Music Eras Vocab

Madrigal

song with two or more voice parts, unaccompanied

Polyphony

two or more simultaneous melodic lines perceived as independent, i.e. vocal round

Renaissance Era artists

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina; William Byrd; Claudio Monteverdi

Basso Continuo

continuous bass line with harmonies built in upper voices

oratorio

musical composition based on religious theme with soloists, a choir, and orchestra

Opera Seria

subject matter deals with kings, gods, and ancient heroes, costumes, sets, dance

Vocal Ornamentation

quick melodic runs or notes, vocal melisma

Baroque Era artists

Johann Sebastian Bach; George Frederic Handel; Antonio Vivaldi

Homophony

one sound or main melodic line played/sung at the same time

Opera Buffa

everyday people dealing with every day struggles, costumes, sets, dance

Sonata

solo instrument or small instrumental ensemble with typically two or four movements

Classical Era Artists

Franz Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Domenico Scarlatti (late Baroque/early Classical Eras)

Art Song

vocal composition for solo voice with piano accompaniment

Chromaticism

uses other pitches to expand on primary diatonic scales/chords

Dissonance 

discordant sound or a lack of harmony

Romantic Era artists

Giacomo Puccini; Giuseppe Verdi; Franz Schubert (late Classical/early Romantic Eras)

Aleatoric Music

some element of the composition is left to chance, improvisation

Minimalism

use of limited musical ideas, layered textures, repetitive melodic phrases

Modern Era/20th Century artists

Leonard Bernstein; John Cage; Arnold Schoenberg