Level 8 Terms and History Flashcards
cédez
Yield; hold the tempo back (French)
léger
Light, lightly (French)
lentement
Slowly (French)
modéré
At a moderate tempo (French)
movement
Tempo, motion (French)
vite
Fast (French)
bewegt
Moving (German)
langsam
Slow, slowly (German)
mässig
moderate, moderately (German)
mit Ausdruck
With Expression (German)
schnell
Fast (German)
sehr
very
Allargando
Broadening, becoming slower
largamente
Broadly
l’istesso tempo
the same tempo
ritenuto
suddenly slower, held back
stringendo
pressing, becoming faster
attacca
proceed without a break
calando
becoming slower and softer
comodo
at a comfortable, easy tempo
con sordino
with mute
pizzicato
on a bowed string instrument, pluck the string instead of bowing
arco
on a bowed string instrument, resume bowing after a pizzicato passage
A single line of unaccompanied melody
Monophonic texture
- A sacred genre representing the earliest form of notated western art music
- consists of a monophonic modal melody with unmeasured rhythm and Latin text
plainchant
- scale patterns with distinct relationships between whole steps and half steps
- served as the source of melody and harmony in the Middle Ages and Renaissance
modes
Ionian
Major scale tonic to tonic
Dorian
Supertonic to supertonic
Phrygian
Mediant to mediant
Lydian
Subdominant to subdominant
Mixolydian
Dominant to dominant
Aeolian
Submediant to submediant
Locrian
Leading tone to leading tone
The combination of two or more independent lines
Also known as contrapuntal texture
Polyphonic texture
Old English word for a “round”
Strict imitation is created through successive entries of a melody in several voices
Rota
Ostinato
A recurring rhythmic or melodic pattern
Medieval era
ca476-1450
Renaissance era
ca1450-1600
A popular secular polyphonic vocal genre developed in Italy in the late 15th century
Based on playful poems and lighthearted word painting
Frottola
Musical pictorialization
The music mirrors the meaning of the words through melody, harmony, and rhythm
Word painting
Literally means “for the chapel,” but refers to vocal music without instrumental accompaniment
This style was typical of Renaissance vocal music
a cappella
All voices have the same rhythmic pattern, creating blocked chordal style
Text is very clear and easy to follow as a result
homorhythmic texture
A traditional Javanese instrumental ensemble
Features metallophones, gongs, xylophones (instruments with wooden bars,) drums and voices
Gamelan
Instruments featuring metal bars of different sizes that are struck with a variety of mallets
Produce a shimmering bell-like sound
Metallophones
Literally means “colour” or “atmosphere”; provides melodic structure of a composition or performance
A pattern of pitches defined by the number of notes it contains as well as the pattern of intervals
Used as basis of extended improvisation
raga
A multi-stringed plucked instrument with movable frets; similar to a lite or guitar
Five strings are used to play melodies, while two strings are used for drone and percussive effects
sitar
Literally means “clap”; provides rhythmic structure for a composition or performance
A metric cycle or regularly repeating rhythmic phrase that can include from three to over one hundred rhythmic units
Often expressed by percussion instruments such as the tabla (a pair of drums)
tala
Composer of “Ordo Virtutum (Play of virtues)
Hildegard von Bingen
13th century vocal work about summer
Sumer is icumen in (summer is coming)
Name two vocal works from the Medieval era (476-1450)
Ordo virtutum (Play of Virtues)
Sumer Is Icumen In (Summer is coming)
Name one important Renaissance composer
Josquin des Prez
What song of Josquin des Prez’ does this unit refer to
El grillo (The Cricket)
Name one instrumental ensemble associated with the music of java
Gamelan Prawa
Name one instrument associated with the music of India
Sitar
Renaissance Era
ca450-1600
