Part 1 Vocabulary Flashcards
Monophonic texture
Music consisting of a single line of melody or a single “voice” (no harmony or accompaniment)
Polyphonic texture
Two or more independent melodic lines heard at the same time.
Modes
Scale patterns distinguished by their own unique orders of half steps and whole steps.
Served as a source for melodies in the Middle Ages.
Neumes
Earliest form of notation in Western art music, consisting of small symbols indicating direction.
A Cappella
Vocal music without instrumental accompaniment.
Plainchant
Music with monophonic texture, modal melodies, narrow melodic range, and free rhythm. Also known as “plainsong”
Gregorian chant
Form of plainchant: sacred music of the Roman Catholic Church, named after Pope Gregory the Great.
Syllabic text setting
One note for a single syllable of text.
Neumatic text setting
Two to four notes per syllable of text.
Melismatic text setting
Many notes per syllable of text.
Responsorial singing
A method of performance where solo voice alternates with chorus.
Mass
The most important service of Roman Catholic Church which includes prayers, readings from the Bible, etc.
Consists of texts that change (Proper) and texts that remain the same (Ordinary) that are set to music.
Mass Proper
Changing prayers of the Mass including Gradual, Introit, Communion, Alleluia.
Gradual
The fourth section of the Mass Proper, text based on the Psalms. Generally melismatic and performed in responsorial style.
Organum
Polyphony based on plainchant, in which one or more new voices are added onto an existing Gregorian chant; from the 9th to 13th centuries.
Cantus Firmus
Borrowed material from a Gregorian Chant that serves as the base for a new polyphonic work.
Tenor
Refers to the voice that contains the cantus firmus in an organum.
Organal style
A style of free organum where the notes from the cantus firmus are sung by the lower voice in long note values.
Discant Style
A style of organum where there is more rhythmic movement in the cantus firmus.
Rhythmic modes
Six basic rhythmic patterns used to provide rhythmic structure.
Motet
A vocal composition with or without instrumental accompaniment where new texts are added to existing music.
Polytextuality
Two or more texts heard at the same time.
Chanson
A secular song with French text and improvised accompaniment that flourished in the 12th and 13th centuries.
Trouvère
Aristocratic poet-musicians who composed and performed original love poems and songs, located in Northern France.
Strophic form
A song structure where each verse uses the same music.
Sackbut
A brass instrument with a slide; ancestor of the trombone (loud)
Shawm
A reed instrument with a piercing tone; ancestor of the oboe (loud)
Dulcimer
A stringed instrument with a wooden sound box, strings are stuck with hammers producing a delicate sound (soft)
Lute
A plucked instrument from the Middle East with a rounded body and frets; often accompanied vocal music (soft)
Psaltery
An ancient stringed instrument with a trapezoidal wooden sound box; plucked with fingers (soft)
Vielle
A bowed stringed instrument with a figure-eight shaped body; ancestor of the violin (soft)
Bas
Indicates a low level of volume, a Medieval designation for “indoor” instruments
Haut
Indicates a high level of volume, a Medieval designation for “outdoor” instruments
Estampie
One of the earliest Medieval dances, has a stately character, elaborate body movements, and is danced by couples.
Heterophony
Two or more voices playing the same melody in slightly different ways (variations) at the same time.
Mass Ordinary
Unchanging prayers of the Mass including Kyrie, Gloria, and Agnus Dei
Ars nova style
Used to reference French music of the 14th century, involved greater complexity of many musical elements.
