Test #1 Flashcards
Pythagoras
Ancient Greek Philosopher and mathematician
identified mathematical relationships in music
Tetrachord
Fundamental scalar unit of Greek music theory instead of 8ve
four consecutive pitches spanning a fourth
genera
ancient Greek term used to describe types of tetrachords (Diatonic BCDE, chromatic BCDflatE, enharmonic BhalfCCE)
Greek Instruments
stringed instruments-Apollo-Lyre-Kithara
Aulos-double-barreled reed pipe-Dionysus
Boethius
Ancient Roman Scholar(480-524)-wrote treatise on each of several liberal arts
De institutione musica-music in three divisions
musica mundana-most important; music of spheres
musica humana-human music
musica instrumentalis-lowest form; sounding music, including singing
Doctrine of Ethos
Belief that music can powerfully affect human character and behavior shared by Plato and Aristotle
Apollonian
art that is abstract and appeals to the intellect.
Apollo is god of sun, music and poetry
Direct singing
solo or unison singing
Responsorial singing
solo singer performed verses of text and congregation answered each verse with a response (refain or following verse)
Antiphonal singing
Singers divided into groups that sing in alteration
Ars Subtillior
French composers’ exploitation of techniques provided by Ars Nova in late 14th century
Guilamme de Machaut
most famous and accomplished composer of Ars Nova
composed 23 motets, both sacred and secular
Messse de Notre Dame-earliest surviving compilation of complete polyphonic mass
Formes Fixes
French standard designs for complete compositions of chansons based off stanza
ballade
aabC aabC aabC
Virelaie
Abba Abba AbbaA
Rondeau
AB aA ab AB
Phillip de Vitry
14th century music theorist
Wrote treatise Ars Nova
new approach to notating complex rhythms
Ars Nova
new approach to notating rhythm; rejects dependence on triple
Isorhythm
musical technique that arranges a fixed pattern of pitches with a repeating rhythmic pattern
used in motets
Motet
13th century highly varied musical compositions with liturgical and secular themes
poly-textual
Ligature
graphic symbol representing two or more notes performed in a single gesture, and on a single syllable
Cantus Firmus
the existing chant/chant melody
Ordo
grouping of rhythmic modal units into phrases articulated by rests
Leonin
12th century composer assoc. Cathedral of Notre Dame
Wrote Magnus Liber Organi
use of rhythmic modes
Perotin
Member of Notre Dame polyphony school of thought and Ars Nova
expanded Leonins Magnus Liber Organi with organum duplum, organum triplum, complex discant calusulae
Discant
each voice would have a simple or compound neume for each syllable of text, distinguished from florid organum
Rhythmic Modes
Notre Dame School of Though
Set patterns of long and short durations for polyphonic parts; six rhythmic modes based on longa or breve
Notre Dame Polyphony
the development of applying rhythmic modes to melodic lines
Florid Organum
many notes in organal voice (duplum) over tenor; or the chant voice
Free Organum
independence of melodic direction between voices.
contrary motion, parallel and oblique
note against note, mostly perfect intervals
Parallel Organum
doubling of chant in octaves or other intervals
Estampie
Instrumental dance music which might have words for singing
Medieval Instruments
harp, psaltery, lute, rebec, vielle or fiedel, recorder, shawms, bagpipes, pipe and tabor, positive and portative organ
Haut
loud instruments for outdoors or in very large halls
Bas
delicate soft instruments
Minnesinger
German aristocratic poet-composers. composed minnelieder (courty love songs)
St. Augustine
Church Father (354-430) Confessions dilemma in enjoying the pleasures of music over the contemplation of God.
Pope Gregory
Established Schola Cantorum (Singers school) distinguishing priests from singers
spread Christian faith and musical practice with missionaries
Mass
public form of worship
combination of teaching half and Holy communion
Proper
text and music changes based on day of year
Ordinary
text and music remain the same regardless of day of year
Divine Office
Private form of worship
Pray 7x a day and once at night
Greater Hours
part of Divine office in which music was more complex
Matins, Lauds, Vespers and Compline
Psalm tone
melodies employed specifically for singing the verses of the psalms
inntonation, tenor with flex, mediant, tenor, termination
Diastematic Notation
indicated heights of notes as well as direction of melodic gesture
Guido of Arrezo
11th century teacher and theorist
standardization of 4 line staff
“Ut queant laxis”
Hexachord
pattern of six tones used for sight singing
Solmization
System developed by Guide of Arrezo for sight singing using hexachords
Mutation
process of pivoting from one hexachord to the next
Modes
classes of melodic configurations or formulas
Trope
the addition of words or music or both to an existing chant
Sequence
special application of troping principle which became a complete independent movement within the Mass
Notker Balbulus
monk that realized long melismas following the Alleluia were easier to memorize if words were added
composed poems to be sung syllabically called prosa
Hildegard von Bingen
female german writer, nun and visionary that composed sequences
Liturgical Drama
Result of troping; acting out of sung texts
Easter and Christmas were most popular
Jongleurs/Minstrels
poor low class traveling musicians that would tumble and juggle in town squares
Troubadour/Trouvere
upper class composers of poetry and music
Chanson de Geste
oral tradition of long verse narratives that sang stories of heroes’ escapades.
Dionysian
art that arouses strong emotion, God of fertility and wine
