music midterm study

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duple meter

one accented beat every two beats

triple meter

one accented beat every three beats

compound meter

a musical time signature where each main beat naturally divides into three equal parts

middle ages

plainchant

• chanting sacred texts was normal in church services

• Pope Gregory I standardized chants (Gregorian chant)

middle ages

characteristics of chant

• non-metrical

• based on medieval modes (instead of modern major/minor system)

• has reciting tone (simple recitation on a single pitch)

• used for routine texts in services

• melody used for more significant prayers/events

the renaissance

chant paraphrase

• values melodic character of chant (different from medieval organum)

  • gives the chant specific meter and rhythm

  • embellishes the chant

  • emphasizes sensuous aspect of chant

monophony

has a single melodic line with no accompaniment or harmony

polyphony

multiple melodic voices that can be considered independent from or an imitation each other

homophony

• multiple voices

  • prominent voice is considered the melody (this one stands out from the background voices)

  • background voices are harmonic accompaniment

the renaissance

imitative counterpoint

• a type of polyphonic texture in which melodic voices enter one after the other with the same melody. the initial melody is transposed higher/lower with each entrance

• voices take turns competing for attention

the tonal system

a hierarchical system of organizing pitches/chords/keys around a central, stable reference note called the “home key” (or tonic).

the baroque

recitative (pertaining to opera)

• speech-like rhythm

• pitches follow speech patterns

• continuo accompaniment

• prose text (words stated once)

• advances the action (theatrical movement)

  • dialogue (free interaction)

the baroque

aria

• clear beat w/ consistent meter

• pitches form melodic patterns/phrases

• orchestral accompaniment

• poetic text (phrases often repeated)

• freezes the action (reflection)

• soliloquy (expresses one emotion)

the baroque

continuo instruments

from left to right: harpsichord, lute, and viola da gamba

basso continuo / ground bass

a foundational harmonic and rhythmic structure in baroque music

• gives players creative freedom to improvise, so no two recordings/performances sound the same

the baroque

madrigal

• a setting of secular text for voice and instruments

  • monteverdi composed lots of madrigals, which often had Greek themes or were about love

• often used basso continuo technique

classical era

exposition in sonata form

• usually contains 2 themes separated by a transition (transition is typically unstable)

• appears contrasting in mood

classical era

development in sonata form

• manipulates content from exposition

theme

• the basic subject matter for a piece of music (usually a melody)

• tends to transfer emotional aspects throughout a piece

baroque orchestra

a string orchestra with continuo:

• keyboard

  • harpsichoard / organ

• strings

  • violin 1 + 2

  • violas

  • bass (plays same music as cello but in a lower octave)

the baroque

festive baroque orchestra

adds brass, woodwinds, and percussion to standard baroque orchestra setup

prima practica vs. second practica

(find this)

middle ages

refers to the time period from ca. 500 - 1300

• shift in power from roman emperors → roman catholic church

• feudal system has most power

• music and art served as an allegory to educate the illiterate population about the church

the renaissance

time period between 1350 and 1600 (250 years)

• revival of ancient greek and roman culture

• arts guided by sensory experience

• new attempts to express feelings

• music uses consonant harmonies and carefully controls dissonance

the baroque

time period between 1610 and 1750

• highly decorated and concerned with expression

• aka the age of absolutism or the age of reason

baroque music characteristics/innovations

• the tonal systems

• repeatable systems that are easy to follow

• rise of instrumental music

• theory of harmony

  • development of opera

the classical era

spanned from 1750 to 1815

• aka the enlightenment

• expanded on the baroque’s desire for scientific knowledge

• concern for individual rights developed

• more humanistic period

• social justice ideas were promoted

  • art and music were intended to please rather than instruct/impress

romantic era

spanned from 1820 to late 1900

• had sense of excitement, urgency, and striving

• wide range of emotional qualities

• prioritized feelings over structural rules

forms/genres

chant

• non-metrical, with simple recitations on a single pitch (the reciting tone)

• based on medieval modes (as opposed to the modern/major system)

• used for routine texts in services

forms/genres

organum

refers to early polyphony in the middle ages

• music becomes polyphonic around 900 CE

• perotin was a composer of organum

forms/genres

baroque madrigal

a madrigal is a setting of secular text for voice and instruments

• monteverdi wrote madrigals, most of which either pertained to greek themes or love

• his madrigals used basso continuo

forms/genres

concerto vs. concerto grosso

these are the most important orchestral genres of the baroque era

• concerto has one soloist, and concerto grosso has a small group of soloists.

