Music for a While

Question 1

what period was this piece written in

Answer 1

baroque (1600-1750)

Question 2

what is the metre

Answer 2

4/4

Question 3

what is a ground bass

Answer 3

continuous bass line that repeats throughout a piece of music

Question 4

what are the features of this ground bass

Answer 4

3 bars long
repeated quavers
slow tempo

Question 5

what sort of song is this

Answer 5

lament

Question 6

what is the structure

Answer 6

ternary ABA
or da capo aria

Question 7

how does the final ‘A’ section change

Answer 7

shorter
added vocal ornamentation

Question 8

what are the instruments used

Answer 8

harpsichord
bass viol
solo soprano voice

Question 9

which instruments are continuo instruments

Answer 9

bass viol and harpsichord (left hand)

Question 10

what is the tonality of the A sections

Answer 10

a minor

Question 11

what is the tonality of the B sections

Answer 11

a few different keys
cadences in C, A, Am and Em

Question 12

what is a melisma

Answer 12

one or more syllable extended over two or more notes

Question 13

what is word painting

Answer 13

melody describing the meaning of the words

Question 14

give an example of word painting

Answer 14

each repeat of “drop” lowers in pitch
“eternal” has an extended melisma to drag word on

Question 15

what is a mordent

Answer 15

(squiggly line above note)
rapid alternation between two notes once

Question 16

what is an appoggiatura

Answer 16

(little note) quick note before main note - time is taken out of the longer note

Question 17

what is a lower mordent

Answer 17

(squiggly line “crossed out”) alternation between written note and note lower once

Question 18

what is the context of this piece

Answer 18

second of four movements from Oedipus
song tells story of calming the fury alecto