Music - Area of Study 1: Musical Forms and Devices

Baroque Era (1600-1750)

•Harpsichord

•Ornaments

•Terraced dynamics

•Basso Continuo (continuous bass)

•Small orchestra (mostly strings and some woodwind and brass)

•Genres:

-Suite (a collection of baroque dances often preceded by a prelude)

-Sonata (several movements for one or more instruments and basso continuo)

-Oratorio (a large musical composition)

-Chorales (simple and singable tunes)

-Trio sonata (two melody instruments and basso continuo)

•Famous composers:

-Bach

-Handel

-Vivaldi

Classical Era (1750-1810)

•Slightly larger orchestra

•Piano

•Alberti bass

•String quartets

•Genres:

-Symphony (a lengthy form of musical composition for orchestra; several large movements)

-Solo sonata (type of musical composition, usually for a solo instrument or a small instrumental ensemble; 2-4 movements)

-Solo concerto (a musical form which features a single solo instrument with the melody line, accompanied by an orchestra)

•Famous composers:

-Haydn

-Mozart

-Beethoven

Romantic Era (1810-1910)

•Lyrical, expressive melodies

•Large orchestra

•Wide range of dynamics

•Rich harmonies and use of chromatic chords

•Programme music

•Opera symphony

•Famous composers:

-Tchaikovsky

-Grieg

-Schumann

-Dvorak

-Brahms

-Verdi

-Wagner

Binary

•AB

•Section A usually ends in a related key (dominant/relative minor)

•Section B returns to the tonic and contains contrast

Ternary

•ABA

•Section B is contrasted

•A repeats itself but includes slight changes (like ornamentation)

Rondo

•ABACADAE

•Section A returns throughout the piece with contrasting sections containing new ideas and they use different keys

Minuet and Trio

•Similar to ABA form

•The Minuet was a type o graceful dance and was often used as the 3rd movement in symphonies in the classical era

•The Minuet had 2 repeated sections and the Trio had two new repeated sections, with a return to the Minuet and the end

Variations

•A a A

•The main theme is repeated and developed in a variety of different ways

Strophic

•AAA

•A simple form where the song uses the same melody over and over

Chord

A group of 2+ notes played at the same time

Triad

Has three notes

Chord sequence

A series of chords

Diatonic harmony

Based on the chords of major/minor scales