Music Theory

Fugue

A style of composition in which 3 or more voices enter in imitation of one another.

Subject

The principle theme of a fugue.

Answer

A restatement of the subject.

Real Answer

Exact transposition of the subject, often to the dominant.

Tonal Answer

An answer in which the intervals are adjusted to maintain a sense of the tonality.

Countersubject

A distinctive contrapuntal theme that continues in the first voice as the second voice enters, which is used repeatedly throughout the fugue.

Exposition

The introduction of all voices at the beginning of the fugue; the exposition usually ends with a cadence.

Episode

Sections without complete subjects, but that utilize the motivic material from the subject and countersubject.

Stretto

Usually used near the end of a fugue, the entrances of the subjects are close together, causing them to overlap.

Sonata

Composition for piano or another solo instrument which has several separate sections called movements. The movements are usually in different keys and have differing forms.

Allegro

Sonata Allegro form (1st movement of Sonata)

Adagio

Binary or Ternary form, in a key different from but closely related to that of the first movement (such as the dominant or relative minor).

Scherzo or Minuet

Ternary form (Scherzo and Trio or Minuet and Trio), in the same key as first movement.

Allegro or Presto

Rondo form or Variations, in the same key as the first movement.

Exposition

1st section of the Sonata Allegro form. Theme 1 in tonic key, theme 2 in dominant or other related key.

Development

2nd section of the Sonata Allegro form. Motives based on Themes 1 and 2, which are developed in various keys.

Recapitulation

3rd section of the Sonata Allegro form. Both Themes in tonic key.

Rondo Form

Final movement of sonata, which one section is repeated several times, with contrasting sections in between (ex. ABCBCBA).

Theme and Variations

Form in which a theme is presented, then repeated with changes to the melody, harmony, rhythm, form, texture, key, mode, meter, or tempo.

Homophonic Texture

Refers to music in which one voice dominants, while the other voice or voices are accompaniments.

Polyphonic Texture

(aka Contrapuntal) Texture contains two or more independent voices. The harmony is created by the blending of the independent voices.

Motive

Small musical unit that is the basis of a musical composition. A motive may be melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic in nature.

Theme

A complete musical idea or phrase upon which a musical composition is created.

Repetition

Motive repeated immediately on the same note.

Sequence

Motive repeated immediately in the same voice on a different note, usually a 2nd of 3rd above or below.

Imitation

Motive repeated in a different voice (usually other hand)

Canon

Repetition of an entire theme or phrase in another voice. The canon may be on the same note, in another octave, or on a different note. Sometimes the intervals are changed slightly for a better sound.

Pedal Point

A sustained note in one voice, usually but not always in the bass.

Ostinato

A persistently repeated pattern.

Augmentation

Doubling the rhythmic value of each note.

Diminution

Rhythmic value of each note is shortened by half.

Nonharmonic tones

Notes in music, but do not fit within the implied harmony that accompanies them.

Anticipation

A nonharmonic tone in which the presentation of a chord tone occurs immediately before the actual chord.

Acciaccatura

Keyboard ornament of late Baroque Period in which a non-chord tone, usually the 2nd or one step below a chord tone, is added to the chord then immediately released.

Appoggiatura

Nonharmonic tone that is performed at the same time as the chord, followed by a resolution to a chord tone.

Neighbor Tone

A nonharmonic tone which steps below (lower neighbor) or above (upper neighbor) the chord tones.

Passing tone

A nonharmonic tone which steps between two chords.

Pivot Chord

A chord which is common to both the original key and the key to which a composition modulates. The music must change keys in order for there to be a pivot chord.

Suspension

A nonharmonic tone in which the chord tone which is held beyond the next chord change, then resolved after the new chord is played.

Tertian Harmony

Harmonic system based on the third.

Atonality

No specific key, tonality, or mode used.

Bitonality

The combination of two keys at the same time (a type of polytonality)

Melodic Inversion

The process of turning each interval of a melody upside down (ex. M3 up becomes M3 down).

Polytonality

The combination of two or more keys at one time.

Quartal Harmony

Harmony based on 4ths rather than 3rds.

Retrograde

Reversal of melody as if from right to left.

Retrograde Inversion

Reversal of melody as if reading from right to left (retrograde) combined with the melodic inversion of the melody (the inversion of each interval).

Serialism

A compositional technique in which a series of notes or rhythmic patterns is used as the basis of a composition.

Twelve Tone Row

A melody or series used in Serial music in which all twelve notes are used. The intervals of the row are the basis for the rest of the composition.

Modes

I Don't Particularly Like My Ass Large

Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian

Major 7th

Major chord and major 7th.

Minor 7th

Minor chord and minor 7th.

Dominant 7th

Major chord and minor 7th.

Half-diminished 7th

Diminished chord and minor 7th.

Diminished 7th

Diminished chord and diminished 7th.

Authentic Cadence

V or V7 followed by I

Plagal Cadence

IV followed by I

Half Cadence

End with V or V7

Deceptive Cadence

V followed by vi

Baroque Time Period

1600-1750

Baroque Characteristics

Polyphonic texture, use of ornamentation, improvisation, use of figured bass, dance suite, keyboard instruments, terraced dynamics.

Baroque Composers

Bach, Corelli, Handel, Rameau, Scarlatti, Telemann, Vivaldi

Classical Time Period

1750-1830

Classical Characteristics

Homophonic texture, obvious cadence points, Alberti Bass, Sonata form.

Classical Composers

Beethoven, Clementi, Czerny, Diabelli, Haydn, Kuhlau, Mozart.

Romantic Time Period

1830-1900

Romantic Characteristics

Programme music (about things, people, places, etc.), colorful harmonies, lyric melodies, complex rhythmic patterns.

Romantic Composers

Brahms, Chopin, Grieg, Liszt, Schubert, Schumann, Tchaikovsky.

Contemporary Time Period

1900-present

Contemporary Characteristics

Less use of major and minor tonalities, quartal harmony, bitonality, polytonality, atonality, irregular and changing metes, polyphonic texture, Neo-classic writing (return to Classical forms like sonata form), Serial music, 12 tone music.

Contemporary Composers

Bartok, Britten, Copland, Dello Joio, Kabalevsky, Poulenc, Prokofiev, Shostakovitch.

a tempo

return to the original tempo

accelerando

accelerate; gradually faster

accidental

a sharp, flat or natural written before a note

Adagio

slowly

allargando

broadening; gradually slower

allegro

fast or quick

allegretto

slightly slower than allegro; faster than andante

andante

walking tempo

andantino

slightly faster than andante

animato

animated; with spirit

articulation

the manner in which notes are executed, including, but not limited to, staccato and legato

arpeggio

a continuous broken chord

cantabile

in a singing style

coda

an extended ending for a piece of music

codetta

a coda at the end of an exposition

con

with

con brio

with vigor or spirit (brilliance)

con fuoco

with fire or fury

con moto

with motion

crescendo

gradually louder

DC al fine

go back to the beginning of the piece and play until the word fun.

damper pedal

the pedal located on the right.

decrescendo or diminuendo

gradually softer

dolce

sweetly

doloroso

sadly; sorrowfully

enharmonic

two different names for the same pitch, such as c\# and Db

espressivo

expressively

fine

the end