Music For A While

Question 1

What is the structure of the piece?

Answer 1

Ground bass

Question 2

Which instruments play the ground bass?

Answer 2

Bass viol and harpsichord

Question 3

What is the tonality of the piece?

Answer 3

A minor

Question 4

How many bars long is the ground bass?

Answer 4

3 bars

Question 5

What is the texture of the piece?

Answer 5

Melody and accompaniment/melody- dominated homophony

Question 6

Why is the tonality ambiguous at times?

Answer 6

Chromatic notes

Question 7

Identify three features of the movement of the ground bass?

Answer 7

It rises in pitch, includes semitones and is based on arpeggios

Question 8

What is the interval between the last two notes of the ground bass?

Answer 8

An octave

Question 9

What is the time signature (metre)?

Answer 9

4/4 - simple quadruple

Question 10

What is the range of the vocal part?

Answer 10

9th

Question 11

Identify the melodic device heard on the word “eas’d, eas’d, eas’d”.

Answer 11

Descending sequence

Question 12

How many times is the ground bass played in the tonic key at the start of the piece?

Answer 12

4 and 1/2 times

Question 13

What harmonic device is used to create word painting on the word “pains”?

Answer 13

Dissonance (E in the voice clashes with D and F in accompaniment)

Question 14

Which key does the piece modulate to in bar 14?

Answer 14

E minor

Question 15

Name the cadence in bar 15 that confirms the key change to E minor.

Answer 15

Perfect cadence

Question 16

Which key does the piece modulate to in bar 16 and how is the key confirmed?

Answer 16

G major with a perfect cadence

Question 17

How does the music reflect the words “free the dead”?

Answer 17

In G major (happier and brighter)

Question 18

Describe the overall melodic movement of the vocal part.

Answer 18

It is mostly stepwise/conjunct (notes next to each other)

Question 19

What happens in the vocal part on the second syllable of the word “eternal” in bars 20-21?

Answer 19

Extended (long) melisma (lots of notes for one syllable)

Question 20

How many times does the vocalist sing the word “drop”?

Answer 20

9 times

Question 21

How are words mostly set to music?

Answer 21

Word setting is mainly syllabic

Question 22

How is word painting used on the word “wond’ring” in bar 10?

Answer 22

Descending legato melisma

Question 23

What happens on the repeat of the word “wond’ring” in bar 11?

Answer 23

Ascending sequence (sung the same but higher)

Question 24

Describe the harmony.

Answer 24

Functional and diatonic

Question 25

Which key does the piece modulate to in bar 21 on the extended melisma "eternal bands"?

Answer 25

C major

Question 26

Which key does the piece modulate to in bar 23 on the words "till the snakes"?

Answer 26

A major (tonic major)

Question 27

Which rhythms are most dominant in the piece?

Answer 27

Quavers and semiquavers

Question 28

There is no tempo marking but how is the piece performed?

Answer 28

Slowly

Question 29

Describe the rhythm of the word "drop" in bars 24 and 25.

Answer 29

Off beat quavers

Question 30

What is the tonality of the piece from bar 29 to the end?

Answer 30

A minor (tonic)

Question 31

Identify two features of the music that suit the sombre nature/mood of the text.

Answer 31

Minor key & slow tempo

Question 32

What type of voice sings this piece?

Answer 32

Soprano

Question 33

What type of instrument is a harpsichord?

Answer 33

Keyboard instrument, popular in the Baroque period

Question 34

The left hand of the harpsichord part plays the ground bass with the bass viol. Describe what the right hand part plays.

Answer 34

An elaborate, decorative part

Question 35

Describe the texture between the right hand of the harpsichord and the voice.

Answer 35

Counterpoint

Question 36

The left hand of the harpsichord and the bass viol play the ground bass throughout. What is the name given to this?

Answer 36

Continuo

Question 37

What is the name given to this type of song?

Answer 37

An aria

Question 38

What type of ornament does the vocalist sing in bars 13 and 14 on the repetitions of the word "eas'd"?

Answer 38

Trill

Question 39

What type of ornament does the harpsichord play in bar 1?

Answer 39

Lower mordent

Question 40

What type of ornament does the vocalist sing on the word "all" in bar 6?

Answer 40

Grace notes

Question 41

What type of ornament does the vocalist sing on the second "all" in bar 35?

Answer 41

An appoggiatura

Question 42

What type of ornament does the harpsichord play in bar 22?

Answer 42

Upper mordent

Question 43

There are non-harmony notes in between the main notes of the melody line. What name is given to these extra notes?

Answer 43

Passing notes

Question 44

The melody line is mostly stepwise but there are occasional small leaps. What is the interval between the words "shall" and "all" in bar 32?

Answer 44

Perfect 4th

Question 45

The ground bass consists of only one note value. What is this note value?

Answer 45

Quaver (1\2 beat)

Question 46

Sometimes, a note from a chord is held onto the next beat so that is creates a clash/dissonance. This note then moves to a note in the chord so that it resolves. What name is given to this harmonic device?

Answer 46

Suspension

Question 47

How does the right hand of the harpsichord play the chord on bar 13, beat 3?

Answer 47

Spread rapidly (like an arpeggio)

Question 48

In bar 1, the harpsichord plays F# on beat 3 followed by F on beat 4. What name is given to this device?

Answer 48

False relation

Question 49

What rhythmic device is in both the harpsichord and vocal part in bar 20?

Answer 49

Syncopation

Question 50

What is the cadence at the end of the piece?

Answer 50

Perfect