Music Flashcards
1
Q
When was Sheer Heart Attack released?
A
1974
2
Q
What do the six introductory clicks mean? KK
A
Vocal anacrusis (upbeat)
3
Q
Circle of fifths chord sequence: (KK)
A
(B20)A,Dm,G7,C
4
Q
Structure of killer queen:
A
verse-chorus (pop song)
5
Q
What is Porta mento?
A
A voice technique (sliding from one note to another)
6
Q
Features that Freddy mercury uses on his vocals?
A
Overdubbing
7
Q
Instruments featured in killer queen:
A
Vocals,piano,drum kit,bass guitar
8
Q
What is falsetto?
A
Male high voice
9
Q
What is the highest note in killer queen?
A
Bb on the word Queen
10
Q
Harmonic device for killer queen?
A
Melody dominated homophony
11
Q
Features of the guitar in killer queen
A
Pitch bend B30 , slide B34 and a palm mute B69
12
Q
Where is the flanger effect in killer queen?
A
B17 (creates a swirling effect)
13
Q
What is the key of killer queen?
A
Eb major/ c minor
14
Q
Where is the descending chromatic baseline in killer queen?
A
Bars 7 to 9
15
Q
Time signature of killer queen
A
12/8
16
Q
Word setting of killer queen:
A
Mostly syllabic
17
Q
Dynamics of killer queen:
A
Mezzo forte
18
Q
What was Freddy mercury inspired by?
A
The drama of soap opera and 1974 glamour rock
19
Q
Where are the triangle and wind chimes in killer queen?
A
Beat 1 of bar 29 and in 68
20
Q
Other features of samba em preludio:
A
- song written in 1962 by Baden Powell
21
Q
- Bossa nova
A
22
Q
- sung in Portuguese
A
23
Q
- Fusion of African and Brazilian music
A
24
Q
- Esperanza Spalding uses influence from jazz,blues,samba and sings in English, Spanish and Portuguese
A
25
Dynamics of samba
No dynamics printed but song is performed at a released mezzo piano throughout. When she sings it sometimes crescendos.
26
Time signature of samba:
4/4
27
Structure of samba
Opening 3 bars are in free time whereas verse 1 has lots of rubatoes
28
Text setting of Samba
Syllabic
29
How do the melody phrases often begin in samba?
Triadically
30
Key signature of samba:
B minor which creates a sorrowful sound
31
Instruments in samba:
Acoustic guitar ACOUSTIC BASS and a low pitched female singer
32
Harmonic device of samba?
Mainly melody dominated homophony
33
Bass guitar techniques in samba:
Double stopping,mordants and harmonics
34
Structure of samba:
4 stanzas which are split into two verses, and instrumental section lead by guitar for contrast, coda featuring the bass and guitar playing embellished riffs.
35
Bass and vocal line texture (samba)
Counterpoint and contrapuntal
36
What is Bossa Nova?
a style of Brazilian music derived from samba but placing more emphasis on melody and less on percussion.
37
what is samba em preludio a fusion of?
Samba and jazz
38
Instruments in release:
Hurdy gurdy, Bodhron, fiddle, low whistle, Djembe, Talking drum, Kora, Uilleann pipes
39
What is heterophony?
Multiple variations of the same melody heard simultaneously.
40
Recording effects use in release:
Multi tracking,layering w
41
What influences the bass guitar and synth in release?
EDM
42
Harmonic feature in release:
Drone (c pitched roots)
43
Key signature of release
C minor (makes the music sound modal)
44
Modes of release:
Almost always in Aeolian mode except for the uilleann pipe solo where it is in Dorian Mode
45
Form of release:
Starts with bodhran drums performing syncopated and swung ostinato
46
Different instruments perform contrasting rhythms (polyrhythms)
47
What is a cross rhythm?
Two conflicting rhythms used at the same time, AKA polyrhythm (when the tambourine plays continuous semi quavers when the fiddle plays triplet)
48
Time signature of release:
Starts in free time but when the shaker enters it follows a strict 4/4
49
Tempo of release:
100 beats per minute
50
Vocal parts in release
Opens with a female vocal before the male vocal takes on the vocal part and repeats the opening phrase twice in rising melodic sequence, resolving towards the dominant note of the C minor scale.
51
Texture of release:
Mostly conjunct and the Bodhran part features a syncopated rhythm.
52
Dynamics of release:
Mezzo forte
53
Fusion of release:
West African and Celtic music
54
Other features of release:
Released in 1999 and it sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide
55
What is Ground bass?
3 bars long continous quaver rhythm
56
Features of baroque music:
Contrapuntal texture,polyphonic sections,terrace dynamics and lots of ornamentation
57
Example of word painting: (music for a while)
B24 "drop drop" descends in pitch to represent the snakes dropping from Alecto's head
58
What does Scalic melody mean?
The melody moves in steps.
59
Example of word painting 2: (music for a while):
Dissonance in B12 where the E in the melody clashes with the D in the bass line when the lyric "pain" is sung.
60
Where is there Tierce de Picardie? (Music for a while)
B23 where a c# is played for the first time.
