Music Flashcards
Melody
succession of single tones or pitches perceived by the mind as a unity.
Range
Distance between the lowest and highest tones of a melody, instrument, or a voice.
Interval
Distance and relationship between two pitches.
Conjunct
Smooth, connected melody that moves principally by small intervals.
Disjunct
Disjointed or disconnected melody with many leaps.
Phrase
Musical unit; often a component of melody.
Cadence
Resting place in a musical phrase; music punctuation.
Countermelody
An accompanying melody sounded against the principle melody.
Timbre or Tone Color
The quality of sound that distinguishes one voice or instrument from another.
Meter
Organization of rhythm in time; the grouping of beats into larger, regular patterns, notated as measures.
Compound meter
Meter in which each beat is subdivided into three rather than two.
Simple meter
Grouping of rhythms in whch the beat is subdivided into two, as in duple, triple, and quadruple meters.
Syncopation
Deliberate upsetting of the meter or pulse through a temporary shifting of the accent to a weak beat or an off beat.
Polyrhythm
The simultaneous use of several rhythmic patterns or meters, common in twentieth century music and in certain African music.
Harmony
The simultaneous combination of notes and the ensuing relationships of intervals and chords.
Chord
Simultaneous combination of three or more tones that constitute a single block of harmony.
Triad
Common chord type, consisting of three pitches built on alternate tones of the scale (e.g. steps 1-3-5 or do-mi-sol).
Major scale
Scale consisting of seven different tones that comprise of a specific pattern of whole and half steps. It differs from a minor scale primarily in that its third degree is raised a half of step (sharps).
Minor scale
Scale consisting of seven different tones that comprise a specific pattern of whole and hald steps. It differs from the major scale in that its third degree is lowered a half of step (flats)
Tonic
The first note of the scale or key. Also a keynote.
Dissonance
Combination of tones that sounds discordant and unstable, in need of resolution.
Consonance
Concordant or harmonious combination of tones that provides a sense of relaxation and stability in music.
Drone
Sustained sounding of one or several tones for harmonic support, a common feature os some folk musics.
Half step
Smallest interval used in the Western system; the octave divides into twelve such intervals; on the piano, the distance between any two adjacent keys, whether black or white. Also semitone.
Whole step
Interval consisting of two half steps or semitones.
Chromatic scale
Consists of an ascending or descending sequence of semitones.
Diatonic scale
Melody or harmony built from the seven tones of a major or minor scale. A diatonic scale encompasses patterns of seven whole tones and semitones.
Texture
The interweaving of melodic (horizontal) and harmonic (vertical) elements in the musical fabric.
Monophony
Single line texture or melody without accompaniment.
Heterophony
Texture in which two or more voices (or parts) elaborate the same melody simultaneously, often the result of improvisation.
Polyphony
Two or more melodic lines combined into a multivoiced texture, as distinct from monophony.
Homophony
Texture with principal melody and accompanying harmony, as distinct from polyphony.
Canon
Type of polyphonic compositon in which one musical line strictly imitates another at a fixed distance throughout. (a round)
Strophic form
Song structure in which the same music is repeated in with every stanza (strophe) of the poem.
Binary form
Two part (A-B) form with each section normally repeated. Also two-part form.
Ternary form
Three part (A-B-A) form bases=d on statement (A), contrasts or departure (B), and repetition (A). Also three part form.
Theme
Melodic idea used as a basic building block in the construction of a composition. Also theme.
Call and response
Performance style with a singing leader who is imitated by a chorus of followers. Also responsial singing.
Ostinato
A short melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic pattern that is repeated throughout a work or a section of one.
Tempo
Rate of speed or pace of music. Grave -solemn (very very slow) Largo - broad (very slow) Adagio - quite slow Andante- a walking pace Moderato - moderate Allegro- fast (cheerful) Vivace - lively Presto -very fast
Dynamics
Element of musical expression relationing to the degree of softness or volume of sound. Forte - loud Piano - soft
Crescendo
Growing louder.
Decrescendo
Growing softer.
Aerophones
Instruments such as the flute, whistle, or horn that produces sound by using air as the primary vibrating means.
Chordophones
Instruments that produce sound from a vibrating string stretched between two ; the string may be set in motion by bowing, plucking, or striking.
Idiophones
Instrument that produces sound from the substance substance of the instrument itself by being struck, blown, shaken, scraped or rubbed. Examples include bells, rattles, xylophones, and cymbals.
Soprano
Highest ranged voice, normally possessed by women or boys.
Alto
Lowest of the female voices. Also contralto.
Tenor
Male voice of high range. Also a part, often structural, in polyphony.
Bass
Lowest of the male voices.
A’cappella
Choral music preformed without instrumental accompaniment.
Chamber music
Ensemble music for up to about ten players, with one player to a part.
String quartet
Standard chamber ensemble consisting of twp violins, viola, and cello. Also a multimovement composition for this ensemble.
Baton
A thin stick, usually painted white, used by conductors.
