Theatre Lecture 9 Musical Forms Flashcards
Define Madrigal
Short secular song, usually love poems, for 3-6 voices
Define Cantata
Choral composition for 1 or more soloists and instrumental ensemble
Several movements, based on religious text- essentially a sung sermon, May last 25 minutes
Define Oratorio
Large-scale composition that sets narrative text to music
Uses chorus, soloists and orchestra
Uses narrative text (biblical)
Chorus can comment on/participate in exposition
Narrator- uses recitatives (spoken lines) to tell the story
Can last 2 hours
Define Art Song
Setting of a poem with solo voice and piano
.Themes: love, nature, legend, far away, and long ago
. The instrument and the voice are equal
. Adapt to poems mood and imagery to music
Define symphony
Orchestral composition, usually in 4 movements
Movement: a self-contained section of an extended composition.
Movement 1- fast
Movement 2- slow and lyrical
Movement 3- dancelike
Movement 4- bold and fast
Define Concerto:
Extended composition for instrumental soloist and orchestra
Soloist is the star
3 movements- fast, slow, fast
20-45 minutes
What are the 4 main types of orchestra?
Grand opera
Opera comique
Opera Buffa
Operetta
Is opera comique funny, sad, or both? What is the dominant feature of an opera comique
Opera w/ spoken dialogue, regardless of subject matter
CAN BE FUNNY OR SERIOUS
Dominant feature is MUSIC
Define Libretto
Written text of an opera
Define Richard Wagner’s Gesamtkunstwerk:
Visual Arts(sets, costumes, lighting design
Poetry/prose/drama(libretto- written text of an opera)
Music(orchestra performs the score)
Dance(corps de ballet, dance numbers between sung pieces)
Architecture(opera house)
What is the function of recitatives in opera?
a. What is the function of arias?
Recitatives- sung dialogue
Arias- highly dramatic solo vocal piece with instrumental accompaniment
Define plainchant(Gregorian)
Unaccompanied, vocal, monophonic, liturgical chant
