a number of vibrations a sound produces in a given period
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phrase
part of the melody
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key
group of pitches that form the musical composition in Western music
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interval
distance between two pitches (notes)
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major triad
chord made up of the root note, major third, and fifth intervals
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minor triad
chord made up of the root note, minor third, and fifth intervals
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half step
smallest interval
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whole step
two half steps
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meter
grouping of beats
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tempo
number of beats per minute
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motif
small melodic unit that is repeated, melodic theme
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fast tempos
allegro, presto
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slow tempo
andante, largo,
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accelerando
\
getting faster
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rallentendo
getting slower
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ritardando
yellow light, before slowing down
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arco
arched bow in strings instruments
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pizzicato
plucked bow in strings instruments
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basso continuo
bass notes under the melody that gives a sense of required harmony, player of the instrument build chords on top of this
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pedal point
sustained note under the melody
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motet
sacred choral music with a religious theme, uses imitative polyphony, in latin
no set number of parts
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madrigal
a musical style like motet, non-religious theme, usually in vernacular language
has word painting
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ritornello
passage that comes back (returns), usually performed by strings instruments
features in recitative, for example
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oratorio
concert music, like an opera but unstaged, biblical
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fugue
musical style composed of an exposition (with all four voices/instruments introducing the subject and playing usually 2 counter-subjects) and an episode (experimentation period)
imitative polyphonic composition based on a single subject (statement of a single line of melody), introduced by 4 voices
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subject
compact musical line
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counter-point
art of creating simultaneous melodies
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picardy third
playing a major chord at the end of an otherwise minor piece
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bel canto
singing style, smooth tone regardless of low or high, want to seem like its easy
associated with Italian style
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word painting
composing music that reflects the literal meaning of a song's lyrics or story elements in program music
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sonata form
exposition (A, transition, B, closing) x2 + development + recapitulation (ends with a coda)
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symphony
usually played in four movements:
1st: sonata form, fast and furious
2nd: duller, slow in contrast
3rd: minute + trio or scherzo
4th: fast, return to the original (sometimes also in sonata form)
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lied
German art form, music + lyrics are intrinsically connected (like word painting and mimesis)
often based in a poem
generally for a solo voice
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concerto
solo instrument playing in front of the orchestra (orchestra also plays)
usually higher instruments perform the concerto
typically also divided into 3 movements, including a cadenza
for a virtuoso performer
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cadenza
improvisation in concerto by the virtuoso, usually in the middle
can also have cadenza improvization in operas
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virtuoso
individual performer with lots of technical talent, more emphasized on the performer than the composer/arranger
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waltz
usually a dance-able melody written in triple meter
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dynamic
loudness of the notes (forte - mezzo forte - mezzo piano - piano)
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plainchant
biblical songs in Latin, usually monophonic and non-metrical
unaccompanied choir or a soloist
lacks harmony
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melisma
one syllable is sung along lots of notes
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sustained note organum
drone under music with someone singing over it (polyphonic music)
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discant
polyphonic, parallel motion for plural voices
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polyphonic texture
simultaneous combination of two or more tones or melodic lines
sustained, imitative, or discant (three types)
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monophonic
one melodic line
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homophonic
multiple voices harmonically moving together at the same pace
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motif
musical theme, can have numerous in a piece
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arrangement
melody is the same, different harmonies, dynamics, speeds, etc.
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opera
sung theatre, typically includes an orchestra, a chorus, solo singers
includes arias and recitatives
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recitative
style of singing with instrumental accompaniment that imitates the natural inflection of speech
can be dry or accompanied
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aria
dramatic song in an opera, solo voice, homophonic, reflective moments of the characters (more sustained, melodic and virtuoso sections)
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imitative polyphony
combination of melodic lines where the theme is passed through different voices
Studied by 13 people
