Music key words - Purcell

Trio Sonata

A piece for Baroque ensemble comprising 2 violins, cello and harpsichord (or organ)

Dance Suite

In Baroque music the suite comprised a series of dance movements. By the time of Purcell, suites were composed of four main movements called the allemande, courante, sarabande and gigue. These movements are based on dance forms from different countries. Optional extra movements included the air, bourée, gavotte, minuet and prelude.

Stile Italiano (Italian Style)

Purcell was influenced by the Italian style, which was characterised by the concertato style, the trio sonata, double-dotted notes, dramatic recitatives and da capo arias.

Basso Continuo

Continuous bass parts are provided for harpsichord and stringed instruments such as the bass viol and lute. The players add chords and melody.

Figured Bass

A type of musical shorthand for the keyboard player used in the Baroque era. The figures indicate the chord to be played above the bass note and whether this is in root position, first inversion or second inversion.

Ornament

Notes that decorate a melody. `they are shown by small notes (grace notes) immediately before the main note or symbols above it. Examples include the mordent, trill and turn.

Mordent

There are two types of mordent: 'upper' and 'lower'. The upper mordent is made up of the main note, the note above the note and the main note again, all played as quickly as possible. The lower mordent again goes from the main note to the note below and back to the main note again.

Appoggiatura

This ornament is often referred to as a 'leaning note'. The appoggiatura leans on the main note, commonly taking half its value and starting a semitone or tone higher. For example, if the main note is a crochet and the smaller appoggiatura note a quaver, then the player plays two equal quavers.

Syllabic Word-Setting

One note is used for each syllable of a word.

Word-Painting

Depicting a word in music to imitate its meaning.

Dissonant Intervals

The intervals that are dissonant (clashing) are the minor and major 2nd, the minor and major 7th and the tritone (augmented 4th or diminished 5th).

Suspension

Prolonging a note to create a dissonance with the next chord. A suspension must have three parts to it: Preparation - Suspension - Resolution.

Tierce de Picardie

This refers to a sharpened 3rd in the tonic chord at the end of a section of music in the minor key.

Onomatopoeic

This is where the music is set to try and sound like the word - for example 'drop' could be set to a falling note.

Da capo aria

ABA or ternary form. Often the repeated A section (at the end) would be ornamented by the singer. Da capo means 'again from the beginning'.

Arpeggiated

This is when a chord is spread, or played one note at a time, normally from the bottom note to the top.