Unit 3 (Vocal Music)

Question 1

art song

Answer 1

• the musical setting of a poem
• for solo voice, general with piano accompaniment
• applies to songs in any language

Question 2

Lied (pl. Lieder)

Answer 2

• the musical setting a German poem
• for solo voice, generally with piano accompaniment
• flourished in the 19th century

Question 3

strophic form

Answer 3

• a song structure where the same music is performed for each verse of the poem
• little connection can be achieved between the words and music

Question 4

modified strophic form

Answer 4

• a song structure that allows for some repetition of music

- same changes in the melody, harmony, and accompaniment take place to reflect the text

Question 5

song cycle

Answer 5

• a collection of art songs united by a central theme or narrative thread
• intended to be performed together
• poetic text drawn from same author

Question 6

rondo form

Answer 6

• Classical formal structure often used in sonata cycle
• Section A recurs, with alternating sections creating contrast
• Section A heard 3 times or more in the tonic key
• ABACA or ABACABA

Question 7

aria

Answer 7

• Italian for “air”
• a solo song with orchestral accompaniment heard in an opera, oratorio, or cantata
• highly emotional, often virtuosic
• may have lyrical or dramatic character

Question 8

bel canto

Answer 8

• Italian for “ beautiful singing”
• a style used in early 19th-century Italian opera
• demonstrated in the works of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, and early Verdi
• emphasized purity of tone and lyrical melodies of a highly ornamented nature

Question 9

libretto

Answer 9

• the text of an opera, oratorio, or cantata

- usually written by someone other than the composer

Question 10

recitative

Answer 10

• a speech-like style of singing heard in an opera, oratorio, or cantata
• used for dialogue between characters and to advance the plot
• often used to precede in aria

Question 11

ensemble

Answer 11

• a musical number in an opera featuring any number of soloists, but generally a smaller group than a chorus
• often serves as a musical and dramatic climax
• each person expresses his/her own emotions directly to the audience

Question 12

coloratura soprano

Answer 12

• a female voice with an especially high range

- trained to execute breathtakingly difficult passages with great agility

Question 13

Gesamtkunstwerk

Answer 13

• German for “total art work”
• an ideal expounded by Wagner in his writings
• achieved through the perfect union of text, music, and stagecraft (costumes, scenery, lighting)

Question 14

music drama

Answer 14

• term used by Wagner to describe the synthesis of music and drama
• served to distinguish his operatic style from the “traditional” operas of his day

Question 15

Leitmotif

Answer 15

• German for “leading motif”
• a device perfected by Wagner in his music dramas
• a melodic fragment imbued with meaning, representing a character. place, object, or emotion
• undergoes thematic transformation as the opera unfolds

Question 16

chromatic harmony

Answer 16

• from Greek chroma for “colour”
• liberal use of chords based on noes outside of the key
• frequently involves modulations to distant keys
• used as an expressive device

Question 17

Heldentenor

Answer 17

• German for “heroic tenor”
• a male voice with a high range, possessing incredible strength and stamina
• associated specifically with Wagner’s operas