Music History 9 Terms

Absolute (pure) Music

Music that has no literary, dramatic, or pictorial program

A Capella

Coral music performed w/out instr. accom.

Answer

The second statement of the main theme in a fugue (Usually dominant key)

Affections

Baroque philosophy inspired by ancient Greek / Roman writers

antique cymbals

small brass discs (finger cymbals) that produce gentle ringing sound when struck together

aria

lyric solo w/ orch. accom. that expresses intense emotion & uses virtuosity

art song

musical setting of a poem, for a solo voice w/ piano accom.

atonality

total abandonment of tonality (I.e. total center)

augmentation

when the thematic material is presented in longer time values.

Ballad

a solo song that tells a story in a simple verse the same music being repeated for each stanza

ballet

highly stylized dance that interprets a story; features staged presentation of a group of solo dancing w/ music, costumes, and scenery

barroco

Portugese term from which “Baroque” was probably derived

basso continuo

Baroque performance practice that involves 2 performers: one plays the bass line & one realizes the harmonies indicted by the figured bass

bel canto

elegant Italian voice style characterized by florid melodic lines delivered by voices of great agility, smoothness, and purity of tone

berceuse

French for lallaby

binary form

two-part (A-B) form with each section normally repeated

blue chord

chord commonly used in jazz which may contain blue notes (lowered 3rd, 5th, or 7th)

bridge

transitional passage connecting two sections of a composition

cadenza

flashy & improvised solo passage that’s a characteristic feature of the concerto

canon

polyphonic composition in which one musical line strictly imitates another at fixed distance throughout

cantata

a vocal work, either sacred or secular, featuring duets, instrumental accom., choruses, ensembles, recitatives, solo arias & trios

cha-cha

popular Cuban dance of early 1950s derived from the mambo

chamber music

ensemble music 2-10 players w/ one player per part

changing meter

shift of metrical groupings; music will show changes in time signature

choreography

art of designing dance steps & movements for staged presentations such as musicals, and ballets, as planned by a chorographer

chromatic harmony

romantic 19th c: Extensive notes used outside the key signature for heightened expression

classism

influence of Rome & Greek cultures on art, architecture & music of the late 18th century

clavier

german word for keyboard instruments ( including harpsichord, clavichord piano) but not organ

cloches

french for “bells”

coda

concluding section confirming tonic key

col legno

novel string effect used by Berlioz; players tap on the string with the wooden part of the bow

commedia dell’arte

italian for “comedy of artists”; improvised comedy traditions from 16th c. Italy

concertino

solo group of instruments in a baroque concerto grosso

concerto (solo)

a multi- movement instrumental genre for soloists & orchestra

concerto grosso

baroque concerto type based on the opposition of a small group of solo instruments (concertino) & orchestra (ripieno); also contains basso continuo

contrapuntual

a style of music in which 2 or more independent melodies are combined into a harmonious texture heard sounding simultaneously

counterpoint

combining 2 or more independent melodic lines into a polyphonic texture

counter subject

in a fugue, a recurring counter melody that accoms. the subject or answer

cyclical form / structure

material in one mvt recurs in later mvts

da capo aria

lyric song in ternary (ABA) form, commonly found in baroque opera & oratorio

development

in sonata-allegro form: 2nd section In which themes from exposition are changed through modulations, use of sequence, changes in orchestration, or new themes are introduced

diatonic harmony

harmony built from 7 tones of a major or minor scale

dies irae

monophonic chant melody form middle ages taken from Roman catholic requiem (mass for the dead)

dissonance

combination of tones that sounds discordant & unstable, in need of resolution

durchkomponiert (through-composed)

song structure that does not repeat entire sections of music

episode

in a fugue, a passage where there’s no subject or answer; its only sequential

equal temperament

17th c. keyboard tuning method in which divided the 8ve into 12 equal semitones

etude

study piece that focuses on a particular technical problem

exoticism

19th c. musical style inspired by fascination with foreign lands & cultures

expanded tonality

use of extremely chromatic harmony while still maintaining allegiance to a tonal center

