musical forms and devices

What is the Baroque era?

1600–1750

What are common Baroque instruments?

Harpsichord

What is typical Baroque orchestration?

Small orchestra (mostly strings

What forms are common in Baroque music?

Suite

Name famous Baroque composers.

Bach

What is the Classical era?

1750–1810

What are features of Classical orchestration?

Slightly larger orchestra

What are typical Classical ensembles?

String quartets

What Classical forms are common?

Symphony

What are characteristics of Classical style?

Balanced

Name Classical composers.

Haydn

What is the Romantic era?

1810–1910

What are characteristics of Romantic melody?

Lyrical

What are features of Romantic harmony?

Wider range of dynamics

What is common subject matter in Romantic music?

Programme music

Name Romantic composers.

Tchaikovsky

What is binary form?

A B – two sections

What is ternary form?

A B A – three sections

What is rondo form?

A B A C A – recurring A section with contrasting episodes

What is a minuet and trio?

A B A structure

What are variations?

A A1 A2 A3 etc. – tune repeated in many different ways

What is strophic form?

A A A – same music

What is repetition?

A musical idea is repeated exactly

What is imitation?

An idea copied in another part

What is sequence?

Repetition at a higher or lower pitch

What is an ostinato?

A short repeated pattern

What is a drone?

A long held or constantly repeated note(s)

What is an arpeggio/broken chord?

Notes of a chord played individually

What is an Alberti bass?

A broken chord pattern common in Classical era (low–high–middle–high)

What is an anacrusis?

An upbeat before the first strong beat

What are dotted rhythms?

Rhythms using dotted notes giving a ‘jagged’ feel

What is syncopation?

Off-beat accents

What is conjunct movement?

Stepwise motion

What is disjunct movement?

Leaps or intervals

What is regular phrasing?

Balanced phrases often in 4 or 8 bars

What is a chord?

Group of two or more notes played at the same time

What is a triad?

A three-note chord

What is a chord sequence/pattern?

A series of chords

What is diatonic harmony?

Music based on major/minor scales

What are primary chords?

I

What are secondary chords?

ii

What is a perfect cadence?

V–I – sounds finished

What is a plagal cadence?

IV–I – church-like “Amen” sound

What is an imperfect cadence?

I–V

What is an interrupted cadence?

V–VI – surprise effect