Tempo, Metre and Rhythm

Question 1

tempo terms in order of speed

Answer 1

largo, andante, moderato, allegro, vivace, presto

Question 2

accelerando

rallentando

Answer 2

gradually speeding up

gradually slowing down

Question 3

ritenuto

Answer 3

immediately slower

Question 4

allargando

Answer 4

getting slower and broadening

Question 5

rubato

Answer 5

“robbed time” - rhythms are played freely for expressive effect

Question 6

compound time

Answer 6

time signatures such as 9/8 where the top number does not necessarily show the number of beats (9/8 is made up of 3 dotted crotchets)

Question 7

syncopation

Answer 7

when notes are held over beats, not only off beats

Question 8

cross rhythm

Answer 8

the effect produced when two conflicting rhythms are heard together

Question 9

polyrhythm

Answer 9

when two or more rhythms with different pulses are heard together

Question 10

hemiola

Answer 10

a rhythmic device that gives the impression of the music speeding up by changing the metre

Question 11

rhythmic diminution

Answer 11

when a musical idea is repeated with the note values halved

Question 12

rhythmic augmentation

Answer 12

when a musical idea is repeated but with the note values doubled

Question 13

offbeats

Answer 13

the weaker beats of a bar

In 4/4 time, these are beats 2 and 4.

Question 14

anacrusis

Answer 14

when a musical phrase starts just before the bar line

Question 15

habenara

Answer 15

a variation on the tango that comes from Cuba, based on a dotted rhythm

Question 16

rumba

Answer 16

a slow dance in 4/4 time

Question 17

walking bass

Answer 17

when the bass player plays crotches “walking’ up and down the scale or arpeggio

Question 18

tal

Answer 18

a repeated rhythm pattern in Indian classical music, usually played by the tabla
between six and sixteen beats grouped into small sections
The first beat of the cycle is known as sam.

Question 19

drone

Answer 19

a note held throughout a passage of music, usually heard first to state the tonic note
traditionally played on a tampura, but now often played electronically