exposition

in sonata-allegro form: 1st section in which 2 contrasting themes are stated

expressionism

20th c. ger. musical style based on expression of person’s inner feelings (Tension, fear anxiety)

fanfare

loud ceremonial tune or flourish, featuring brass instruments

figures bass / thorough-bass

baroque musical shorthand; numbers are placed below bass line to show the harmonic progression

flutter-tongue

wind instrument technique in which tongue is fluttered or trilled against the roof of the mouth

french overture

baroque instrumental introduction to an opera or an oratorio

fugue

highly constructed, imitative contrapuntal composition with a single theme (subject) prevails

glissando

on harp, quick strumming with all strings w/ broad sweeping hand mvt. to create shimmering effect

ground bass

a repeated melody, usually in the bass, throughout a vocal or instrumental composition

habanera

cuban dance song in 2/4 time with characteristic rhythmic motive

Harpsichord

early baroque keyboard instrument in which strings are plucked by quills instead of being struck w/ hammers like the piano

Hemiola

a temporary shift of the metric accents when the notes are grouped in threes are momentarily grouped in twos or vise versa

Homophonic texture

texture w/ principal melody & accompanying harmony, as distinct from polyphony

homorhythmic

texture in which all voices sing/play the same rhythm to emphasize the text with carity

Idée fixe (fixed idea)

term used by Berlioz to describe recurring theme that is transformed

idiomatic theme (for strings)

development of virtuosity through technically demanding writing, including rapid passage work, string crossing, arpeggio figurations & double stops

impressionism

20th c. french style of music derived from Mozart's painting "impression: Sun rising”

improvisation

creation of musical composition while it is being performed

incidental music

music to accompany dramatic works

italian overture

baroque overture consisting for 3 sections: fast-slow-fast

jazz

musical style created mainly by African American in early 20th c. that blended elements drawn from african music music w/ popular & European music

libretto

text of an opera, oratorio or cantata as prepared by a liberttist

lied (plural is lieder)

musical setting of a German poem

lyric opera

hybrid form combining elements of grand opera & opera comique and featuring appealing melodies & romantic drama

major-minor tonality

music based on major & minor scales; principle of organization around a tonic, or home pitch

mambo

dance of afro-cuban origin popular in 1940s & 1950s

mass

most important service of the Roman Catholic church

melisma

melodic style characterized by many notes sung to a single text syllable

minuet & trio

A-B-A form in moderate triple meter (minuet = A, Trio = B

modal scales

music based on modes other that major & minor, in which whole steps and half steps are diffrent

modified strophic

song structure that allows some repetition of music

monophonic texture

single line or melody w/ out accom.

motive

short melodic or rhythmic idea that forms the theme

musical (theatre)

american genre with spectacular staging (I.e. costumes, steps, lighting)

nationalism

19th c. musical style in which patriotism was expressed through music

neoclassical

use of classical forms (e.g. sonata, symphony, concerto_) w/ 20th c. techniques (e.g. poly rhythm, poly meter, irregular & changing meters)

nocturne

introspective work common in 19th c., often for piano

opera

music drama generally sung throughout; originated in Italy around 1600

opera buffs

italian comic opera w/ same features as opera seria

opera comique

french comic opera which required smaller performance forces & a simpler compositional style than father grand opera; included spoken dialogue rather than recitatives

opera seria

italian serious opera of the baroque period based on historical, mythological and/or tragic plots

ophicleide

brass instrument, now obsolete; predecessor of the tuba

oratorio

baroque sacred vocal work based on a story from the bible

ornamentation/embellishment

melodic embellishment to decorate a melodic line, either improvised, or presented with symbols

ostinato

rhythmic or melodic pattern repeated for an extended period

passion

musical setting of the crucifixion story as told by one of the four evangelists in the gospels

pedal point

sustained note (or notes) over which the harmonies change

pentatonic scale

scale in which five different pitches, common in folk music of many European & Asian cultures

petrushka chord

polyharmony w/ 2 independent chords clashing against each other (I.e. F# + & C+ chords)

piano

keyboard instrument whose strings are struck w/ hammers controlled by a keyboard