Terms & Definitions Flashcards
a cappella
Latin for “in the chapel”
Vocal music without instrumental accompaniment.
Characteristic of vocal music in the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
The “Affections”
Also referred to as “the affects” or “Doctrine of Affections”.
A Baroque philosophy inspired by ancient Greek and Roman writers and orators. Refers to emotional states of the soul. In Baroque music, a single “affection” (one clear emotion) is usually projected throughout an entire composition or movement.
Vocal music depicted the emotions of the text or dramatic situation.
Agréments
A French term for an ornament or embellishment. Used in 17th and 18th Century keyboard music.
Aria
Italian for “air”
A solo song with accompaniment, heard in opera, oratorio, and cantata. Highly emotional and often virtuosic. May have lyrical or dramatic qualities; often serves to reveal the character’s feelings and emotions.
Ars Nova Style
Latin for “New Art” from the title of a treatise by composer Philippe de Vitry. Used in reference to French music of the 14th Century. The previous era came to be known as ars antiqua. It involved greater complexity in melody, harmony, and rhythm and included use of isorhythm, hocket, and musica ficta.
Ballett
Italian for “little dance”
16th Century Italian and English strophic song type, generally in a simple dance-like style. Often included “fa-la-la” refrains. Embraced by English madrigalists.
Baroque
From Portuguese barroco meaning misshapen pearl. This was a derogatory term used to refer to the overly ornate art of the era. Now applied to art, architecture, and music of the 17th and early 18th Centuries.
Bas
French for “low” meaning a low level of volume (soft). A medieval designation for indoor instruments. Includes dulcimer, lute, psaltry, rebec, recorder, vielle.
Basso Continuo
Baroque performance practice. Generally involves two performers: one playing the noted bass line, one realizing the harmonies as indicated by the figured bass. Harmonies usually played on harpsichord or organ. Provides harmonic framework.
Binary Form
Two part form: A || B ||
Both parts often repeat. Section A generally ends with an open cadence in the dominant or relative major key. Frequently used in Baroque dances and keyboard pieces.
Cadenza
A solo passage found in concertos and arias. Either improvised by the soloist, or composed in an improvisatory style. Displays virtuosity of soloist(s).
Canon
From the Greek work for “law”.
A strict type of polyphonic composition in which each voice enters in succession with the same melody. Canons in which each voice enters on the same pitch are referred to as rounds.
Cantata
A multi-movement choral work. Sacred or secular for soloists, chorus, and orchestra. Consists of recitatives, ensembles, and choruses.
Cantus Firmus
Latin for “fixed song”. Borrowed material, often from a Gregorian chant. Serves as a structural framework for a new polyphonic composition. Originally found in the lowest voice.
Castrato
A male soprano or alto voice. Castrato singers were subjected to a surgical procedure before reaching puberty that prevented the voice from dropping or changing. Prominent in 17th and 18th Centuries and generally used for heroic roles.
Chamber Music
Music for small ensemble (2-10 players).
One player per part
Usually performed without a conductor
Chanson
French for “song”. A secular song with French text. Monophonic chansons were composed in the 12th and 13th Centuries and were often performed with an improvised accompaniment. Polyphonic settings were preferred in the 14th Century onward.
Chorale
A hymn tune, associated with German Protestantism. Intended for congregational singing; moves mostly by step or narrow leap. Used as the basis for many genres including the cantata. Sometimes adapted from Gregorian chants as well as from other popular sources. Harmonized for four voices (SATB) by composers including J.S. Bach
Chromatisism
From the Greek khroma (colour). Melodies and harmonies that include any of the notes available within the octave, in either tonal or modal context.
Classicism
Refers to the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome as well as the art, architecture, and music of the late 18th Century. Adheres to principles of symmetry, balance, and proportion. Emphasis on excellence, enduring value, and timeless quality.
Clavecin
French term for harpsichord
Concertino
The small group of solo instruments featured in a concerto grosso of the Baroque Era.
Concerto Grosso
A Baroque orchestral work. Usually in 3 movements (fast-slow-fast). A group of solo instruments called “concertino” is showcased.
Da capo aria
An aria (solo song) employing a ternary (ABA) structure. The most common type of aria in Baroque opera and oratorio. In performance, the return of section A is generally ornamented.
Discant Style
A style of organum in which there is more rhythmic movement of the cantus firmus. Sometimes features “note-against-note” movement between the voices.
Double Exposition
A modified version of sonata form, often used in the first movement of a classical concerto. Orchestral exposition introduces the principal themes and establishes the tonic key. Solo exposition follows: the soloist, supported by the orchestra, restates the first theme away from the tonic key, usually introducing a new theme for solo instrument.
Dulcimer
A stringed instrument with a wooden sound box; strings are struck with small hammers producing a delicate sound.
Estampie
One of the earliest medieval dances. Stately character. Involves elaborate body movements. Danced by couples.
Figured Bass
A musical shorthand developed in the Baroque Era. Numbers are placed below the bass line to show harmonic progression. Performed by basso continuo it provides the structure for guided improvisation.
Fugue
From Latin “fugere”, meaning “to flee”. A highly structured imitative contrapuntal composition. A single theme or subject prevails. Generally begins with successive entries of the subject in each voice.
Gradual
The fourth section of Mass Proper (variable texts). Texts of the gradual are based primarily on the Psalms (poetic texts from the Old Testament). Generally melismatic and performed in a responsorial style.
Gregorian Chant
A form of Plainchant. Sacred music of the Roman Catholic Church generally with Latin Texts. Modal, monophonic melodies with unmeasured rhythm. Named after Pope Gregory the Great.
Ground Bass
A Baroque compositional device. Consists of continuous repetition of a short melody over which free variations occur. Often it provided the basic structure of a Baroque aria.
Harpsichord
A keyboard instrument. Sound is generally made by small quills inside the instrument that pluck the strings. Often had two manuals (sets of keys).
Haut
French for “high” meaning a high level of volume (loud). Medieval designation for outdoor instruments. Includes cornetto, crumhorn, sackbut, shawm.
Heterophony
Simultaneous variation involving two or more voices or instruments playing the same melody in more than one way at the same time. One part plays the original melody, the added voices are often improvised.
Hocket
From French “hoquet” meaning hiccup. A rhythmic and melodic technique frequently employed in ars nova style. Two voices combine to create a single melody; one resting while the other sings.
Homorhythmic Texture
In a multi-voiced composition, all voices sing in the same rhythm. A chordal (homophonic) texture results. Coupled with syllabic text setting, this technique delivers the text clearly. The listener’s attention is drawn to the top voice.
Hornpipe
A lively, triple meter dance of English origin. Originally associated with sailors.
Idiomatic Writing
Compositional style that highlights the unique technical capabilities of an instrument. Opposite of “generic”. Developed in the late Renaissance and Baroque Eras.
