Style Flashcards by Sorcha Thompson

Anthem (AH)

A piece of choral religious music sung in English
Used in the Protestant church during the Renaissance period
It may be accompanied, but it is usually a cappella

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Ayre/Air (AH)

Ayre is the Renaissance word for song
Sung in English with a secular (non-religious) text
Song for a solo singer
Likely to be modal
Usually strophic in form
Normally accompanied by Renaissance instruments such as lute

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Ballett (AH)

Sung in English with a secular (non-religious) text
It is sung a cappella and is strophic in form
It goes “Fa la la”

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Chorale (AH)

A hymn tune sung in German
Written in four parts (SATB)
Mainly syllabic and homophonic

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Galliard (AH)

Lively dance with three beats in a bar

Usually follows a pavan

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Madrigal (AH)

Sung in English with a secular (non-religious) text
Song in four part harmony (SATB)
Traditionally polyphonic and a cappella
Feature lots of imitation
Normally through-composed
Often uses word painting

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Motet (AH)

Essentially the Catholic equivalent to an Anthem
Sung in Latin
Sung in four part harmony (SATB)
Sung a cappella and is polyphonic in texture

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Nationalist (AH)

Expression of strong feelings for the composers country in their music
Music with a distinct flavour by which the composers nationality may be easily recognised

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Pavan (AH)

Slow, stately dance with two beats in a bar

Usually followed by a galliard

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Renaissance (AH)

Renaissance means ‘rebirth’ and marks a period in history where there was a resurgence of interest in music based on the ideas of the ancient Greeks and Romans
From approximately 1450 - 1600

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Chamber music (H)

Music performed by a small group
One player to a part
Examples are string quartet, piano trio or wind quintet

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Impressionist (H)

20th century style
Brief musical ideas merge and change, creating a blurred and vague outline
Tuneful but with unusual harmonies and dissonance

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Jazz funk (H)

Combination of jazz and rock
Uses both popular and jazz instruments
May contain improvisation
Commonly uses the added 6th

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Lied (H)

A German song from the romantic period for voice and piano

Either strophic or through-composed in form

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Mass (H)

Religious music sung in Latin
Usually sung a cappella with a very polyphonic texture
Often features passages of melisma
It has six main sections: 
Kyrie Eleison
Gloria in excelsis Deo
Credo in Unum Deum 
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus 
Benedictus 
Agnus Dei

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Musique concrete (H)

20th century style of composition

Uses acoustic sounds which are manipulated by technology

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Oratorio (H)

Large scale work without acting or stage design
Sung in English
Contains songs for solo voice and/or choirs
Often includes recitatives, arias and choruses

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Plainchant (H)

Sung in Latin with no regular metre
Tonality is described as modal
Word setting can be both melismatic and/or syllabic

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Recitative (H)

Performed by a solo voice
Mainly syllabic with simple accompaniment
Music follows the rhythm of speech
Often followed by an aria

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Sonata (H)

Work for solo piano or solo instrument and piano

Often in three or four movements

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Soul (H)

Style of Afro-American popular music
Elements of gospel and blues
Solo voice with backing vocals
Likely to feature a horn section

Aria (N5)

Solo sung in an operatic style

May contain passages of melisma

Bothy ballad (N5)

Unaccompanied folk song with many verses
Sung by a solo male
From the North-East of Scotland
Tells a story of rural or farming life

Celtic rock (N5)

Mixes Celtic folk music and rock

Uses both traditional and popular instruments

Chorus (N5)

A group of singers or the music written for these singers

Classical (N5)

From approximately 1750-1810 Famous composers include Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn Features larger orchestras than in the Baroque period

Gaelic psalm (N5)

Slow, unaccompanied Gaelic church tunes

Gospel (N5)

Development of the spirituals sung by slaves Songs written with religious lyrics in a popular style Performed by choirs/congregations Accompanied by electric organ/piano and other popular instruments

Indian (N5)

Music from India | Uses instruments such as sitar and tabla

Minimalist (N5)

20th century style | Simple rhythmic and melodic figures are constantly repeated with slight changes

Pibroch (N5)

The classical music of the bagpipes | Usually a slow theme and variations

Symphony (N5)

Large work for orchestra | Usually in four movements

Waulking song (N5)

Gaelic work song Sung when beating tweed Sung in call and response

African music (N4)

Features voices and/or African drums

Baroque (N4)

From approximately 1600-1750 Famous composers include Bach, Vivaldi and Handel Extensive use of ornamentation and sequence

Concerto (N4)

Work for solo instrument and orchestra

Mouth music (N4)

Unaccompanied songs with Gaelic or nonsense words Performed by a solo voice or voices in unison Normally sung for ceilidh dances

Opera (N4)

Drama set to music | Features soloists, chorus, orchestra and acting

Ragtime (N4)

Played on piano | Syncopated rhythm against a steady vamped accompaniment

Rapping (N4)

Rhyming lyrics that are spoken and performed in time to a beat Popular in hip-hop music

Reggae (N4)

Developed in Jamaica in the 1960s | Strong accents on the 2nd and 4th beats of the bar

Romantic (N4)

From approximately 1810-1900 Famous composers include Schumann, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Chopin and Liszt Larger orchestras than ever before and use of rubato

Scots ballad (N4)

Slow Scottish song that tells a story

Swing (N4)

Jazz style that started in the 1930s Performed by a big band In 4/4 time Features a 'cheese, mouldy cheese' rhythm

Blues (N3)

Often in 4/4 and based on a 12 bar blues structure | Melody uses notes from the blues scale

Jazz (N3)

Often uses saxophone Usually features syncopation and improvisation Use of chords such as the added 6th

Latin American (N3)

Dance music from South America Use of percussion instruments Lively off-beat rhythms

Musical (N3)

A play which has speaking, singing and dancing and is performed on a stage

Pop (N3)

A style of popular music | Played by a group of musicians or a solo artist

Rock (N3)

Heavy, driving beat Use of distortion Usually features electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit

Rock 'n' roll (N3)

1950s American music Grew from jazz, blues, gospel and country Often uses a riff