21M.011 Terms for Quiz 1

plainsong

traditional ritual melody of the Western Christian Church (finally called Gregorian chant). Comprises single line of vocal melody, unaccompanied in free rhythm, not divided into bar‐lengths. Has own system of notation, employing stave of 4 lines instead of 5.

In character, plainsong falls into two essentially distinct groups—the responsorial (developed from recitation of psalms round a "dominant"), and antiphonal (developed as pure melody).

Plainsong developed during the earliest centuries of Christianity.

psalm

[Refers to] the Old Testament Book of Psalms. In Christian church services these are sung antiphonally to various chants. 

antiphon

A short verse or phrase sung by one choir in reply to another

gradual

The [responsive piece of music] sung in the service of the Mass between the Epistle and Gospel.

alleluia

Latin for "Praise God." Added to certain of the responds of the Roman Catholic Church, it grafted suitably joyful music on to traditional plainsong.

sequence

hymn which interpolates the original liturgy of the Western Christian Church, follows the gradual and alleluia in church service

Hildegard of Bingen

German abbess, mystic, and writer. Wrote lyrical poetry from 1140, setting it to her own music, and collected it into a “book” of compositions

Pitch

the frequency at which sound vibrates

Timbre

Tone color or the characteristic sound of a voice or instrument

Melisma

Singing multiple pitches on a single syllable of text

Monophony

single musical line and no accompaniment

Notre Dame Polyphony

organum that developed in Paris at Notre Dame

organum

genre of music where additional independent parts were added to existing monophonic chant melodies to embellish them

Mass

The Roman Catholic eucharistic service; five passages that are frequently set for choir, or for choir and soloists, are:

Kyrie; Gloria in excelsis Deo ; Credo; Sanctus; and Agnus Dei.

was traditonally plainsong until Machaut set it to polyphony

counterpoint

The ability, unique to music, to say two or more things at once comprehensibly

cantus firmus

A melody, usually taken from plainsong, used as the basis of a polyphonic composition and against which other tunes are set in counterpoint. 

Machaut

French composer, cleric, poet, and diplomat. Outstanding practitioner of ars nova and among first to compose polyphonic setting of poetry in fixed forms, to write in four vocal parts, and to compose an integrated setting of the entire Ordinary of the Mass, the Messe de Notre Dame for four voices.

ars nova

The new style of music composition originating in France and Italy in the 14th century, had greater variety of rhythm, duple instead of triple time, and increased independence in part‐writing. In France, Machaut was finest exponent of ars nova.

estampie

type of textless melody popular during the 13th and 14th centuries; the name was also applied to poetry, possibly intended for dancing. The form consists of a series of phrases (puncta), each of which is repeated immediately using a first- (ouvert) and a second-time (clos) ending.

virelai

Medieval French song consisting of refrain alternating with (usually) 3 stanzas. Established as common French poetic and music form by Machaut

chanson

Type of song, for several voices or for one voice with accompaniment, that grew up in France in the 14-16th centuries

troubadours

French poet-musicians, often of noble birth, of 12th- and 13th-century. The music they produced was dominated by the theme of "courtly" or idealized love.

strophic

Term applied to song in which the same music is repeated, perhaps with very minor change, for each successive stanza of setting of a poem, in manner of folk‐song.

through‐composed

music progresses; opposite of strophic

Madrigal

secular musical genre sung in 13th century Italy, revived in the 16th century by Italian and Flemish composers, typically 4-6 parts, sometimes have accompaniments

Text Painting

composer musically depicts specific words or concepts in the text

opera

Drama set to music to be sung with instrumental accompaniment by singers usually in costume, originated in Florence towards the close of the 16th century

opera seria

"Serious opera." chief operatic genre in the 17th and 18th centuries; formal and complex, with elaborate display arias. Mythological subjects were the norm.

aria

short lyrical work for solo voice, with or without accompaniment, often in a dramatic context; static or reflective

recitative

Form of declamatory speech‐like singing used especially in opera or oratorio. Serves for dialogue or narrative

castrato

Male soprano or contralto whose voice was preserved by castration before puberty.

Baroque

period in which opera transformed from focus on aria to recitative; Most baroque music uses basso continuo

da capo

Repeat from the beginning until you come to the word fine 

ritornel

repetition of the instrumental introduction to an aria

basso continuo

"Continuous bass." played by instruments like harp or keyboard, a bowed string instrument such a viol, and plucked instruments such as lute or theorbo

figured bass 

A bass line with figures indicating the required harmonies; feature of the baroque period

diegetic music

Music that takes place in the narrative frame of the opera. In diegetic music, the character onstage is performing as part of the story.

coloratura; virutosity

The elaborate and agile ornamentation of a melody, either extemporized or written, with runs, cadenzas, trills, roulades, and the like. 

Oratorio

religious opera usually performed without scenery or costumes in concert‐hall or church