61
What is Basso continuo?
Vocal phrase overlapping the cadence which creates a sense of moving forward.
62
What are some typical baroque instruments?
Harpsichord and bass viol
63
Who is music for a while usually sung by?
A counter tenor or a female soprano
64
What is the lowest and highest notes in music for a while?
Lowest:E
65
Highest:F
66
Melisma example: (music for a while)
B20 +21 repeated higher descending sequences link to hades and the underworld
67
Ornamentation example: (music for a while)
B13 soprano sings a trill which makes the texture feel florid (flowery)
68
Who was Henry Purcell?
Very influential baroque composer who was supported by the royale family. He began by writing instrumental music for harpsichord and strings but finished his career by writing for vocal music.
69
What is contrapuntal texture?
Multiple Melodie's played at the same time.
70
What from is da capo aria?
Ternary form (ABA)
71
Why is ascending ground bass an example of word painting?
The ascending shape of the ground bass represents King Laius rising from the dead. The bottom note of each pattern rises through A, B, C, C#, D to E. Each three bar loop ends with a perfect cadence. The vocal phrase overlaps the cadence, which helps to create a sense of moving forward.
72
What is the tempo of music for a while?
4/4 largo (slow)
73
What is the overall tonality of music for a while?
A minor but it modulates through E minor, G major and C major. (G major is the flattened 7th)
74
Why was a minor key appropriate for music for a while?
Because it fits with the sad story
75
What is the texture of music for a while?
Melody dominated homophony
76
An example of imitation: (music for a while)
In B11 when the right hand harpsichord imitates the soprano
77
When are suspensions used? (Music for a while)
In B13 each word "eased" falls to a resolved note from a dissonant note before (word painting)
78
Example of ornamentation 2: (music for a while)
Ornamentation lower mordant by harpsichord B1, an appogtura in B2 and an acciactura in b7
79
Why are there limited dynamics? (Music for a while)
Because the instruments weren't as sophisticated so crescendos and diminuendos were not used.
80
Who wrote "Music for a While?"
Henry Purcell
81
When was "Music for a While" written?
1692
82
What is the bass line of "Music for a While" called?
Ground bass
83
Which instrument is NOT found in a continuous group? (Music for a while)
Voice
84
What is Tierce de Picardie? (Music for a while)
A major cadence in a minor key
85
Musical features which represent the sad mood: (music for a while)
Minor key, slow tempo + thin texture
86
Which rhythmic unit is used in the ground bass? (Music for a while)
Quavers
87
Which instrument is a predecessor to the cello?
Bass viol
88
How many bars long is the ground bass? (Music for a while)
3
89
For which play was "Music for a While" written?
Oedipus
90
Structure of the Brandenburg concerto
Ternary form
91
Time signature of brandenburg?
2/4
92
How does Bach create a gigue-like feel?
By using continuous triplet quavers
93
What is a fuge?
subject + countersubject + stretto entries (entries of the subject getting closer together)
94
When does each instrument play the subject? (Brandenburg concerto)
Violin - bars 1 and 2 (then plays the counter subject)
95
Flute - bar 3 (five notes higher)
96
Harpsichord- bar 9
97
What is a concerto grosso?
a musical composition for a group of solo instruments accompanied by an orchestra
98
What are the 3 mains solo instruments in Brandenburg?
Flute,violin,harpsichord
99
Example of ornamentation in Brandenburg concerto:
Harpsichord trills in B19 and B21
100
What is counterpoint texture?
Tune against tune (a type of polyphonic texture)
101
What is contrapuntal texture?
a texture composed of two or more independent melodies sounded together
102
Where is the harpsichord solo in Brandenburg?
B163
103
Where is the texture homophonic in the Brandenburg concerto?
B155 where all the instruments are playing together, there is also dialogue between instruments here.
104
Key signature of Brandenburg concerto:
D major before it modulates to the dominant in bar 12
105
Tempo of Brandenburg Concerto No. 5
allegro - lively dance like feel by writing continuous triplet quavers eg B110
106
Time signature of the Brandenburg concerto no.5
2/4
107
True of false the Brandenburg concerto begins with an anacrusis?
True
108
What is the countersubject in the Brandenburg concerto?
Single detached quavers plated on the beat
109
Flute feature - Brandenburg concerto
Flute performs an answer motif in bars 3-5
110
How is each new key announced in Brandenburg?
Punctuated with perfect cadences on the beat.
111
What is a canon in music?
Delayed imitation of a melody or tune.
112
Dynamics in Brandenburg concerto
Terrace dynamics as it is the baroque period.
113
Other features of the Brandenburg concerto:
- Bach was born in 1685 and died in 1750
114
- He wrote over 1000 pieces of music in his lifetime
115
-Features of baroque music: ornamentation,terrace dynamics,polyphonic writing and harpsichord continuo.
116
What is a sonata?
a composition for an instrumental soloist, often with a piano accompaniment, typically in several movements with one or more in sonata form.
117
How does the introduction start? (Beethoven)
Homophonic with very heavy,low chords
118
Structure: (Beethoven)
The first subject includes descending broken chords in bars 29 and 33, which moves into harmony.
