Texture

Question 1

texture

Answer 1

how layers of sound/melodic lines within a piece of music interact

Question 2

monophonic

Answer 2

a single melodic line

Gregorian chant is monophonic

Question 3

polyphonic

Answer 3

multiple melodic lines

also known as contrapuntal

Question 4

homophonic

Answer 4

multiple melodic lines moving together in chords

Question 5

unison texture

Answer 5

when all voices or instruments are singing or playing the same melodic line, regardless of octave

Question 6

imitation

Answer 6

where a melody in one part is repeated a few notes later in a different part, causing an overlap

Question 7

fugue

Answer 7

a special type of polyphonic texture where a tune is first played or sung in unison, then played by all other instruments or voices in turn, but not necessarily at the same pitch

Question 8

heterophonic

Answer 8

when a variation of a single melodic line is played over the original melody

Question 9

antiphonal

Answer 9

when there is more than one group of instruments or voices, usually placed apart, and usually containing dialogue between the two groups
the texture is created by the different positions of the melodies

Question 10

countermelody

Answer 10

a secondary melody that is sung or played in counterpoint with the original melody
used a lot in fugues

Question 11

descant

Answer 11

when an additional melody is sung or played over the top of an existing texture
often used in the last verse of Christmas carols