DS L8

Dorothy Sutton Level 8

A Cappella

Singing without instrumental accompaniment.

Ad Libitum

At one's pleasure; performer may vary tempo or omit parts.

Allargando

Broadening; becoming slower and often louder.

Assai

Very; used to modify tempo or expression.

C Clef

A movable clef that designates middle C on the staff.

Doloroso

Sorrowful or plaintive.

Episode

A connecting passage between statements of the subject in a fugue.

15ma

Play two octaves higher than written.

Glissando

A continuous slide upward or downward between two notes.

Grave

Very slow and solemn.

Hemiola

A rhythmic pattern of two against three.

Leading Tone

The seventh scale degree, leading to the tonic.

Leitmotiv

A recurring musical theme associated with a character or idea.

Libretto

The text of an opera or vocal work.

L'Istesso

The same; usually refers to tempo.

Loco

At place; canceling an octave transposition.

Mediant

The third scale degree.

Monophony

Music with a single melodic line and no harmony.

Ostinato

A repeated musical pattern.

Pedal Point

A sustained note over which harmonies change.

Peu Á Peu

Little by little.

Picardy Third

A major chord at the end of a piece in a minor key.

Pizzicato

Plucking the strings of a string instrument.

Rinforzando

Reinforcing; a sudden emphasis.

Rubato

Flexible tempo for expressive purposes.

Secondary Dominant

A dominant chord that resolves to a chord other than the tonic.

Sequence

Repetition of a musical idea at different pitches.

Simile

Continue in the same manner.

Sentando

Becoming slower and softer.

Smorzando

Dying away in sound and tempo.

Solfege

A system for teaching pitch and sight-singing.

Sotto Voce

In a quiet voice; subdued.

Stretto

Overlapping entries of the subject in a fugue.

Subject

The main theme introduced at the beginning of a fugue.

Submediant

The sixth scale degree.

Supertonic

The second scale degree.

Timbre

The tone color or quality of sound.

Vibrato

A slight fluctuation in pitch for warmth and expression.

Aria

A solo vocal piece with instrumental accompaniment, typically in an opera.

Ballade

A narrative musical composition, often for piano, with dramatic and lyrical elements.

Berceuse

A lullaby or soothing piece of music.

Bolero

A Spanish dance in triple meter with a steady rhythm.

Cantata

A vocal composition with instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements.

Capriccio

A lively, free-form musical piece, often whimsical or improvisatory.

Chamber Music

Music composed for a small ensemble, typically one player per part.

Etude

A short musical composition designed to improve a particular skill.

Fugue

A contrapuntal composition where a theme is introduced and developed through interweaving parts.

Impromptu

A musical composition with an improvisational character.

Invention

A short contrapuntal piece, often for keyboard, emphasizing thematic development.

Lied

A German art song for voice and piano.

Madrigal

A secular vocal music composition from the Renaissance and early Baroque eras.

Mazurka

A Polish folk dance in triple meter with accents on the second or third beat.

Minuet

A graceful dance in triple meter, popular in the Baroque and Classical periods.

Musette

A dance or piece imitating the sound of a bagpipe.

Nocturne

A musical composition inspired by or evocative of the night.

Oratorio

A large-scale musical work for orchestra and voices, typically on a sacred theme.

Opera

A dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in theatrical performance.

Overture

An instrumental introduction to a larger musical work.

Partita

A suite of dance movements, often for solo instrument.

Polonaise

A Polish dance in triple meter, often stately and processional.

Prelude

A short piece of music that introduces a larger work or stands alone.

Recitative

A style of delivery in opera and oratorio that imitates speech.

Rhapsody

A free-form musical composition with contrasting moods and themes.

Rondo

A musical form with a recurring leading theme, often ABACA.

Scherzo

A vigorous, light, or playful composition, typically part of a symphony or sonata.

Solo Concerto

A composition for a solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra.

Sonata

A composition for one or more instruments, typically in several movements.

Symphony

A large-scale composition for orchestra, usually in four movements.

Suite

A set of instrumental pieces, often dance-inspired, performed in sequence.

Tarantella

A lively Italian folk dance in fast 6/8 time.

Theme And Variations

A musical form where a theme is stated and then altered in successive variations.

Toccata

A virtuosic piece typically for keyboard, emphasizing fast-moving passages.

Waltz

A dance in triple meter with a strong accent on the first beat.

Serenade

A light, often romantic piece of music performed in the evening.

Authentic

V–I, V⁷–I, V–i, V⁷–i

Plagal

IV–I, ii⁶–I

Half

I–V, ii–V, IV–V, vi–V

Deceptive

V–vi, V⁷–vi, V–IV, V–ii

Major Seventh (maj7)

Major + major seventh above

Dominant Seventh (7)

Major + minor seventh above

Minor Seventh (m7)

Minor + minor seventh above

Half-Diminished Seventh (ø7)

Diminished + minor seventh above

Diminished Seventh (°7)

Diminished + diminished seventh above

Modes in order

Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian

Ionian

C wrt Cmaj - Major no changes

Dorian

D wrt Cmaj - Minor + #6

Phrygian

E wrt Cmaj - Minor + ♭2

Lydian

F wrt Cmaj - Maj + #4

Mixolydian

G wrt Cmaj - Maj + ♭5

Aeolian

A wrt Cmaj - Minor no changes

Locrian

B wrt Cmaj - Minor + ♭2 + ♭5