Midterm Definitions Flashcards

1
Q

Texture

A

refers to the interweaving of the melodic lines with harmony.

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2
Q

Monophony

A

A single voice or line without accompaniment

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3
Q

Polyphony

A

a many-voiced texture with different melodic lines, based on counterpoint

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4
Q

Counterpoint

A

One line set against another

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5
Q

Homophony

A

when one melodic voice is prominent over the accompanying lines or voices

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6
Q

Imitation

A

when a melodic idea is presented in one voice, then restated in another ( a common unifying technique in polyphony)

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7
Q

Heterophony

A

when several musicians play or sing the same line of music, but some element is varied so they are out of sync

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8
Q

Homorhythmic

A

A type of homophonic texture in which all the voices move together with the same words.

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9
Q

Patronage

A

Sponsorship of the arts

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10
Q

Monasteries

A

Religious communities devoted to seclusion, study, and worship

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11
Q

Vernacular

A

The common language of the people

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12
Q

Humanism

A

The confidence of people in their own ability to solve problems and understand the world, inspired by the writers of Greece and Rome.

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13
Q

Plaintchant/chant

A

An early church style featuring a monophonic, nonmetirc (no harmony or counterpoint) melodies set an a church mode, set in a single line

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14
Q

Liturgy

A

The order of church services and the structure of each service.

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15
Q

Gregorian Chant

A

The early chant melodies the codification of which is attributed to Gregory the Great

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16
Q

Syllabic

A

One note sung to each syllable

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17
Q

Neumatic

A

2-5/6 notes to a syllable

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18
Q

Melismatic

A

Many notes to a syllable

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19
Q

Modes

A

The scale patterns that preceded the modern major and minor scales. Lacked the attraction to a tonic note.

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20
Q

Offices

A

A series of services celebrated in religious communities at various hours of the day

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21
Q

Mass

A

A reenactment of Christ’s Last Supper, and the primary ritual of the Roman Catholic Church

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22
Q

Proper of the Mass

A

The texts of the mass that vary from day to day

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23
Q

Ordinary of the Mass

A

The texts of the Mass that remain the same every day.

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24
Q

A cappella

A

Only voices

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25
Q

Antiphonal

A

Alternating between two groups of singers.

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26
Q

Responsorial

A

Similar to call and response, but with respondents are expected to repeat the words and melody precisely.

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27
Q

Organum

A

The earliest form of polyphony music, developing out of the improvisational aspects of Gregorian chant

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28
Q

Parallel Motion

A

Voices moving in the same direction

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29
Q

Oblique motion

A

One voice static while the other voice movies

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30
Q

Contrary motion

A

One voice static while the other moves.

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31
Q

Rhythmic mode

A

A fixed pattern of long and short notes that is repeated or varied, over a sustained bottom voice taken from the chant of the same name.

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32
Q

Troubadours (f. torbairitz)

A

Southern French courtly poet-musicians

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33
Q

Trouvères

A

Northern French courtly poet-musicians

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34
Q

Minnesingers

A

German singers of courtly love

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35
Q

Estampie

A

A sung dance form common in late medieval France

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36
Q

Strophic

A

The same melody is repeated with every stanza of the poem

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37
Q

Ars nova

A

A more refined and complex style of music which appeared in France in the 1300s.

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38
Q

rebec and vielle

A

Medieval bowed instruments

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39
Q

Shawm

A

proto-oboe

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40
Q

Sackbut

A

proto-trombone

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41
Q

Cantus firmus

A

Lit. “fixed melody.” A song used as the basis on which to build another work (via ornamentation), most famously a Mass.``

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42
Q

Sections of the Ordinary

A

Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Angus Dei

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43
Q

Motet

A

A sacred work with a Latin text, for use in the mass and other religious services. In the medieval period, with secular works layered on top.

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44
Q

Congregational singing

A

The kind of worship, distinct from the Catholic choir-based method, that Martin Luther advocated.

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45
Q

Counter-Reformation

A

The Catholic response to Luther and the other reformers, centered in the Council of Trent.

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46
Q

Word-painting

A

Making music directly reflect the meaning of the words. E.g., a harsh dissonance coinciding with the word “death.”

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47
Q

Madrigal

A

An Italian Renaissance musical piece known for it’s expression and use of word painting.

48
Q

Chanson

A

A French genre, usually in three or four voices, set to the courtly love poetry of the French poets.

49
Q

Phrygian Mode

A

A old church mode, the white piano keys from E to E.

50
Q

Types of Renaissance Dances:

A

Pavane, saltarello, galliard, allemande, ronde

51
Q

Embellishments

A

Melodic decorations added by the performers

52
Q

Monody

A

A solo song with instrumental accompaniment, established in the Baroque era.

53
Q

Figured bass

A

A shorthand which allowed the performer to improvise the chords.

54
Q

Basso continuo

A

The bass part, often played by two instruments (often the harpsichord and the cello)

55
Q

Major-minor tonality

A

The new tonal system that replaced the modal system of the Renaissance/Middle Ages

56
Q

Equal Temperament

A

A system of tuning designed to achieve the best output of all notes, rather than preferring some to the detriment of others. Bach was an advocate.

57
Q

Virtuosity

A

Great skill among singers and musicians.

58
Q

Camerata

A

A group of aristocratic humanists in Florence who, through wanted to resurrect Greek drama, pushed the madrigal; to become the opera.

59
Q

Castrato

A

A male singer castrated during boyhood to maintain his youthful register.

