Certificate of Merit Advanced Level Theory and History

Polyphonic texture

Music made up of two or more melodic lines, independently treated

Homophonic texture

A melody in one voice or part with accompaniment; chordal texture is a type of this, with pitches sounding simultaneously

Augmentation

The presentation of a note or theme with note values doubled (for example a quarter note becomes a half note)

Diminution

The presentation of a note or theme with note values halved (for example a half note becomes a quarter note)

Pivot chord

A chord which precedes a modulation, and is common to both the original key and to the key to which the music modulates

Pedal point

A sustained or repeated tone, usually in the bass, over which a succession of other harmonies occurs

Organ point

The same thing as pedal point

Phrygian

A scale or tonality in which half steps occur between notes 1-2 and 5-6, as if playing all the white keys from E to E

Lydian

A scale or tonality in which half steps occur between notes 4-5 and 7-8, as if playing all the white keys from F to F

Locrian

A scale or tonality in which half steps occur between notes 1-2 and 4-5, as if playing all the white keys from B to B

Dorian

A scale or tonality in which half steps occur between notes 2-3 and 6-7, as if playing all the white keys from D to D

Mixolydian

A scale or tonality in which half steps occur between notes 3-4 and 6-7, as if playing all the white keys from G to G

Ionian

A scale or tonality in which half steps occur between notes 3-4 and 7-8, as if playing all the white keys from C to C; like the major scale

Aeolian

A scale or tonality in which half steps occur between notes 2-3 and 5-6, as if playing all the white keys from A to A

Chromatic half step

A half step where each note shares the same letter name (for example A to A sharp)

Diatonic half step

A half step with notes of different letter name (for example A to B flat)

Exposition (Sonata)

A section of a sonata with two contrasting themes called first and second themes; often (but not always) end in the key of the dominant, or relative Major

Development

Themes are developed through key changes and the use of compositional devices; new material may appear

Recapitulation

Expositional material returns with the original key of the piece emphasized; the section typically ends in the tonic key

Allargando

broadening, becoming slower, generally accompanied by a crescendo at climax

Meno

less

Meno mosso

with less motion

Piu

more

Piu mosso

with more motion

Pesante

heavily, ponderously

Rallentando

gradually slower

Ritenuto

immediately slower

Senza

without

Sempre

always

Giocoso

humorous, jokingly

Grazioso

gracefully, elegantly

Lento

slow tempo (not as slow as largo, though)

Baroque

Which time period was known for use of *polyphonic* texture? (More than one answer)

Baroque

Which time period was known for its use of ornamentation?

Baroque

Which time period was known for dance suites?

Baroque

Which time period was known for limited use of dynamic and expression marks written by the composer?

Baroque

Which time period had limitations on instruments?

Baroque

Which time period had terraced dynamics?

Classical

Which time period was known for the use of *homophonic* texture?

Classical

Which time period was known for the use of Alberti Bass?

Classical

Which time period was known for obvious cadence points?

Classical

Which time period was known for the development of the Sonata/Sonatina form?

Romantic

Which time period was known for programmatic music?

Romantic

Which time period was known for descriptive titles?

Romantic

Which time period was known for lyrical melodies?

Romantic

Which time period was known for use of colorful harmonies?

Romantic

Which time period was known for the usage of altered or unusual chords?

Romantic

Which time period was known for more chromaticism than other time periods?

Contemporary

Which time period was known for compositional style including atonality, bitonality, and polytonality?

Contemporary

Which time period was known for irregular and changing time signatures?

Contemporary

Which time period was known for use of *polyphonic* texture? (More than one answer)

Contemporary

Which time period returned to older forms such as Sonata and Suite?

Atonality

Absence of tonality or key

Bitonality

Two different keys sounding simultaneously

Polytonality

Music that uses two or more different keys at the same time

Baroque

Bach was from which time period?

Baroque

Scarlatti was from which time period?

Baroque

Handel was from which time period?

Baroque

Rameau was from which time period?

Baroque

Corelli was from which time period?

Baroque

Telemann was from which time period?

Baroque

Vivaldi was from which time period?

Romantic

Chopin was from which time period?

Romantic

Debussy was from which time period?

Romantic

Grieg was from which time period?

Romantic

Brahms was from which time period?

Romantic

Dvorak was from which time period?

Romantic

Liszt was from which time period?

Romantic

Mendelssohn was from which time period?

Romantic

Schubert was from which time period?

Romantic

Schumann was from which time period?

Romantic

Tchaikovsky was from which time period?

Classical

Beethoven was from which time period?

Classical

Mozart was from which time period?

Classical

Clementi was from which time period?

Classical

Czerny was from which time period?

Classical

Diabelli was from which time period?

Classical

Haydn was from which time period?

Classical

Kuhlau was from which time period?

Contemporary

Bartók was from which time period?

Contemporary

Kabalevsky was from which time period?

Contemporary

Shostakovich was from which time period?

Contemporary

Britten was from which time period?

Contemporary

Copland was from which time period?

Contemporary

Dello Joio was from which time period?

Contemporary

Poulenc was from which time period?

Contemporary

Prokofiev was from which time period?

Passing Tone

A nonharmonic tone which passes stepwise between chord tones of two different chords, but does not belong to either chord

Upper neighbor

Nonharmonic tone that steps above and then returns to chord tone

Lower neighbor

Nonharmonic tone that steps below and then returns to chord tone

Suspension

A chord tone which is held beyond the next chord change, then resolved after the new chord occurs

Anticipation

The presentation of a chord tone immediately before the actual chord

Appogiatura

A harmonic device in which a nonharmonic tone is performed on the beat, then resolves

Fugue

Subject

At the beginning of a fugue, a short melody or theme is presented in the first voice, usually in the tonic key; it appears in alternating voices, until all voices are introduced

Real answer

An answer that has the exact same intervallic relationships between its pitches as the original subject

Tonal answer

An answer that has some similar but slightly different intervals to maintain a certain sense of tonality

Countersubject

A melody counter to the subject that continues in the first voice as the second voice enters with the answer; may occur at any point against the subject or answer

Exposition

The section of a fugue from the beginning to the cadence after the free contrapuntal material that occurs after each voice states the subject

Episode

One or more sections that follow the exposition; they do not include the full subject, but instead utilize motivic material of the subject and countersubject in any of the following compositional devices: modulation, sequence, diminution, augmentation, inversion, or stretto