music concepts Flashcards
Acciaccatura
An ornament which sounds like a crushed note played very quickly on the beat or just before it.
Basso continuo
Accompaniment in almost baroque music. Normally played on a keyboard instruments (e.g. harpsichord) and a bass instrument (e.g. a cello or a basson)
Concertino
A group of soloists in a concerto grosso
Concerto grosso
Concerto but it’s a group of soloists instead of one only written in the baroque period
De capo aria
Aria in ternary form when soloists repeat section A it is more ornamented but with the same melody. Found in operas and oratorios from the 1600’s and 1700’s.
Mass
Latin, polyphonic, originally acapella. Sacred choral work using the main section of Roman church. (Kyrie, Gloria, credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, Angus dei)
Mode/modal
Early form of scale, neither major nor minor. Based on a system of 12 modes
Mordent
An Ornament which sounds the main note, the note above, then the main note again. A lower mordent is main below then main.
Obbligato
Prominent solo instrument part in a piece of vocal music e.g. an aria
Oratorio
Large scale sacred vocal work. Usually a story form the bible sung in English always, set to music for soloists, chorus and orchestra can include recitatives, arias, duets and chorus performed in a concert setting so theses no acting or stage design.
Listen for words such as; Gloria, hallelujah, Emmanuel, lord our god.
Passacaglia
It’s a set of usually 3 beats ins bar and is slow. popular in baroque era. Has repeated themes
Plainchant
Unaccompanied, set to catholic liturgy , modal with no key of time signature, acapella, male voices only as sung by monks or priests, usually in unison.
Recitative
Vocal writing where music follows the rhythm of speech. Typically sung before an aria. Spare accompaniment with solo voice,
Ripieno
The orchestra in a concerto grosso
Ritornello
Means “little return” is the main theme in a concerto grosso returns frequently through mordent. Alternatives in episodes.
A: rittornello ( Tutti (all) (ripieno and concertino.
B: episode 1 (soloists) (concertino)
A
C: usually in a different key
A
Tierce de Picardie
Major chord at end of a minor piece. (Helps to lift the mood)
Trill
Moving quickly and repeatedly between
Ground base
Theme in the bass rat us repeated while the upper parts are varied
Cannon
After one part starts to play or sing a melody another part enters shortly afterwards with exactly the same melody. A con on uses strict imitation. The mist basic form of cannon is the round where all parts sing identical repeated music.
chamber music
composed for small group, generally intended to be performed in a palace chamber or large room rather then a concert hall
coloratura
from the classical period thought to the 19th century It was common for sopranos in operas to sing arias full of elaborate scale, arpeggios and ornaments. allowed singers to show off their technique and range.
interrupted cadence
formed by chords V-VI.
‘surprise cadence’ as you might expect V-I.
different to imperfect as you cannot tell where it is going as you can sing he rest of an imperfect.
plagal cadence
famed by chords IV-I.
sounds finished.
‘AMEN’ cadence.
sonata
written for solo piano or piano and another instrument - its a duet rather than a piano accompaniment.
often in 3 movements and he first movement usually has a strict structure known as sonata form.
string quartet
typical example of chamber music established in the classical period and was popular into the romantic too.
very specific interments; 2 violins, 1 viola and 1 cello.
3 against 2
when groups of three notes are played at the same time as groups of 2.
its common in the romantic period and it is sued to create a slightly disjointed or floaty sound.
through composed
composed through changes throughout.
it is the opposite of strophic.
it is very unusual for a song to be through composed but a popular example is Bohemian Rhapsody.
lied
a German song from the romantic period. lied is the German word for a song.
it is almost always accompanied by the piano which is treated equal to the voice.
the piano sets the mood and fits the theme.
sonata form
exposition
subject
tremolando
harmonics
concertino
string quartet
impressionist
a term borrowed from painting in which musical ideas merge to create a rather blurred and vague outline. Debussy was an important composer of this style.
musique concrete
recorded natural sounds which ae transformed using simple editing techniques such as saying backwards, slowing or speeding up.
jazz funk
a combination of jazz improv and the amplified instruments and character of rock.
soul music
afro-american popular music including the elements of blues, gospel and the conveying of song emotions.
interval
relative major/minor
relative major is a key change from the minor to the major with the same key signature, same for relative minor.
dominant 7th
goodie chord, happy and upbeat - used in blues
diminished 7th
its the baddie chord
added 6th
gives a jazzy effect. made up of the a major chord with the 6th note added to the top.
harmonic minor scale
scale sharing the sam key sig as its relative major but raises the 7th note by one semititone.
melodic minor scale
scale sharing the same key sig as its relative major but raises the 6th and the 7th notes by one semitone ascending and descending and similarly lowers them when descending.
time changes
changes in time signature
irregular time signatures
augmentation
the note values are increased affecting the length of the notes. the music sounds slower when repeated.
diminution
the note values decrease. the music sounds faster when repeated.
what is melody and harmony?
words in this section describe what is happening in the melody or tune and the different ways that notes are formed together to make harmony. eg cadences, chords, patterns ornaments and scales.
