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RCM Level 10 History > Middle Ages vocabulary > Flashcards

Middle Ages vocabulary Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the primary drawback of polytextuality?

A

words can sometimes be hard to distinguish

[p. 19]

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2
Q

When was the performance practice of musica ficta used?

A

applied in modal music of the late Middle Ages and Renaissance

[p. 32]

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3
Q

What is the main benefit of syllabic text setting?

A

text can be clearly understood

[p. 10]

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4
Q

Define ‘Mass Proper’ and name its sections

A

changing, variable prayers of the Mass that are linked to the church calendar

  • Gradual
  • Introit
  • Communion
  • Alleluia

[p. 10]

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5
Q

What is the primary source of texts for the Gradual?

A

Psalms (poetic texts from the Old Testament)

[p. 10]

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6
Q

What is the origin of the term ‘hocket?’

A

French hoquet, meaning “hiccup”

[p. 32]

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7
Q

What is the origin of the term ars nova?

A

Latin for “new art,” from the title of a treatise by composer Philippe de Vitry

[p. 32]

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8
Q

Define a cappella

A

vocal music without instrumental accompaniment

[p. 7]

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9
Q

Define chanson

A

a secular song with French text

[p. 23]

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10
Q

Define musica ficta

A

performers raised or lowered pirches by a half step to avoid undesirable intervals

much like modern-day accidentals

[p. 32]

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11
Q

Define Phrygian mode

A

natural minor with lowered 2

C-Db-Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb-C

white notes starting on E

[p. 8]

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12
Q

What purpose does a cantus firmus serve?

A

serves as structural framework for a new polyphonic composition

[p. 15]

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13
Q

When was isorhythm perfected?

A

during the Ars nova period

[p. 32]

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14
Q

Define haut

A

Medieval designation for outdoor instruments

[p. 30]

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15
Q

Define ‘Mass Ordinary’ and name its sections

A

texts/prayers of the Mass that remain the same:

  • Kyrie
  • Agnus Dei
  • Credo
  • Sanctus

[p. 10, 32]

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16
Q

What are 3 important differences of English motets?

A
  1. no secular texts or themes; sacred only
  2. Latin text only; no vernacular
  3. tenor often not plainchant - could be borrowed from a different source or freely composed.

[online]

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17
Q

Define ‘heterophony’

A

simultaneous variation involving two or more voices or instruments playing the same melody in more than one way at the same time that one part plays the original melody; the added voices are often improvised

[p. 30]

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18
Q

What are examples of bas instruments?

A

dulcimer, lute, psalter, rebec, recorder, vielle

[p. 30]

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19
Q

What is one drawback of using strophic form?

A

little connection can be achieved between the words and music

[p. 23]

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20
Q

In which voice was the cantus firmus originally found?

A

in the lowest voice

[p. 15]

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21
Q

What is the origin of the term haut?

A

French for “high,” indicating a high level of volume (loud)

[p. 30]

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22
Q

What are 3 synonyms for ‘organal style’?

A
  • sustained-note organum
  • organum purum
  • florid style

[p. 15]

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23
Q

Define chansonniers

A

songbooks of chansons

[p. 22]

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24
Q

What period of history is identified as the ‘Middle Ages?’

A

ca. 476 - ca. 1450

[p/ 6]

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25
Q

Define Dorian mode

A

natural minor with # 6

C-D-Eb-F-G-A-Bb-C

white notes starting on D

[p. 8]

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26
Q

Define ‘polyphonic texture’

A

two or more independent melodic lines heard simultaneously

[p. 7]

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27
Q

Define ‘syllabic text setting’

A

one note for a single syllable of text

(often used for longer texts)

[p.10]

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28
Q

Define clausula

A

a self-contained, polyphonic section within descant-style organum, often based on a single word or syllable and highly melismatic [p. 15]

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29
Q

Are motets sacred or secular?

A

They can be either.

[p. 19]

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30
Q

When were rhythmic modes developed?

A

late-12th to early-13th century

[p. 15]

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31
Q

What language was generally used for Gregorian chant?

A

Latin

[p. 10]

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32
Q

What are the passages in responsorial singing called?

A

solo passages referred to as “verse”

choral passages referred to as “respond”

[p. 10]

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33
Q

To what/when does ars nova style apply?

A

used in reference to French music of the 14th c.

[p. 32]

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34
Q

Gregorian Chant - characteristic features

A
  • modal
  • monophonic melodies
  • moves by step or narrow leap, within a relatively narrow range
  • unmeasured rhythm, sung without any fixed metrical pattern
  • based on sacred Latin texts

[pp. 9, 10]

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35
Q

What were modes used for?

A

served as the source for melodies in the Middle Ages and Renaissance

[p. 7]

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36
Q

Describe music of the trouveres.

