Bach JDDMS M1+7

Baroque

Period of time (1600 - 1750) of great emotional feeling. A period of music experimentation and innovation. Vivaldi, Bach, Reubens

Cantata

Medium-length narrative piece of music mainly for voices with instrumental accompaniment

Basso Continuo

Part for keyboard (harpsichord/organ) and cello/bass. Keyboard player reads the cello line and provides accompaniment based on figured bass.

Figured Bass

Series of numbers indicating to harpsichordist/organist which chords to play and their positions to keyboard player

Chaconne

A repeated bass line that forms the basis of the overall work

Chorale

Traditional German hymn set to music

Chorus

A piece for choir

Recitative

Speech-like singing in order to advance the action of opera/cantata

Secco

(Dry) speech like singing, with sparse accompaniment

Stromentato

More expressive and accompanied by the orchestra; more elaborate accompaniment

Aria

A solo song in an opera/cantata, often to show off the brilliance of a voice

Fugal

Voices enter in imitation at a set distance and set interval

Imitation

Contrapuntal device whereby a motif/phrase is presented successively by different voices

Inversion

To turn a motif/phrase ‘upside down’

Cadence

A sequence of notes or chords comprising the closing of a musical phrase

Word Painting

When the composer gives prominence or illustrates words in musical terms

Polyphony

Any rhythmically independent movement between parts

Canon

Polyphonic composition in which a part is imitated by 1 or more parts so that successive statements of the melody overlap

Counterpoint

A combination of 2 or more independent melodies

Da Capo (D.C.)

Back to the beginning, as in the Da Capo Aria

Dal Segno (D.S.)

Back to the sign

Sequence

A motif/series of notes which is repeated at a higher or lower pitch

Ostinato

A musical idea repeated many times as a musical phrase or rhythm.

Ritornello

A recurring musical section that alternates with different musical episodes of contrasting material

Chromatic Harmony

Chords that build on/include notes that aren’t part of the key

Pause/Fermata

Placed over note that should be held on beyond its natural duration

Trill

Rapid alteration between 2 adjacent notes, a semitone/tone apart

Turn

Ornamentation where original note goes a tone above, then back to original, then a tone below, before returning to the original note

Appoggiatura

An ornamental note of long or short duration that temporarily displaces, and subsequently resolves into, a main note

Anticipation

Non-chord tone that anticipates the arrival of the next chord, and is often found in at cadences

Mordent

An ornament that uses an auxiliary (upper/lower) note

Pedal Point/Note

A sustained or repeated note over which the harmonies change

Obligato

A distinctive instrumental part which is integral to a piece of music and should not be omitted/ altered