Music Final Exam Flashcards
The simultaneous use of two or more different keys (or tonalities)
Polytonality
compositions that lack a tonal center or key
Atonality
A compositional technique where musical elements like pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and timbre are organized into a series or sequence
Serialism
A vocal style that blends singing and speaking, where the performer approximates the pitches and rhythms indicated in the music notation
Sprechstimme
A style of music created in the early 20th century by African Americans, blending elements drawn from African musics with the popular and art traditions of the west
Jazz
Early influential precursor to the jazz style based on “ragged” rhythm marked by highly syncopated melodies. These rags were primarily played on piano, but also orchestrated
Ragtime
An American form of folk music based on a simple, repetitive structure - Melancholy state of mind - lyrics of loneliness and oppression - 12-bar blues most popular - The vocal style was derived work songs of Southern blacks in the early years after the Civil War
Blues
A light opera
Operetta
A genre of 20th century musical theatre, characterized by spoken dialogue and dramatic plot, interspersed with songs, ensemble numbers, and dancing
American Musical
Expanded harmonies
Middle Ages flavor
Orchestral color
Rhythmic pulse obscured
Short lyric forms
Characteristics of impressionism
Polytonality
Polyrhythm
Harsh Dissonance
Atonality
12-Tone technique
Sprechstimme
Characteristics of 20th century music
Claude Debussy
Pierrot Ivoire
Arnold Schoenberg
Igor Stravinsky
Charles Ives
Aaron Copeland
Composers of Impressionistic and early 20th Century
Scott Joplin
Louis Armstrong
Billie Holiday
Duke Ellington
Tom Dorsey
Glenn Miller
Harry Connick Jr.
Composers of Jazz
Rudolf Friml
Jerome Kern
George Gershwin
Richard Rodgers
Oscar Hammerstein
Leonard Bernstein
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Claude-Michael Schonberg
Alan Menken
Composers of Musical Theatre