60
Q

Opera

A

A large-scale musical drama that combines poetry, acting, scenery, and costumes with singing and instrumental music.

61
Q

Components of the opera

A

Overture, arias, recitatives, choruses

62
Q

Libretto

A

The text of an opera

63
Q

De capo form

A

A-B-A, ternary form

64
Q

Secco

A

Without much instrumental accompaniment

65
Q

Accompagnato

A

Accompanied by the orchestra

66
Q

Sinfonia

A

An orchestral interlude between scenes

67
Q

Librettist

A

One who writes the story of an opera

68
Q

Courtesan

A

An educated, refined woman who entertained men intellectually as well as sexually.

69
Q

Ground bass

A

A short phrase repeated over and over in the lower voice as the upper voices pursue their independent lines

70
Q

Opera seria

A

Serious Italian opera that dealt with heroic or tragic subjects

71
Q

Magnificat

A

The Canticle of Mary, the concluding and climatic part of the evening office of Vespers.

72
Q

Chorales

A

Weekly hymns sung by the congregation

73
Q

Cantata

A

The elaboration of the chorale, in the same way that a sermon is an elaboration on a Bible passage.

74
Q

Collegium musicum

A

A group of musically inclined university students who Bach taught.

75
Q

Bar form

A

A-A-B

76
Q

Ritornello

A

An instrumental refrain that brings back certain passages, adding unity.

77
Q

Devotional music

A

Allows for more flexible spiritual expression than liturgical music

78
Q

Oratorio

A

A large-scale dramatic genre with a sacred text performed by solo voices, chorus, and orchestra. Similar to opera.

79
Q

Lining-out

A

A call-and-response practice used by the New England Puritans. The leader sang a line of the Psalm, the congregation repeated it back. This made up for the lack of psalm books.

80
Q

Heterophony

A

Many people singling slight variants of the same melody simultaneously

81
Q

Solfège

A

The system of memorizing notes using syllables to represent the scale (do-re-mi-etc)

82
Q

Shape-note notation

A

Changing the shape of the note head depending on the syllable. Still practiced in some congregations.

83
Q

Harpsichord

A

Similar to a modern piano, but the strings are plucked by quills rather than struck by hammers.

84
Q

Sonata da camera/chamber sonata

A

A group of stylized dances

85
Q

Sonata da chiesa/church sonata

A

A more serious sonata with a more contrapuntal texture, with a slow-fast-slow-fast movement arrangement.

86
Q

Trio sonata

A

Popular chamber ensemble composed of two melody instruments and two basso continuo instruments

87
Q

Binary form

A

A-A-B-B

88
Q

Rounded binary form

A

A sonata in binary form where the second section is longer and repeats ideas from the opening. Forerunner of sonata-allegro from

89
Q

Grace notes

A

Small ornamental notes played quickly

90
Q

Passacaglia

A

A harmony keyboard form with a repeating base line (ground base) over which continuous variations are played

91
Q

Chaconne

A

Built on a series of harmony progressions repeated over and over

92
Q

Prelude

A

A improvisatory form a short study based on the continuous expansion of a melodic or rhythmic figure. Often preceded a dance or fugue.

93
Q

Toccata

A

Similar to the prelude, a highly virtuosic and free former than often preceded a fugue.

94
Q

Chorale preludes and chorale variations

A

Organ pieces of church origin which displayed the virtuosity of organ players.

95
Q

Fugue

A

A contrapuntal composition in which a single theme pervades the entire fabric, entering in one voice and then in another. Dr Tanner: “A round on steroids”

96
Q

Subject (Fugue)

A

The main idea, or unifying point, of the fugue.

97
Q

Answer (fugue)

A

The imitation of the theme in the fifth note of the scale

98
Q

Countersubject (fugue)

A

A new theme taken up after the subject/theme is played through.

99
Q

Exposition (fugue)

A

A section of a fugue, where the theme is presented once by each voice.

100
Q

Episode (fugue)

A

Interludes between presentations of the subject

101
Q

Augmentation (fugue)

A

The presentation of the subject in longer time values, making it slower.

102
Q

Diminution (fugue)

A

The presentation of the subject in shorter time values, making it faster.

103
Q

Retrograde (fugue)

A

The subject being presented in it’s mirror image; that is, upside down.

104
Q

Inversion (fugue)

A

The subject being presented in the same intervals, but in reverse/

105
Q

Stretto (fugue)

A

The overlapping of statements of the subject.

106
Q

Baroque suite

A

A group of dances, usually in the same key, in either binary or ternary form. Standard dances are the allemande, courante, sarabande, and gigue .

107
Q

Allemande

A

German

108
Q

Courante

A

French

109
Q

Sarabande

A

Spanish

110
Q

Gigue (jig)

A

English

111
Q

Concerto

A

A genre based on simultaneous opposition and collaboration between two dissimilar bodies of sound. (from the Latin concertare “to contend with)

112
Q

Solo concerto

A

A concerto for a solo instrument and an accompanying instrumental group.

113
Q

Concerto grosso

A

Ensemble concerto. Opposition between a small group of instruments, the concertino, and a larger group, the tutti or ripeno.

114
Q

Program music

A

Music that mirrors graphically mirrors the action described.

115
Q

Rococo Era

A

The last bit of the Baroque era, a reaction to the grandiose of the baroque, where complex polyphony gave way to more direct and natural style.

116
Q

Empfindsamkeit

A

The sensitive or sentimental style observed in simpler Rococo music.