Conductor
Person who, by means of gestures, leads performances of musical ensembles, especially orchestra, bands, or choruses.
Gregorian chant
Monophonic melody with a freely flowing, unmeasured vocal line; liturgical chant of the Roman Catholic Church. Also plainchant or plainsong.
Modes
Scale or sequence of notes used as the basis for a composition; major and minor are modes.
Syllabic
Melodic style with one note to each of syllable of text.
Melismatic
Melodic style characterized by many notes sung to a single text syllable.
Mass
Central service of the Roman Catholic church.
Proper vs Ordinary
Proper is sections of the Roman Catholic Mass that vary from day to day throughout the church year according to the particular liturgical occasion, as distinct from the ordinary, in which they remain the same.
Organum
Earliest kind of polyphonic music, which developed form the custom of addiing voices above a plainchant; they first ran parallel to it at the interval of a fifth or fourth and later moved more freely.
Motet
Polyphonic vocal genre, secular in the middle ages but sacred or devotional there after.
Troubadours
Medieval poet-musicans in southern France.
Trouveres
Medieval poet-musicans in northern France.
Minnesingers
Late Medieval German poet-musicans.
Chanson
French monophonic or polyphonic song, especially of the middle ages and renaissance, set to either courtly or popular poetry.
Forms of Chanson
Rondeau, ballade, virelai.
Bas and Haut Instruments
Bas- Medieval category of soft instruments used principally for indoor occasions. Haut loud instruments used for outdoor occasions.
Madrigal
Renaissance secular work originating in Itally for voices, with or without instruments, set to short lyrical love poem; also popular in England.
Cantus firmus
“Fixed melody” usually of very long notes, often based on a fragment of a Gregorian Chant that served as a structural basis for a polyphonic composition, particularly in the Renaissance.
Word Painting
Musical pictorialization of words from the text as an expressive device; a prominent feature if the Renaissance madrigal.
Embellishment
Melodic decoration, either improvised it indicated through ornamentation signs in the music.
Canzonas
Late sixteenth- and early-seventeenth-century instumnetal genre featuring contrasting sections, with contrapuntal verses homophonic textures and changing meters.
Improvise
Creation of a musical composition while it is being performed, seen in Baroque ornamentation, cadenzas of concertos, jazz, and some non-Western music.
Basso continuo
Italian for “continuous bass.” Also refers to performance group with a bass, chordal instrument (harpsichord, organ), and one bass melody instrument (cello, bassoon).
Monody
Vocal style established in the Baroque, with a solo singer(s) and instrumental accompaniment.
Figured bass
Baroque practice consisting of and independent bass line that often includes numerals indicating the harmony to be supplied by the performer. Also through-bass.
Equal temperament
Tuning system based on the division of the octave into twelve half steps; the system used today.
Major-Minor tonality
A harmonic system based on the use of major and minor scales, widely practiced from the seventeenth to the late nineteenth century.
Doctrine of affections
Baroque doctrine of the union of text and music.
Virtuoso musicians
Performer if extraordinary technical ability.
Overture
An introductory movement, as in an opera or oratorio, often representing melodies form arias to come. Also an orchestral work for conrecert performance.
Arias
Lyric song for solo voice with orchestral accompaniment, generally expressing intense emotion; found in opera, cantata, and oratorio.
Recitative
Solo voice declamation that follows the inflections of text, often resulting in a disjunct vocal style; found in opera, cantata, and oratorio. Can be secco or accompagnato.
Libretto
Text or script of an opera, oratorio,cantata, or musical (also called “book” in a musical), written by a librettist.
Da Capo structure
An indication to return to th beginning of a piece. A-B-A form (ternary).
Cantata
vocal genre for solo singers, chorus, and instrumentalists based on a lyric or dramatic poem narrative. It generally consists of several movements, including recitatives, arias, and ensemble numbers.
Chorale
Congregational hymn of the German Lutheran Church.
Oratorio
Large scale dramatic genre originating in the Baroque, based on a text of religious or serious character, performed by solo voices, chorus, and orchestra; similar to opera but without scenery, costumes, or action.
French overture
Baroque instrumental introduction to an opera, ballet, or suite, in two sections: a slow opening followed by allegro, often with a breif reprise of the opening.
Secco recitative
Recitative singing style that features a sparse accompaniment and moves with great freedom.
Accompagnato
Accompanied; also a recitative that is accompanied by an orchestra.
Solo concerto
Instrumental genre in several movements for solo instrument (or instrumental group) and orchestra.
Allmenade
German dance in moderate duple time, popular during the Renaissance and Baroque periods; often the first movement of ta Baroque suite.
Baroque Suite
Multimovement work made up of a series of contrasting dance movements, generally in all the same key. International galaxy of dance types.
Concerto grosso
Baroque concerto type based on the opposition between a small group of solo instruments (the concertino) and the orchestra (the ripieno).
Program music
Instrumental music endowed with literary or pictorial associations, especially popular in the nineteenth century.