• the underlying idea of this is contrast:

  • soloist against the orchestra

  • group of soloists against orchestra (concerto grosso)

  • virtuosity (soloist episodes highlight this)

forms/genres

symphony

traits:

• a large musical composition for an orchestra with multiple sections/movements

  • typically the first movement is in sonata form

movement plan:

• I - moderate to fast; sonata form

• II - slow; various forms

• III - moderate tempo; minuet form

• IV - fast; sonata/rondo form

forms/genres

symphonic form

a work for orchestra in 4 movements:

1. sonata form (moderate to fast)

2. variety of forms (slow)

3. minuet w trio (moderate)

   1. generally sonata or rondo form (fast)

forms/grenres

sonata (form)

contains 3 main sections: exposition, development, and recapitulation

• exposition usually contains 2 separate themes separated by an unstable transition

  • large scale form is ABA

forms/genres

sonata (genre)

• less uniform than symphonies

• rarely more than three movements

  • movements are always shorter than symphony movements

forms/genres

the classical sonata (genre)

• a work in several movements for one or two instruments

  • piano sonata = for piano alone

  • violin sonata = for violin and piano

• designed for private performance

forms/genres

dance suite

ordered set of instrumental/orchestral pieces performed in a concert setting

forms/genres

ritornello form

• based on the exchange of musical ideas

  • orchestral material (ritornello)

  • solo material

• ritornello returns many times to a stable element, either in whole/part or in various keys

• as soloist gets farther from home base, so does the ritornello. however, ritornello is established as the constant home ending, so we know the piece will always end in the home key.

forms/genres

ritornello vs soloist episode

forms/genres

oratorio

a large musical composition for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra, centered on a sacred or semisacred subject.

forms/genres

opera

became big in the baroque era

• an example of extravagance and control

traits:

• has a plot + is staged

• often in local language and is secular

• alternates between recitative and aria

• accompanied by an orchestra

forms/genres

rondo form

• derived from ritornello’s ABA. possibilities for rondo are ABACA or ABACABA

composers

hildegard von bingen

⤷ time period: middle ages

⤷ year of death: 1179

⤷ significant compositions: Columba Aspexit (chant)

⤷ significant contributions: famous composer of plainchant, wrote 77 liturgical chants

composers

bernart de ventadorn

⤷ time period: middle ages

⤷ year of death: 1190

⤷ significant compositions: La Dousa Votz (monophony)

⤷ significant contributions: secular troubadour

composers

perotin

⤷ time period: middle ages

⤷ year of death: 1230

⤷ significant compositions: Alleluia. Diffusa Est Gratia

⤷ significant contributions: composer of organum

composers

montpellier codex

⤷ time period: middle ages

⤷ founder: edmond de coussemaker

⤷ significant compositions: On parole de batre / A Paris

⤷ significant contributions: important source of secular music

composers

guillaume dufay

⤷ time period: renaissance

⤷ year of death: 1474

⤷ significant compositions: Ave Maris Stella (a marian antiphon)

• contrasts monophonic chant with homophony

• homophonic sections are paraphrases of original chant

⤷ significant contributions: composer of early renaissance music

composers

heinrich isaac

⤷ time period: renaissance

⤷ year of death: 1517

⤷ significant compositions: Innsbruck, ich muss dich lassen

⤷ significant contributions: uses homophonic accurate declamation in the above composition

composers

josquin des prez

⤷ time period: renaissance

⤷ year of death: 1521

⤷ significant compositions: El Grillo

⤷ significant contributions: used word painting and imitative counterpoint in the above composition

composers

claudio monteverdi

⤷ time period: baroque

⤷ year of death: 1643

⤷ significant compositions: Lamento de la Ninfa

⤷ significant contributions: composed a large body of work including 9 books of madrigals, key figure in development of opera

composers

henry purcell

⤷ time period: baroque

⤷ year of death: 1695

⤷ significant compositions: Dido and Aeneas (opera piece)

⤷ significant contributions: wrote the famous lament “When I am laid in earth…”

composers

j.s. bach

⤷ time period: baroque

⤷ year of death: 1750

⤷ significant compositions: St. Matthew Passion (sacred oratorio based on the passion of christ)

⤷ significant contributions: orchestral and concerto pieces

composers

g.f. handel

⤷ time period: baroque

⤷ year of death: 1759

⤷ significant compositions:

⤷ significant contributions: composer of operas, oratorios, and instrumental suites

composers

mozart

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composers

franz joseph haydn

⤷ time period: classical era

⤷ year of death: 1809

⤷ significant compositions:

⤷ significant contributions: wrote oratorios, symphonies, and chamber music

composers

le chavalier de saint-george

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composers

beethoven

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