Musical Terms

Question 1

Consonance

Answer 1

Notes at rest.

Question 2

Dissonance

Answer 2

Notes that need to be resolved.

Question 3

Pitch/Interval

Answer 3

Pitch is the frequency of a note, interval is a grouping of pitches in ascending frequency.

Question 4

Tonic/Dom./Sub-Dom.

Answer 4

1. Tonic (I): Home base, consonant, works like the subject of the sentence.
2. Dominant (V): Dissonant, works like the verb in a sentence.
3. Sub-Dominant (IV): Dissonant, less dissonant than the dominant. Works as an adverb in a sentence.

Question 5

Measure/Bar

Answer 5

Groupings of the basic beat in sets.

Question 6

Rhythm

Answer 6

Includes the basic beat and everything that is played in a given tempo.

Question 7

Tempo

Answer 7

How many beats per minute. How fast the music is.

Question 8

Instrument Families

Answer 8

Strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, and keyboard instruments.

Question 9

Ensembles

Answer 9

1. Symphony Orchestra: primarily strings with various woodwinds, brass, and percussion.
2. Symphonic Band: like the high school marching band.
3. String Quartet: two violins, one viola, one cello.
4. Brass & Woodwind Quintet
5. Choirs and Chorus

Question 10

Music Period Dates

Answer 10

Middle Ages 500-1450
Renaissance 1450-1600
Baroque 1600-1750
Classical 1750-1825
Romantic 1825-1900
Modern 1900-Present

Question 11

Gregorian Chant

Answer 11

Early monophonic music in the church. Called gregorian because of Pope Gregory.

Question 12

Mass (proper and ordinary)

Answer 12

Proper (text changes weekly)
Ordinary (text stays the same):
Kyrie
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus
Angus Dei
Ite, missa est

Question 13

Notre Dame School

Answer 13

First users of polyphonic music, organum, and motet. Leonin and Perotin.

Question 14

Organum

Answer 14

Two voiced composition

Question 15

Motet

Answer 15

Three or Four voiced composition

Question 16

Jongleurs

Answer 16

Secular musicians that Served as “CNN” of middle ages, spreading news in the form of music and poetry. Mostly homeless beggars

Question 17

Troubadours and Trouveres

Answer 17

Secular musicians that were in someway attached to nobility/courtship.

Question 18

Text painting (word Painting)

Answer 18

Heightening the dramatic impression of words using musical “tricks”. Using extreme dissonances, chromatic passages, dramatic melodic leaps, and other non-conventional methods.

Question 19

Cantus firmus

Answer 19

“Fixed song.” Usually a repeating section of monophonic music.

Question 20

Madrigal

Answer 20

Multi-voiced pieces with no musical accompaniment. Popular in renaissance period.

Question 21

Monophonic

Answer 21

Music with a single line of melody.

Question 22

Polyphonic

Answer 22

Music with 2 or more lines of melody.

Question 23

Monody

Answer 23

Single line of melody over a simple instrumental accompaniment. Made the vocals easier to understand with little polyphony.

Question 24

Florentine Camerata

Answer 24

Informal group of writers, poets, musicians, philosophers, and artists. Did research into how the Greeks used music and drama.

Question 25

Figured Bass/Basso Continuo

Answer 25

The instrumental accompaniment to a monodic opera. Usually consisting of 1-2 instruments.

Question 26

Opera

Answer 26

Drama set to music.

Question 27

Opera: Aria

Answer 27

Solo vocal style for opera

Question 28

Opera: Recitative

Answer 28

A singing pattern very similar to speech, allowing the drama to unfold quicker, and ease of understanding.

Question 29

Opera: Castrato Singers

Answer 29

Vocally talented young boys whom were castrated so as to make their voices higher. (more soprano)

Question 30

Conterpoint

Answer 30

counterpoint is the relationship between voices that are interdependent harmonically (polyphony) yet independent in rhythm and contour.

Question 31

Fugue

Answer 31

A structure/texture of writing music based on a repeating melody. To be improvised upon

Question 32

Fugue: subject

Answer 32

The main melody of the fugue.

Question 33

Fugue: countersubject

Answer 33

A secondary melody in the fugue used to compliment the first melody.

Question 34

Fugue: answer

Answer 34

Follows the same melodic shape as the "subject" but starts on the Dominant (V) note.

Question 35

Fugue: exposition

Answer 35

The subject, countersubject, and answer all grouped into one piece of music.

Question 36

Fugue: episodes

Answer 36

Spin offs of the main exposition of the piece/small additions.

Question 37

Trio Sonata

Answer 37

Two violins with continuo accompaniment (another instrument in the background)

Question 38

Sonata da cheisa

Answer 38

(church sonata) | Alternating slow and fast movements.

Question 39

Sonata da camera

Answer 39

(chamber sonata) | Generic introductory movement followed by dance movements.

Question 40

Italian Overture

Answer 40

fast-slow-fast

Question 41

French Overture

Answer 41

slow-fast-slow

Question 42

French Suite

Answer 42

An overture followed by several individual dance movements such as allemande, courante, sarabande, and gigue.

Question 43

Solo Concerto

Answer 43

A three movement work (fast-slow-fast) for a single solo instrument. Usually violin, flute, or oboe.

Question 44

Concerto Grosso

Answer 44

Pitted a small group of instruments against the full orchestra.

Question 45

Concerto Grosso: tutti (or ripieno)

Answer 45

Tutti/Ripieno: the small group of instruments.

Question 46

Concerto Grosso: concertino

Answer 46

Concertino: the entire orchestra.

Question 47

Cantata

Answer 47

a medium-length narrative piece of music for voices with instrumental accompaniment, typically with solos, chorus, and orchestra.

Question 48

Oratorio

Answer 48

a large-scale musical work for orchestra and voices, typically a narrative on a religious theme, performed without the use of costumes, scenery, or action.