WE NEED TO KNOW - glossary ish

Question 1

articulation

Answer 1

performance technique, how smoothly or ‘spikily’ something is played - staccato, legato, slurred, tremolo, accents etc

Question 2

turn

Answer 2

playing the note above the one on the score, the note itself, the note below, the one on the score and the note itself again

Question 3

mordent

Answer 3

a single rapid alternation with the note above (upper mordent) or the note below (lower mordent)

Question 4

acciaccatura

Answer 4

Played a tone or semitone above or below the melody note it is decorating. Sometimes called a crushed note, because it is played very quickly before the melody note.

Question 5

appoggiatura

Answer 5

Comes from the Latin ‘to lean upon’, and is similar to an acciaccatura, but the main note is delayed by the ornament note, which takes half the length of the main note

Question 6

syncopation

Answer 6

Where the accents are shifted from the main beat to a weaker beat, to avoid regular rhythm. (E.g. in 4/4, the main accent usually falls on the 1st beat- in syncopated 4/4 time, you could move the main accent to, say, the 2nd bea

Question 7

conjunct

Answer 7

Movement of a melody upwards or downwards using the notes of the scale in order.

Question 8

disjunct

Answer 8

Movement of a melody upwards or downwards with a jump from one note to another more distant note.

Question 9

glissando

Answer 9

A slide from one note to the next.

Question 10

diatonic

Answer 10

Harmony using notes from the scale (sounding ‘normal’ to us)

Question 11

dissonant

Answer 11

Harmony using notes outside the key, creating clashes. Often employed to create suspense or tension

Question 12

atonal

Answer 12

Music without any sense of key.

Question 13

largo

Answer 13

Very slow.

Question 14

andante

Answer 14

walking pace

Question 15

moderato

Answer 15

moderately fast

Question 16

allegro

Answer 16

fast

Question 17

vivace

Answer 17

lively

Question 18

presto

Answer 18

very fast

Question 19

accelerando

Answer 19

getting faster

Question 20

rallentando

Answer 20

getting slower

Question 21

allargando

Answer 21

getting slower and playing more broadly

Question 22

rubato

Answer 22

Robbed time’ - Speeding up or slowing down in response to the feel of the music, either stipulated by the composer (Tempo rubato) or as a result of the performers interpretation

Question 23

pianissimo

Answer 23

very quiet

Question 24

pizzicato

Answer 24

Plucking the strings to create short, detached notes. (type of articulation)

Question 25

arco

Answer 25

Playing string instruments with a bow, creating a smooth sound.

Question 26

tremolo

Answer 26

Playing string instruments with a rapid up and down motion of the bow on the string.

Question 27

sforzando

Answer 27

Suddenly getting loud.

Question 28

monophonic

Answer 28

Single melody tine, without harmonies, although it may be played by more than one instrument or voice.

Question 29

homophonic/ chordal

Answer 29

A texture that is essentially chordal, where all of the parts generally move together, but there is one line that’s most important, (i.e. hymn tune

Question 30

polyphonic/ contrapuntal

Answer 30

The weaving together of two or more equally important melodic lines, which all fit together harmonically. This texture sounds ‘busy’.

Question 31

unison

Answer 31

All instruments or voices playing or singing notes at the same pitch.

Question 32

parallel motion

Answer 32

Where parts move in the same direction as one another

Question 33

contrary motion

Answer 33

Where parts move in the opposite direction to one another

Question 34

counter melody

Answer 34

A second melody line played at the same time as the main tune.

Question 35

descant

Answer 35

A harmonising tune sung at the same time as the melody, but at a higher
pitch.