form

Question 17

a madrigal by Gesualdo
title:
era:
two examples of word painting

Answer 17

Moro, lasso, al mio duolo
renaissance
descending chromatic line represents death
more rhythmically active on “vita” reflects vibrant energy of life

Question 18

A Keyboard work by Scarlatti
title:
which instrument was it written for?
form:
two idiomatic features of the keyboard writing in this work:

Answer 18

Sonata in D major
Baroque
harpsichord
rounded Binary ABA
running passages, repeated notes

Question 19

A trouvere or troubadour chanson
title:
era:
texture:
explain two specific musical features

Answer 19

Ce fut en Mai- d’Arras
middle ages
monophonic
strophic form- same music for 5 verses of poem, no relationship between music and text
for 1 voice with optional improvised accompaniment
melodic range is a 9th

Question 20

a motet by Josquin
title
era
structure of text
two contrapuntal devices used
describe the harmonic language

Answer 20

Ave Maria...Virgo Serena
Renaissance
strophic poem- opening couplet, 5 quatrains, closing couplet
1.continuous imitation
2. pairing of voices
harm language???

Question 21

Discuss the musical features of Gregorian Chant (5 marks, provide examples where applicable)

Answer 21

ie.Haec Dies

1Named after Pope Gregory I. He did not compose them. They are plainchants from his time.
2plainchants are monophonic
3modal
4move by step or small leap
5unmeasured rhythm, sung freely following the natural inflections of the text
6based on sacred latin texts, served as functional music in the services of the roman catholic church
7earliest form of notated music in Western music, 8originally passed down orally
9became the basis of many new compositions in the middle ages and renaissance -ie Haec dies used in o mitissima/virgo/haec dies polytextual motet.

Question 22

Discuss the contributions of the Notre Dame School to the development of polyphony
provide examples where applicable (5 marks)

Answer 22

Leonin and Perotin the only two Notre dame school composers known by name.
Leonin was considered the best composer of organum
Many of his melodic patterns were triadic, something not heard in chant melodies previously.
two techniques- 1. very long notes for original chant, with new organal part unmeasured and free flowing
2. Discant style where both parts move together note for note in rhythmic modes
Perotin was known as the master of discant style
he developed organum from the Leonin style by instilling greater rhythmic accuracy
-developed organum to 3 and 4 parts

Question 23

Discuss the musical features of the Ars Nova (5 marks) provide examples where applicable

Answer 23

the ars nova by Philippe de Vitry defined the musical language of the 14th century

• broke free from rhythmic modes, allowing greater independence of rhythm
• more polyphony in secular music
• new techniques such as isorhythm and hocket
• generally sought to create greater expressiveness

Question 24

name

1. a medieval bowed string instrument
2. one of the standard dances in the baroque suite
3. the medieval ancestor of the trombone
4. a musical number for three voices
5. a large, cylindrical medieval drum
6. a section of the mass ordinary
7. a single-line texture
8. a tenor oboe
9. a lively Engilsh dance in triple meter, originally associated with sailors
10. a small portable reed instrument

Answer 24

1. rebec
2. sarabande
3. sackbut
4. terzetto
5. tabor
6. Gloria
7. monophonic
8. taille
9. hornpipe
10. regal

Question 25

Describe the significance and contributions of each to the development of opera
Florentine Camerata
Claudio Montiverdi
Henry Purcell
Christopher Willibald Gluck
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Answer 25

Florentine camerata
This group of intellects, including Peri, Caccini, Galilei, desired to re-create ancient greek drama which led to the invention of opera. They also developed monody, and peri and Caccini wrote one of the oldest surviving operas- L’Euridice

Montiverdi

• elevated opera to its full potential
• increased the role of instruments to create moods and characters
• differentiated between recitative and aria, established love duet
• new techniques such as stile concitato

Purcell

• composed the first great English opera
• combined elements of national styles

Gluck

• restored dramatic integrity to opera
• restored chorus,
• made overture an organic part of the score by using themes that would be heard later–by late baroque if often had nothing to do with the opera…
• rejected empty displays of virtuosity, favouring “beautiful simplicity”

Mozart
composed his first opera at age 12.
-built on Glucks reforms by further developing opera with classical ideals -balance, refinement, sophistication
-composed each type of opera- seria, buffa & singspiel
-used recitativo secco to quickly advance plot