Music for Ensemble Flashcards
Chamber music is split into 3 eras - what are they?
Baroque
Classical
Romantic
Where was Chamber music originally played?
In a small room with few instruments
Baroque era consists of:
one or
two soloists, plus basso continuo (which
consisted of a low-pitched instrument
such as a cello playing a bassline, with an
instrument playing chords e.g. harpsichord).
Classical era consists of:
String quartets (two violins, a
viola and a cello) were popular. They had
four movements, with the 1st movement
usually in sonata form
Romantic era consists of:
Performances happened
in larger concert halls as well as in small
‘chambers’.
Musical numbers may include:
Solo
Duet
Trio
a song for one singer
a song for two singers
a song for three singers
Ensemble in a musical is:
a small group of performers
Chorus in a musical is:
large group (usually the full
company/cast).
Recitative in a musical is:
a vocal style that imitates the
rhythms and accents of
Overture in a musical is:
an orchestral introduction to the
show, which usually uses tunes from the
show.
What is the role of the orchestra/band in a musical theatre setting?
to accompany the voices and to underscore the production
What do we mean by underscore?
a soft soundtrack that plays in the background of a scene to support the narrative and mood of the production
Which instruments are usually found in the ‘pit’ orchestra of a musical production?
strings,
woodwind (sometimes called ‘reeds’), brass
and percussion and/or a rock/pop band,
depending on the style. Most shows also use
keyboards or synths.
What is the chord sequence in the 12 bar blues?
Chords
I I I I
IV IV I I
V IV I I/V