A

composed and performed original poems and songs, often on the subject of courtly love

[p. 23]

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37
Q

Name three song structures of chansons.

A
  1. ballade - AAB
  2. rondeau - AB-aAab-AB [lower case = music w/new text]
  3. virelai - ABBA

[online]

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38
Q

In the context of this course, what does the word tenor mean?

A

in a polyphonic composition from the Middle Ages, it refers to the voice that contains the cantus firmus

[p. 15]

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39
Q

Define ‘strophic form’

A

song structure in which the same music is performed for each verse of the poem

[p. 23]

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40
Q

Define ‘isorhythm’

A

combines melodic patterns (color) with rhythmic patterns (talea)

color and talea are typically not the same length, overlapping rather than coinciding

[p. 32]

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41
Q

What is the origin of the term trouvere?

A

French for “finder” or “inventor”

[p. 23]

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42
Q

Define ballade

A

chanson song structure - AAB

[online]

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43
Q

What are examples of haut instruments?

A

cornetto, crumhorn, sackbut, shawm

[p. 30]

44
Q

What is the origin of the term chanson?

A

French for “song”

[p. 23]

45
Q

Define rondeau

A

chanson song structure - AB-aAab-AB

[online]

46
Q

What is a Mass?

A

the most important service in the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church

[p. 10]

47
Q

What is a synonym for polyphonic texture?

A

contrapuntal texture

[p. 7]

48
Q

What is the origin of the term a cappella?

A

Latin for “in the chapel”

[p. 7]

49
Q

What compositional device served as a link to the development of the motet?

A

the clausula

[p. 15]

50
Q

When was the Mass an important genre?

A

Renaissance era

[p. 10]

51
Q

Who developed rhythmic modes?

A

Notre Dame composers

[p. 15]

52
Q

What is the origin of the term cantus firmus?

A

Latin for “fixed song”

[p. 15]

53
Q

Define ‘polytextuality’

A

two or more texts heard simultaneously

[p. 19]

54
Q

Gregorian Chant - background and origins

A
  • evolved from Hebrew chant tradition
  • served as functional music in the worship services of the Roman Catholic Church
  • originally passed down orally
  • organized and codified during the papal reign of Pop Gregory the Great
  • used as the basis for many new compositions during the Middle Ages and Renaissance

[p. 9]

55
Q

When was organum in use?

A

9th to 13th centuries

[p. 15]

56
Q

How did rhythmic modes fit into the development of Western music?

A

They were an early step in the evolution of rhythmic notation.

[p. 15]

57
Q

What is the most elaborate and florid form of text setting?

A

melismatic text setting

[p. 10]

58
Q

Define ‘neumatic text setting’

A

several notes (2-4) for a single syllable of text

[p. 10]

59
Q

What were collections of chansons called?

A

chasonniers

[p. 22]

60
Q

What were characteristics of early organum?

A

perfect intervals - fourths, fifths, and octaves - often with parallel motion between the voices (parallel organum)

[p. 15]

61
Q

Define ‘monophonic texture’

A

music consisting of a single line of melody with no harmony or accompaniment

[p. 7]

62
Q

When was polytextuality most commonly used?

A

characteristic feature of 13th-century motet

[p. 19]

63
Q

Define cantus firmus

A

borrowed material, often from a Gregorian chant

[p. 15]

64
Q

Define trope

A

verb: embellishing the chants by adding words and/or music

new words might serve to interpret or clarify the meaning of the original chant text and were often set to existing melismas within the original chant

[p. 19]

65
Q

What were characteristics of later organum?

A

more independent melodic parts and a greater variety of intervals

later developments by Notre Dame composers involved a wider variety of intervals, rhythms, and melodic motion in the newly-composed upper parts (free organum)

[pp. 14-15]

66
Q

For whom was Gregorian chant named and why?

A

Pope Gregory the Great organized and codified the chants in existence.

[pp. 9, 10]

67
Q

What is the origin of the word ‘motet’?

A

from the French word mot (word), referring to the addition of new texts to existing music

[p. 19]

68
Q

Define Lydian mode

A

major scale with # 4

C-D-E-F#-G-A-B-C

white notes starting on F

[p. 8]

69
Q

Define ‘rhythmic modes’

A

6 basic rhythmic patterns used to provide rhythmic structure

[p. 15]

70
Q

Motet - background & origins

A
  • developed in 13th c
  • important stage in development of polyphony
  • new texts were added to the upper voices of organum
  • secular texts often appeared alongside sacred texts; languages were mixed

[p. 18]

71
Q

Define Mixolydian mode

A

major scale with flat 7

C-D-E-F-G-A-Bb-C

white notes beginning on G

[p. 8]

72
Q

Define Aeolian mode

A

natural minor scale

C-D-Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb-C

white notes starting on A

[p. 8]

73
Q

Define discant style

A

a style of organum in which there is more rhythmic movement of the cantus firmus

[p. 15]

74
Q

What is the difference between troubadours and trouveres?

