Midterm Flashcards
What is Simple “Dry” Recitative (Recitative Secco)
Simple or Dry recitative is sung with a free rhythm dictated by accents of the words. The melody uses only a few pitches. Accompaniment is usually continuo (Simple and chordal)
What is Accompanied Recitative(Recitative Accompagniato)
Has a very strict rhythm and a more involved, often orchestral accompaniment. Used at dramatic important moments which leads into a formal Aria. More seen in Opera Buffa
Define Aria
A solo song with instrumental accompaniment, an important element of Opera but also found in Cantatas and Oratorios. Seriously Strophic.
What is a Lutheran Cantata
A Lutheran Cantata is a composition mainly composed for the vocal chorus of a church. Written in simple harmonization. Used sacred texts. Also included Da capo Aria integration.
Define Concerto
A composition where a solo instrument plays against a orchestral ensemble. Also known for there several contrasting movements like the sonata form (A B A) Or the Rondo form (A B A C A)
What is a Fugue
A composition procedure characterized by the systematic imitation of a principal theme referred to as a subject, sounding like simultaneous melody lines. Imitative polyphony
What is Prelude & Fugue (As a Pair
The Prelude is a brief musical introduction and combining this concept to the Fugue give the overall piece a distinct character that can lead to making the piece into a dance form, or toccatas.
Define the English Oratorio
A large scale composition on a sacred or semi-sacred subject. Sung with recitative in various voices in each section to prepare for arias and choruses. The successful ones are developed into theatrical productions.
Define Styl Galant
Compositions that are simple and focus on the natural art. Light and elegant and follow a natural form and ornamentation
What is empfindsamer Stil?
Closely allied with “sensitivity” was the desire to give a composition an aura of simplicity and naturalness, qualities highly prized in the philosophical outlook of the Enlightenment
What is Monody?
Used to describe a variety of accompanied solo singing styles/genres. A singing development that effectively portrays the dramatic range of emotions in the operatic work or vocal music
Define Libretto
The Text of the Opera. Typically written before the music, and often adapted from literary works that already exist
Define Recitative Ariosto
A more melodic style of recitative lying somewhere between recitative and aria styles. Used in passages of heightened emotion or dramatic importance.
Define Sinfonia
Referring generally to an abstract composition for a instrumental ensemble. IN the Operatic contexts its defined as the instrumental Prelude
What is Ritornello?
An instrumental refrain usually heard between stanza’s of an aria
Why is “Cöthen” significant
This is the location in 1717 where J.S. Bach became the Capellmeister of the musical court and wrote much of his concertos, sonatas, and keyboard music.
Why is “Lepzig” significant
J.S. Bach became the Cantor of the St Thomas School. This is Where Bach wrote a Lutheran Cantata every week along with organ and other sacred music. Halfway through his career where he began to write some secular music including a few concertos
Why is “Paris” significant
The Rise of two Opera Seria Composers Lully and Rameau. Lully had composed under the strict supervision of King Louie XIV. Rameau was the first composer to combine the French and Italian Style. This began the Pamphlet wars
What is a subject?
• Primary theme, treated imitatively throughout composition
What is a Countersubject?
• Sometimes, a second thematic idea is heard against the subject
(countersubject will not be heard until the subject has entered at least twice)
What is a Exposition?
The first section of the fugue, consisting of one statement of the subject in
each of the fugal voices
What is a Subject Return
Section of the fugue in which the subject returns after an episode; may or
may not contain a subject statement in all voices.
What is an Episode?
Section of free counterpoint following the exposition and before each subject
return. Episodes may or may not contain elements of the subject
What is an Augmentation?
Subject or countersubject heard with all rhythmic values augmented
What Is Diminution?
Subject or countersubject heard with all rhythmic values diminished
What is Inversion?
Subject or countersubject heard with melodic contour/intervals inverted
What is Stretto?
Entry of a subject or countersubject in a second voice before the first voice
has finished its statement. Stretto is often introduced after the exposition, so
that a difference in the distance between subject entries can be noted more
easily in comparison to the exposition.
What is a Treatise
written by experts providing instructions for playing or performing better. EX: (Treatise on Harmony)
Define the French Overture
Two sections (Slow and Fast) Going from duple meter to Triple with dotted note rhythms (Allemande) Binary (Two part structure) Normal to see the A and B sections repeated A Dance Suite Tradition Passipied (Triple metre with a Duple meter Pattern) Hemiola (Duple vs Triple)
Why is London significant?
There was no definitive style in London until Handel’s English style Oratorio. This was an incorporation of French, German, and Italian Styles. English text along with Biblical Texts are combined for familiarity and popularity purposes to attract the rising middle class. ex; The Messiah.
Define the Oratorio
An Opera that was sacred in subject and performed in churches. They were stripped down versions of Operas without staging costumes ext. Handel
What is the significance of Venice?
Venice was the birthplace of Vivaldi’s Pieta. The Orphanage catered to girls only. This orphanage was the only charitable institution create all female musical ensembles
What is the significance of the Pieta
The Foster home for poor or orphaned children was made for girls only. The institution trained girls into talented musicians and produced all female musical ensembles.
What is the significance of The Royal Academy of Music?
created by Frederic Handel this foundation was run by the aristocratic class to secure a constant supply of Opera’s and it commissioned many large scale operas of the baroque period.
What is the Significance of the St. Thomas School?
J.S. Bach was the musical director at this school or Cantor. This is the institution where J.S. Bach wrote his weekly cantatas along with his sacred music and organ music
Define the Da Capo Aria
It is sung by a soloist with the accompaniment of instruments, often a small orchestra. Consisting of a ABA Fast Slow Fast Format
What is the Ritornello form
The recurring theme or episode in a piece.
Name the three movements and their characteristics in a Concerto
MVT 1 * Fast tempo * Tonic key * Ritornello Form * The longest movement and most rigorous in its demonstration of the compositions talent or complexity of the movement to which most focus is drawn MVT 2 * Slow Tempo * Relative minor, subdominant, dominant * Less regular to focus on the solo instrument * shortest movement MVT 3 * Fast tempo * Tonic key * Ritornello form * Shorter than the first movement but often more decadent and complex
Name eight significant composers
Antonio Vivaldi François Couperin Jean-Philippe Rameau Georg Philipp Telemann Johann Sebastian Bach George Frideric Handel Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Johann Adolf Hasse
name six important and irrelevent famous people
Frederick the Great (Enlightenment Absolutist)
Pietro Metastasio (Librettist)
The Arcadians (Italian Literary Academy)
King George I (Kings of the Britania)
John Gay ( Ballad Opera)
René Descartes (Philosopher Age of enlightenment)
Name two important publications
Traite de l’harmonie
The Well-Tempered Clavier
