Harmony Flashcards
cadence
the chords that conclude a musical phrase. cadences are of four main types: perfect, with chords V-I; imperfect, with I (or other non-dominant chord) and V; plagal, with chords IV-I; interrupted, usually with V-VI
chord
the simultaneous sounding together of two or more notes. often used to refer to the triads in major and minor keys
dissonance
in traditional harmony a dissonance is a note that does not belong to a common chord or triad - strict rules usually govern its approach and its resolution back to a non-dissonant note (i.e. a ‘consonance’)
chord sequence
a series of chords, usually repeated (e.g. in a 12-bar blues)
drone
especially in non-classical genres, the extended sustaining or repeating of a note of a harmonic interval (notably a perfect 5th)
harmony
successions of chords (or sometimes refers to single chords)
interval
the distance between two neighbouring notes or two heard simultaneously. most intervals are stated as ordinary numbers (2nds, 3rds, etc.) with an adjective expressing their major, minor, diminished or augmented character
ostinato
a short musical pattern repeated throughout a section or complete piece
pedal (or pedal point)
a note (usually in the bass, and generally either the tonic or dominant of the key) which is sustained or repeated while chords change, often resulting in dissonance
roman numerals
roman numerals (from I to VII) are used to label chords in traditional harmony according to which degree of the scale is used as the root. thus in C major, the chord D F A (with root D) is II
chromatic
chromatic notes are those progressing by semitones, especially to a tone having the same letter name, e.g. C to C sharp
dominant (key)
the key of a perfect 5th higher than the tonic (‘home’) key of a piece (e.g. D major in a G major piece)
accompaniment
musical background to a principal part or parts (e.g. piano accompanying a solo singer)
continuo (or basso continuo)
the bass line in many Baroque orchestral, choral and chamber works. most commonly played by low string instruments (with or without bassoons) and with a chord-playing instrument (notably harpsichord, organ or lute) to complete the harmony by realising the figured bas
two-part
music for two ‘parts’ (i.e. for two melodic lines, and therefore with two notes sounding simultaneously except where one or both rest). ‘Three-part’ and ‘four part’ music have three and four parts respectively
double (verb)
doubling occurs where one performer consistently plays or sings the same notes as another - strictly speaking at the same octave, but duplication at the octave may be involved
double stopping
where two (or more) notes are played together on an orchestral string instrument (two or more strings being ‘stopped’ simultaneously)
harmonics
each sound combines a fundamental and a series of much less clearly heard higher pitches called harmonics. with stringed instruments these can be sounded by lightly touching a string at particular points (rather than by normal ‘stopping’)
