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