Music history final

Georg Philipp Telemann

A German composer of the late Baroque period known for his prolific output and influence on the development of the German style.

Johann Sebastian Bach

A German composer and musician of the Baroque period, renowned for his works for organ, choir, and orchestra.

The Well-Tempered Clavier

A collection of two volumes of preludes and fugues in all major and minor keys by Johann Sebastian Bach.

The Art of Fugue

An unfinished work by Johann Sebastian Bach that explores the art of counterpoint through a series of fugues and canons.

Chorale

Strophic hymn in the Lutheran tradition, intended to be sung by the congregation.

Prelude

A short piece of music that serves as an introduction to a larger work, often in a free or improvisatory style.

Fugue

composition or section of a composition in imitative texture that is based on a single subject and begins with successive statements of the subject in voices

Suite

A set of pieces that are linked together into a single work period during the baroque period, a suite usually referred to a set of stylized dance pieces

Variation

The process of reworking a given melody, song theme or other musical idea or the resulting varied form of it

Stretto

In a fugue, overlapping entrances on the subject that enter more quickly after one another than an opening exposition

Collegium musicum

A musical society or ensemble, often associated with universities, that performs music for educational and social purposes.

Cantata

In the 17th century in the 18th centuries of vocal chamber work with continuo usually for solo voice,

Mass

The most important service in the Roman church, a musical work setting the text of the ordinary of the mass typically (Kyrie,Gloria, credo etc.)

George Frideric Handel

A German-British composer known for his operas, oratorios, and concerti grossi, particularly 'Messiah.'

Opera

(Italian, 'work') Drama with continuous or nearly continuous music, staged with scenery, costumes, and action.

Simple recitative

Style of RECITATIVE scored for solo voice and BASSO CONTINUO, used for setting dialogue or monologue in as speechlike a fashion as possible, without dramatization.

Accompanied recitative

Recitative that uses orchestral accompaniment to dramatize the text

Coloratura

A style of singing that emphasizes agility and elaborate ornamentation, often found in operatic soprano parts.

English Oratorio

A large-scale musical work for orchestra and voices, typically based on a religious theme, developed in England.

Galant style

A musical style of the early Classical period characterized by simplicity, elegance, and a focus on melody.

Empfindsam style (empfindsamer Stil)

A style of music that emphasizes emotional expression and sensitivity, prevalent in the mid-18th century.

Period

A distinct historical and stylistic phase in music history, characterized by specific musical practices and forms.

Periodicity

The organization of musical phrases into distinct units, creating a sense of balance and structure.

Opera buffa

A genre of comic opera that originated in Italy, characterized by humorous plots and lively music.

Ensemble finale

The concluding section of an opera or musical work, typically featuring all characters and a climactic resolution.

Intermezzo

Genre of Italian comic opera, performed between acts of a serious opera or play

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi

An Italian composer known for his operas and sacred music, particularly 'La serva padrona.'

Opera seria

Eighteenth-century genre of Italian opera, on a serious subject but normally with a happy ending, usually without comic characters and scenes.

Pietro Metastasio

An influential Italian poet and librettist whose works shaped the development of opera seria.

Querelles des bouffons

A public debate in France during the 18th century about the merits of Italian opera versus French opera.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

A French philosopher and composer who contributed to the development of opera and music theory.

Opéra comique

(French, 'comic opera') (1) In the eighteenth century, light French comic OPERA, which used spoken dialogue instead of RECITATIVES. (2) In nineteenth-century France, opera with spoken dialogue, whether comic or tragic.

Ballad opera

A form of musical theater that combines spoken dialogue with songs, often based on popular tunes.

John Gay and Johann Christoph Pepusch

Collaborators known for creating 'The Beggar's Opera,' a seminal work in the ballad opera genre.

Singspiel

A German opera that includes both singing and spoken dialogue, often with comedic elements.

Niccolò Jommelli

An Italian composer known for his operas and contributions to the development of the opera seria style.

Tommaso Traetta

An Italian composer who was influential in the transition from opera seria to opera buffa.

Christoph Willibald Gluck

A composer known for reforming opera by emphasizing dramatic expression and simplicity in music.

William Billings

An early American composer known for his choral music and fuging tunes, a style of American folk music.

Fuging tune

A type of American choral music characterized by imitative counterpoint and often used in sacred contexts.

Piano (pianoforte, fortepiano)

A musical instrument that produces sound by striking strings with hammers, known for its dynamic range.

String quartet

A chamber music ensemble consisting of two violins, a viola, and a cello, often performing classical compositions.

Simple binary form

A musical structure consisting of two contrasting sections (A and B), each usually repeated.

Balanced binary form

A variation of binary form where both sections are of equal length and often thematically related.

Rounded binary form

A musical structure where the first section (A) returns after the contrasting section (B), creating a sense of closure.

Sonata form

A musical structure commonly used in the first movement of sonatas, consisting of exposition, development, and recapitulation.

Exposition

The first section of sonata form where the main themes are introduced.

Transition

A passage that connects different sections of a musical composition, often leading from the exposition to the development.

Development

The section of sonata form where themes are elaborated, varied, and explored in different keys.

Retransition

A passage that prepares the return to the home key, often leading back to the recapitulation.

Recapitulation

The final section of sonata form where the main themes from the exposition are restated, typically in the home key.

Slow-movement sonata form

A variation of sonata form used in slow movements, often characterized by lyrical themes and less dramatic development.

Variation form

A musical structure where a theme is presented and then altered in successive variations.

Minuet and trio form

A musical form consisting of a minuet (A), a contrasting trio (B), and a return to the minuet (A).

Rondo form

A musical form characterized by a recurring theme (A) interspersed with contrasting episodes (B, C, etc.).

Episode

A contrasting section in a rondo or other musical form that provides variety between statements of the main theme.

Domenico Scarlatti

An Italian composer known for his keyboard sonatas, which are characterized by their innovative harmonic and melodic ideas.

Keyboard Sonata

A composition for keyboard instruments, typically structured in multiple movements and showcasing virtuosic playing.

Alberti bass

A type of accompaniment in which the notes of a chord are played in a repeated pattern, typically low-high-middle.

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach

A German composer and musician, son of J.S. Bach, known for his expressive and innovative keyboard music.

Symphony

A large-scale orchestral composition, typically in four movements, that showcases the orchestra's range and capabilities.

Giovanni Battista Sammartini

An Italian composer known for his early symphonies and contributions to the development of the symphonic form.

Johann Stamitz

A composer and conductor who played a key role in the development of the symphony and the Mannheim school.

Concerto

A musical work typically for a solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra, often structured in three movements.

Johann Christian Bach

A composer known as the 'London Bach,' who contributed to the development of the symphony and concerto in the Classical period.

Cadenza

An elaborate solo passage in a concerto, typically performed by the soloist, showcasing their virtuosity.

Franz Joseph Haydn

An Austrian composer known as the 'Father of the Symphony' and 'Father of the String Quartet' for his significant contributions to these forms.

Esterházy Court

The court of the Esterházy family in Hungary, where Joseph Haydn served as a court composer for much of his career.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

A prolific and influential composer of the Classical era, known for his operas, symphonies, and chamber music.

Divertimento

A light, entertaining composition for chamber ensemble, often in several movements and intended for social occasions.

Lorenzo Da Ponte

An Italian librettist known for his collaborations with Mozart, particularly on operas like 'The Marriage of Figaro.'