Midterm Flashcards
“In paradisum”
Title: “In paradisum” [“Into paradise”]
Author: unknown, Gregorian chant
Type: antiphon
Significance: Antiphons are sacred liturgical pieces played during the procession of a funeral service. This is a freely composed piece of music that is attached to a chant. The chant is monophonic (only a single melodic line) and is performed with non-metric rhythm (no regular beats or time signatures). Uses a combination of syllabic and neumatic syllables (both single notes per syllable and multiple notes per syllable). The use of neumes is significant because they are the earliest form of written music to be found.
“Columba aspexit”
Title: “Columba aspexit” [“The dove looked in”]
Author: Hildegard of Bingen
Type: medieval sequence
Significance: Sequences are a later medieval chant genre. This one was composed by the oldest and most well-known female composer before the 16th century, Hildegard of Bingen. Follows a more elaborate and responsorial kind of melody with an AA BB CC… structure passed between a soloist and a choir. It is monophonic and uses melisma (single syllables are stretched across multiple notes), free rhythm, and large intervals. Some of the formal structures such as free rhythm and monophony are characteristic of chants, but the wide melodic range is unusual for the time but particular to Hildegard’s works.
“La dousa votz”
Title: “La dousa votz” [“I heard the sweet voice”]
Author: Bernart de Ventadorn
Type: troubadour chanson
Significance: One of the most famous works of Bernart de Ventadorn. As a chanson, this piece holds great significance in the development of secular music, particularly in regard to lyric poetry. The song provides insights into the cultural and musical world of the troubadours, who played a key role in introducing personal expression and the themes of love and desire into secular music, distinguishing it from the religious or liturgical compositions that were popular at the time. It is monophonic with improvised instrumentation, and written in a strophic form with little variation between verses. Each verse contains an A, A’, B structure within it.
“A chantar”
Title: “A chantar” [“I must sing of what I’d rather not”]
Author: Beatriz de Dia
Type: troubadour chanson
Significance: “A Chantar” is the only remaining song from a 12th century female Troubadour. It offers a rare glimpse into a woman’s perspective on love, particularly within the male-dominated literary tradition of courtly love, where women were often the object rather than the subject of poetic expression. The text has a good mix of melismatic and syllabic syllables within the melody, it is monophonic, and it is without a strict rhythm or beat. This is likely monophonic because it depicts the one-sided monologue of a woman singing about being betrayed by her lover.
“Alleluia. Diffusa est gratia”
Title: “Alleluia. Diffusa est gratia” [“Alleluia. Grace is poured forth”]
Author: Perotin
Type: organum triplum (3-part organum)
Significance: One of the earliest examples of polyphonic music in Western tradition. This work reflects the innovations in musical composition during the Notre Dame School of Polyphony. Has three distinct vocal lines, with the upper voices moving independently and the tenor line being based on a plainchant melody. This piece is so significant that it marks the transition from medieval plainchant to more sophisticated polyphonic structures that became a cornerstone of Western classical music.
“Quant en moy”
Title: “Quant en moy” [“When Love first came to me”]
Author: Guillaume de Machaut
Type: isorhythmic motet
Significance: This piece’s use of isorhythm (a fixed pattern of pitches with a repeating rhythmic pattern) and polytextuality (three texts sung simultaneously) makes it a fascinating piece both structurally and aesthetically. The interplay between the voices is carefully balanced, with the upper voices providing intricate melodic material while the tenor provides the rhythmic and harmonic foundation. This creates a sense of contrast and tension between the freely moving upper voices and the structured, repeating tenor line.
“Ave Maria… virgo serena”
Title: “Ave Maria… virgo serena” [“Hail Mary… gentle virgin”]
Author: Josquin des Prez
Type: Renaissance motet
Significance: The motet demonstrates skillful use of imitative polyphony and counterpoint. It is structured into distinct sections that correspond to different parts of the “Ave Maria” prayer. Josquin’s handling of these sections provides a formal unity that was forward-thinking for his time. The motet alternates between imitative polyphony and homophony, creating a dynamic flow that leads the listener through the text in a natural and expressive way. The text used in it is also treated with respect, with each phrase receiving distinct treatment to reflect the meaning of the words. This motet is a reflection of central Renaissance music styles.
“As Vesta was from Latmos Hill descending:
Title: “As Vesta was from Latmos Hill descending”
Author: Weelkes
Type: English madrigal
Significance: This piece holds great significance both musically and historically. Written during the English Renaissance, this piece is an excellent example of Renaissance polyphony and English madrigal form, which is characterized by a capella vocal music and expressive text through word painting. Word painting is when the meaning of lyrics is audibly expressed through melodic and rhythmic choices. It was part of a collection called The Triumphs of Oriana, which was a tribute to Queen Elizabeth I.
“O magnum mysterium”
Title: “O magnum mysterium” [“O great mystery”]
Author: Giovanni Gabrieli
Type: polychoral concertato motet
Significance: This is Gabrieli’s most significant work. It exemplifies the polychoral style, a hallmark of Venetian music during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. In this technique, Gabrieli divided his ensemble into two choirs, placing them in separate locations within the performance space. This allowed for an antiphonal or “call and response” effect, creating a sense of spatial depth and dynamic contrast. It was meant to be sung in St. Mark’s Basilica to take advantage of the natural acoustics. The sound created communicates the feeling of awe and reverence that the lyrics of this piece are trying to convey.
selections from “The Coronation of Poppea”
Title: selections from “The Coronation of Poppea”
Author: Claudio Monteverdi
Type: recitative and aria selections
Significance: The Coronation of Poppea is one of the earliest operas in Western music and a significant work because of its dramatic complexity, realistic portrayal of characters, and its exploration of human emotions and political intrigue. The recitative style of the goodbye scene—where the music follows the rhythm and flow of natural speech—allows the characters’ emotions to emerge directly from the text, giving the audience an intimate glimpse into their personal feelings. Meanwhile the aria style of “Speranza, tu mi vai” helps convey Poppea’s joy in this victory song.
“Fugue in c minor”
Title: “Fugue in c minor” from “The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1”
Author: Bach
Type: Fugue
Significance: Bach’s Fugue in C minor from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, is one of his most famous and intricate compositions, exemplifying the Baroque era’s mastery of counterpoint. Its significance lies in both its technical brilliance and its contribution to the development of Western classical music. It utilizes imitative polyphony throughout the counterpoint to create a complex interweaving during the composition. The four episodes within the fugue provide contrast to the strict counterpoint of the subject entries.
“Brandenburg Concerto no. 5, movement 1”
Title: “Brandenburg Concerto no. 5, movement 1”
Author: Bach
Type: concerto
Significance: The Brandenburg Concertos are considered some of the finest examples of Baroque instrumental music, and Concerto no. 5 is especially significant because of the revolutionary role of the harpsichord in it. In this concerto, the harpsichord is not only part of the continuo (a typical role for keyboard instruments during the Baroque period) but is also elevated to a solo instrument. This marks one of the earliest instances of a keyboard concerto, foreshadowing the later development of the piano concerto. The harpsichord has an unusually long and technically demanding solo cadenza, stretching across several minutes and allowing the harpsichordist to showcase their virtuosity.
