Music History 3 Exam

Prima practica

The older Renaissance style (Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina): strict counterpoint, careful dissonance rules.

Seconda practice

Newer Baroque style (championed by Claudio Monteverdi): music serves the text, freer use of dissonance.

Stile concitato

“Agitated style” used to express anger or excitement (rapid repeated notes)

Stylus fantasticus

Highly free, improvisatory, flashy instrumental style.

Recitative

Speech-like singing that moves the story forward. (Accompagnato - with orchestra). (Secco - just continuo)

Arioso

Between recitative and aria (more lyrical but still flexible)

Aria

A highly stylized, melodic solo song, commonly found in operas, oratorios, and cantatas to express a characters emotional state. (Strophic - same music, different verses). (Da capo - ABA form, with ornamentation on repeat)

Bel Canto

“Beautiful singing,” smooth, expressive vocal style

Cantata

Multi-movement vocal work (usually smaller scale)

Oratorio

Large sacred work (like opera but no staging)

Passion

Oratorio based on Christ’s crucifixion story

Opera seria

Serious Italian opera with heroic subjects

Ballad opera

English opera with popular tunes

Masque

English court entertainment mixing music, dance, and drama

Castrato

Male singer castrated before puberty to retain high voice

Sonata

Instrumental work

Concerto

Contrast between soloist(s) and orchestra. (Concertino - small group of soloists). (Ripieno - full ensemble)

French overture

Slow dotted rhythm to fast fugal section

Toccata

Virtuosic, free keyboard piece

Ricecar

Early contrapuntal instrumental piece (pre-fugue)

Praeludium

Prelude, often improvisatory

Ritornello

Recurring orchestral theme in baroque concertos

Binary form

Two sections (A||B), often repeated

Baroque dance suite

Set of dances

Ground bass

Repeating bass line

Chaconne

Variation from over repeating bass or harmony

Style brise

“Broken style” (arpeggiated texture, like lute writing)

Cori spezzati

“Split chords” in different locations

Sacred concerto

Small-scale sacred vocal work with instruments

The “mixed style”

Combines learned (counterpoint) and modern (homophonic) style

Character piece

short work expressing a mood or idea

Fugue

Polyphonic piece built on a main theme

Fugue subject

Main theme

Real answer

Exact transposition of notes

Tonal answer

Adjusted to fit harmony

Stretto

Overlapping entries of subject

Augmentation

Subject in longer note values

Diminution

Subject in shorter note values

Chorale prelude

Short organ piece introducing a hymn

Chorale fantasia

Large, elaborate setting of a chorale

Fore-imitation

Imitation before the chorale melody appears clearly

Fundamental bass

Concept by Jean-Philippe Rameau describing harmonic progression as root movement