A

Troubadours lived and worked in southern France, while trouveres were in northern France.

[p. 23]

75
Q

What purpose did Gregorian chant serve?

A

sacred, liturgical music of the Roman Catholic Church

[p. 10]

76
Q

The a cappella style was characteristic of what kind of music in which period/s?

A

vocal music in Middle Ages and Renaissance

[p. 7]

77
Q

Who were troubadours and where did they live and work?

A

aristocratic poet-musicians who lived and worked in southern France

[p. 23]

78
Q

Define organum

A

earliest form of polyphony in Western art music

began as an improvised practice, evolved over several centuries

polyphony based on plainchant

vocal music in which one or more new melodic lines are added to an existing Gregorian chant

first notated examples are found in Musica enchiriadis

composers at Notre Dame Cathedral further developed organum in the 12-13th centuries

[pp. 14-15]

79
Q

Define estampie and list its characteristics

A

one of the earliest Medieval dances

  • stately character
  • involves elaborate body movements
  • danced by couples

[p. 30]

80
Q

Define bas

A

Medieval designation for indoor instruments

[p. 30]

81
Q

Define ‘modes’

A

scale patterns distinguished by their unique order of half steps and whole steps, generally referred to by their original Greek names

[p. 7]

82
Q

What kind of music are troubadours known for?

A

composed and performed original poems and songs, often on the subject of courtly love

[p. 23]

83
Q

Who were trouveres and where did they live and work?

A

aristocratic poet-musicians who lived and worked in northern France

[p. 23]

84
Q

On what were the rhythmic modes based?

A

related to poetic meters used in Latin grammar

[p. 15]

85
Q

What purpose did rhythmic modes serve?

A

served to keep two or more voices in rhythmic alignment when they were not moving note-against-note

[p. 15]

86
Q

Define organal style

A

a style of free organum in which the notes from the original chant are sung by the lower voice in long note values

[p. 15]

87
Q

What is the origin of the term bas?

A

French for “low,” indicating a low level of volume (soft)

[p. 30]

88
Q

Define schola cantorum

A

schools to train singers in performance of sacred repertoire

expanded under Pope Gregory I

[p. 9]

89
Q

What are characteristics of the ars nova style?

A

greater complexity in melody, harmony, and rhythm

included use of isorhythm, hocket, and musica ficta

[p. 32]

90
Q

Define virelai

A

chanson song structure - ABBA

[online]

91
Q

Define ‘motet’

A

a vocal composition with or without instrumental accompaniment

[p. 19]

92
Q

Define Gradual

A
  • 4th section of Mass Proper
  • generally melismatic
  • performed in a reponsorial style
  • primarily based on Psalms

[p. 10 + online]

93
Q

What is the origin of the term ‘tenor’?

A

Latin tenere, meaning “to hold”

[p. 15]

94
Q

What is the origin of the term musica ficta?

A

Latin for “false music”

[p. 32]

95
Q

Define ‘hocket’

A

rhythmic and melodic technique frequently employed in the ars nova style

two voices combine to create a single melody: one resting while the other sings

[p. 32]

96
Q

What was the earliest form of notation in Western art music?

A

neumes

[p. 7]

97
Q

Define Ionian mode

A

major scale

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C

white notes starting on C

[p. 8]

98
Q

Define ‘responsorial singing’

A

solo voice alternates with chorus

[p. 10]

99
Q

What is a synonym for plainchant?

A

plainsong

[p. 10]

100
Q

What is included in a Mass?

A

prayers, readings from the Bible, and a reenactment of the Last Supper (Eucharist or Holy Communion)

consists of texts that are variable according to the church calendar (Proper) and texts that remain the same (Ordinary)

[p. 10]

101
Q

When was hocket frequently employed?

A

in ars nova style

[p. 32]

102
Q

Define neumes

A

small notational symbols - originally indicating the direction of the melodic line later in the shape of squares or diamonds positioned on a staff and representing specific pitches

[p. 7]

103
Q

“Note-against-note” movement is sometimes featured in what style of organum?

A

discant style

[p. 15]

104
Q

What is the primary difference between chansons of the 12th-13th centuries and those of the 14th c. on?

A

early chansons were monophonic; later polyphonic settings were preferred

[p. 23]

105
Q

Define ‘melismatic text setting’

A

many notes for a single syllable of text

(often used for shorter texts)

[p. 10]

106
Q

When did motets flourish?

A

13th to 16th centuries

[p. 19]

RCM Level 10 History (13 decks)

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