The classical Era and 19th century Flashcards
Enlightenment
An intellectual movement of the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries that advocated critical thinking, empirical science, and reasoned discussion as means to advancing humankind.
Classical Era
The period from approximately 1750 to 1800 in which the ideals of balance, clarity, and naturalness were highly valued in the arts.
- Texture: more homophonic, but both
- Melody: periodic phrase structure
- Rhythm: more smoothly flowing melodies
- orchestras playing
- form: ABA, rondo, sonata, double exposition concerto form
- not as much word-painting.
Periodic phrase structure
A musical structure in which antecedent and consequent phrase units make up a larger whole.
Consequent Phrase
In periodic phrase structure, a closing phrase that follows an antecedent phrase and creates a sense of musical completion.
Musical Appropriation
The use or adaptation of a work to serve something other than its original purpose.
Half Cadence
A point of musical arrival that is not yet closure. If thought of as punctuation, a half cadence is like a comma, whereas a full cadence is like a period.
Theme and Variations form
A form in which a theme is presented and then altered in some way—through harmony, melody, texture, dynamics, or some combination of these—in a succession of individual variations.
Finale
A last movement of a multimovement work.
Contrafactum
A work setting new words to an established melody.
Full cadence
A musical point of arrival that creates a strong sense of closure.
Antecedent Phrase
In periodic phrase structure, an opening phrase, which sets up the consequent phrase to follow.
Rounded Binary form
A binary form in which the opening idea returns in the tonic key about halfway through the second section, ”rounding out” the form.
Binary Form
A musical structure consisting of two repeated halves (AABB).
Rondo form
A form in which an opening theme (A) returns repeatedly over the course of the movement, interspersed with contrasting ideas (B, C, etc.).
- catchy melodies, and bright
Finale (Haydn): ABACADACA
Minuet form
A ternary form (ABA) in which the opening section, known as the minuet proper (A), is followed by a contrasting trio (B), which is followed by a repeat of the minuet proper. The minuet is always in triple meter and its individual units—the minuet proper and the trio—are each in binary form.
Symphony
A large-scale work for orchestra, most commonly consisting of four movements.
Sonata form
A musical structure consisting of an exposition, development, and recapitulation, allowing for the presentation, development, and resolution of multiple themes within a single movement. Sonata form was widely used throughout the Classical Era and the nineteenth century.
Double-exposition concerto form
A structure based on sonata form but with two expositions, one for the orchestra alone and one for the soloist and orchestra together. It also includes, near the end of the recapitulation, a cadenza for the soloist.
Cadenza
In a concerto, an elaborate improvisation by the soloist on themes heard earlier in the movement, with no accompaniment from the orchestra. It occurs near the end of the recapitulation.
Hymn
A sacred poem or song, often sung by a large group of worshippers.
Nationalism
In music, the use of melodies, rhythms, harmonies, or instruments that reflect the musical practices of a particular nation.
- composers expressed sense of national pride.
Romanticism
An artistic movement of the nineteenth century that emphasized imagination and freedom from structural conventions.
