Test 2 Flashcards
What is basso continuo?
a technique where improvised chords are added to a bass line
What is figured bass?
a set of symbols written above or below bass line to help keyboardists see bass line
What is walking bass?
every note in the bass line is the same length
What is ground bass?
bass line in which the succession of pitches repeat over and over
What is a fugue?
highly structured with non-stop polyphony
What is the exposition of a fugue?
begins with main melody sounded by a single voice
What is the subject?
The Voice One that starts a fugue
What is a bridge?
extra musical material to stretch the piece out
What is the episode?
After the exposition and the last voice is done we have the episode. Reworking of whats already done
What are fugal devices?
Retrograde Inversion Retrogrde Inversion Diminution Augmentation Fragmentation
What is ritornello form?
initial music material is presented by a group of instruments, then solo, then group..
What is French overture?
piece of music that begins a multi-movement composition. French is from AB
What is da capo aria?
a song in three sections. ABA.2nd time with A the singer improvises
What are castrati?
men who were castrated before puberty in order to prevent their voices from dropping pitch
define concerto and concerto grosso
concerto features a soloist and an orchestra, grosso has more soloists
What is cadenza?
moment in concerto where the soloist improvises for as long as they want
What is a piano reduction?
a piano arrangement for an orchestral score
What is a suite?
A multi-movement where the first movement is introduction and rest are based on dances
What is a sonata?
domestic genre to be played in homes, most baroque are solo sonatas
What is a trio sonata?
performed in home, two higher players and basso’s
What is an Opera?
a genre where a story is told through singing and acting
What is a libretto?
Used to write opera’s. IT means little book and is text for an opera
What is opera seria?
a serious opera, usually had to do with highly influential history
What is opera buffa?
comic opera, usually depicts a servant overcoming a master
What is a recitative?
section in an opera where narration is done by a solo singer, or dialougue is sung between multiple singers
What is secco recitative?
speech life, accompanied by sparse chords
What is accompanied recitative?
accompaniment from the continuo player and orchestra
Wat is an aria?
section in an opera where a solo singer reflects on his emotions for a plot
What is an ensemble?
more than one singer, highly melodic and repetitive
What is a chorus?
musical number for a large group of singers
What is oratorio?
similar to an opera but tells a sacred story
What is a chorale?
same thing as a hymn
What is a chorale prelude?
arrangement of a chorale for a solo organ
What is a cantata?
sacred, short musical presentation in Luthern church service
Who is Johann Sebastian Bach?
Baroque composer, blind, wrote mostly for Lutheran church
Who was Handel?
wrote mostly in operas and oratorio
What is a sonata of classical era?
3 parts, exposition, development and recapitulation
What is the 1st theme?
simple melody with homophonic support
What is the bridge?
purpose is a transition from tonic key to closely related key
What is the cadence theme?
simple melody in new key, ends with solid cadential chord
What is the retransition?
takes the piece from development to recapitulation
What is a coda?
added at end of recapitulation, means tail, repeats the tonic
What is variation form?
form that begins with the main melody and followed by numerious variations of the theme
What is minuet form?
evolved from Baroque dance. triple meter ABA
/what is scherzo?
similar to minuet, at end of classical era, faster, more freedom
What is Rondo Form?
allows the most freedom
What is sonata-rondo form?
hybrid of sonata and rondo
What is a classical symphony?
multi movement work for orchestra
What is a classical concerto?
same as Baroque: composition for soloist with orchestra
What plays in a classical sonata?
multi-movement solo for piano or duo with piano and other orchestral instrument
What is a string quartet?
chamber genre, any combination of four strings
What is a piano trio?
work for piano and two other orchestral instruments
What is a wind quartet?
work for five wind instruments, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn
What is classical opera?
same as that of Baroque
What is a singspiel?
a german opera where spoken dialogue take the place of recitative numbers
