Terms Flashcards
Antiphon
refers properly to short syllabic pieces that precede and follow a psalm or canticle, but the term is loosely used for longer works of a processional nature as well as for settings of four texts dealing with the Virgin Mary (the Marian Antiphons)
Ballade
a prominent Medieval type of chanson, one of the three formes fixes; musical scheme is AAB or AABB
Bar Form
an AAB form used frequently in the songs of the Minnesinger and Meistersinger; later used in Lutheran hymns and Bach chorales
Clausula
a short section of polyphony in an otherwise monophonic chant
Conductus
polyphonic 2-part genre of the ars antiqua
Discant
note-against-note counterpoint in the rhythmic modes; usually in contrary motion and mostly in imperfect consonances; all parts move at the same speed
Perfect tempus, greater prolation
9/8
Imperfect tempus, greater prolation
6/8
Perfect tempus, lesser prolation
3/4
Imperfect tempus, lesser prolation
2/4
Neumatic
an adjective describing a style of performing chant in which two to four notes are often used on one syllable
Organum
the earliest form of polyphony; based on chant as cantus firmus
Types of organum
parallel (movement in same direction)
free (oblique and/or contrary motion)
melismatic (top voice contains many notes, bottom one)
measured (motion according to rhythmic modes)
Recitation tone
a melodic pattern centered on the fifth note of the appropriate church mode; used to intone long liturgical texts such as the Epistle
Rondeau (French)
a significant Medieval type of chanson; form ABaAabAB; formes fixes
Sequence
a poetic and musical trope added in Medieval times to the Gregorian Alleluia
Trope
a textual and/or musical interpolation into the liturgy and its established musical repertory; sequences are tropes
Virelai (French)
an important Medieval type of chanson; form AbbaA; formes fixes
Portative organ
a portable organ small enough that one player could operate the bellows with the left hand and the keyboard with the right
Air de cour (French)
an accompanied French strophic song for one or two voices from the Late Renaissance and Baroque periods
Anthem (English)
evolved from the Latin motet after the Reformation; sacred text in English; assumed the role of the motet in English Anglican and Protestant services; simpler, more homophonic than motet
Balletto (Italian)
a dance-like vocal piece in homophonic style; principal composer was Giovanni Gastoldi
Canzonetta (Italian)
a short composition of the canzona type for voices; light dance-like character
Concertato (Italian)
a term derived from concerto and used as an adjective to mean concerto-like with reference to the contrasting instrumental and/or vocal groups in music of the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
Familiar style
a term referring to passages in vocal music sung in chordal or homophonic fashion; contrast learned, contrapuntal style
Madrigalism / Madrigalian
the highly developed use of tone-painting in the madrigal, a characteristic that then appeared in both chanson and motet
Motto theme
the term refers to a motive that appears at the beginning of several or all of the movements of a Renaissance Mass
Parody
the practice of reworking a polyphonic composition (such as a motet or chanson) so that it forms the basis for a Mass
Psalter
a book of musical settings for Protestant congregational singing
Service
the musical portions of the Anglican liturgy, including the portions from the Mass Ordinary; Short (set syllabically) and Great (contrapuntal)
Verse anthem
an anthem which juxtaposed instrumental sections and solo voice sections with full choir
Full anthem
an anthem which is written only for choir, a cappella
Villancico (Spanish)
a Spanish song of the Renaissance in a form similar to the Italian ballata; three or four voices; also for accompanied solo voice
Arioso (Italian)
a type of solo vocal writing that is more song-like than recitative and less formal than aria
Basso seguente
a bass part which plays only the lowest notes, regardless of texture
Camerata
a small Renaissance academy, the most famous of which met in FLorence about 1580 at the palace of Count Giovanni de’ Bardi; seeking to rediscover the expressive power of Greek music led the group to experiment with Baroque monody