119
What is an antiphonal effect? (Created by crossed hands in bars 51 to 80)
Call and response
120
Where is Alberti bass played? (Beethoven)
Bar 89
121
How many octaves does beethovens work span?
5 and a half octaves
122
What is contrary motion? (Bar 11)
both parts move but in opposite directions
123
What is the key of the piece (Beethoven)
C minor, but modulates to relative keys, Eb major and the subdominant
124
Where is the circle of fifths movement in Beethoven?
244-259
125
True or false Beethoven uses lots of chromaticism
True - many chromatic chords in diminished 7ths which creates dissonance which is more expressive and is heard again in bar 18 and there is an imperfect cadence at bar 27.
126
Time Signature of Beethoven?
Intro - 4/4 though it changes to 2/2
127
Example of ornamentation in Beethoven
Acciacatura in bar 52
128
Where is there a long,rapid descending chromatic run in Beethoven?
Bar 10
129
What is the first subject like in Beethoven?
A rising staccato theme over two octaves
130
What is the second subject like in Beethoven?
Lyrical and legato - contrasting the first theme, the melody includes mordants and acciacaturas
131
Dynamics in the Beethoven?
Sforzando in b4 and the first subject crescendoes to aid the excitement in b15 to 18.
132
Other features of Beethoven:
-piano sonata no.8 Pathetique, is one of the most celebrated of Beethovens works from the classical period
133
- It was written in 1798, when he was 27 and published in 1799.
134
- It's called Pathetique due to the tragic and expressive nature of the music, the peice features extreme dyn,aims and pitch as well as virtuosity which was very forward for its time.
135
This sonata is often described as classic romantic and balances the phrasing of Mozart and Haydn's music
136
What is a codetta?
A small coda that closes an internal section of a piece
137
Where is recapitulation in Beethoven?
Bars 195 to 294
138
Other features of defying gravity:
- Stephen Schwartz is an American composer born in 1948.
139
- Wicked is a Broadway musical which is based on the 1939 film, the wizard of Oz.
140
Where are the two leitmotifs in defying gravity?
Bars 20 and 21, first in the base and then on the synthesiser. The leitmotif in bar 20 is used to represent Elphaba and is known as Elphaba's theme.
141
The second verse - defying gravity
A driving syncopated rhythm, maintaining a strict tempo throughout
142
Verse 3 - defying gravity
Even though the melody and rhythms are similar, Elphaba sings at a much higher pitch, the accompaniment is more heroic , and the tempo includes a rallentando or rall
143
How does defying gravity open?
With a monophonic opening just for the solo voice. The listener hear melody-dominated homophony when the band enters, the strings play a tremolo effect for anticipation
144
What is the key of defying gravity?
The first chords are D major, C# minor and C major. This means that the tonality is ambiguous, there is no sense of key.
145
Example of word painting: (defying gravity)
The final note on grandeur at the end of the previous line is an A. The first of verse 2 is a D, which produces a confident perfect cadence ready for the line "I'm through accepting limits"
146
Example of word painting 2 defying gravity
The chords played are bare fifths, which denotes the opportunity fit Elphaba to flee
147
What are the opening bars marked as (defying gravity)
Colla voce - meaning the band follows the voice.
148
What is the first verse like? (Defying gravity)
Relaxed with long chords and prominent guitar and tremolo strings - tempo = moderato
149
Where is the bridge in defying gravity?
From bar 88
150
Tempo - defying gravity
Tempo dictates emotion , fast for Elphaba , slower for calm Glinda
151
Other features of star wars:
Recorded Star Wars in just 12 days
152
Written by John Williams in 1932.
153
Common features of film compositions
Varying orchestration
154
No set structure
155
Leitmotifs
156
Doubling of parts - emphasise the part of the story
157
What is the structure of Star Wars?
A - B-A -Link - Codetta
158
How does Star Wars begin?
With a brass fanfare up to bar 4
159
A and B sections star wars
A is very loud and triumphant but B is more lyrical and soft
160
Interesting instruments in Star Wars:
Synth and celeste
161
Ornamentation examples start with wars:
Violin tremolos
162
Pizzicato strings in bar 33
163
Flute trill in bar 36
164
What is the main texture in Star Wars?
Homophonic
165
Why is Star Wars in Bb?
Good for the brass instruments
166
What is Quaternal harmony?
Harmony is built in 4ths instead of 3rds
167
Where is there ambiguous tonality in Star Wars?
The link from B30
168
Tempo of Star Wars
4/4 100 bpm to create a military marching feel.
169
What dynamic is the contrasting B section played at?
Mezzo forte whereas A is played as fortissimo
170
How is the leitmotifs made to sound heroic in Star Wars?
Leaping intervals, triplets at ff dynamics in the brass
171
Why is the piccolo link played at p in Star Wars? Bars 36-38
To convey a sense of Mystery of the stars and planets
172
What happens at bar 53 (Star Wars)
A fragment of the rebel blockade runner leitmotifs is played. The interval is a major third.
