Fine Arts Definitions - lessons 12-15

Renaissance

Rebirth

A self-conscious act of cultural renewal through recovering Greco-Roman culture and rejecting the medieval period.

Homophony

• multiple musical parts, but not all parts are equal

• The Melody is primary-all other voices are secondary

Genre paintings

Depictions of common people in common activities, associated with northern European art

Foreshortening

Technique producing realistic, 3-D space in a 2-D medium. The subject is presented differently due to the perspective of viewer.

Chapel

Music for religious services within an artistic context

Chamber

Music written and performed on behalf of the benefactor

Court

Music associated with political/public events and ceremonies

Cadences

Natural stopping places in music.

Motet

Polyphonic, sacred compositions, usually short. Parallel liturgical – they are not part of the official liturgy.

Chorale

Sacred Lutheran hymns meant for congregational singing… some tunes were borrowed, some newly composed.

Text painting

In attempt to express the words with musical ideas that convey them

Baroque

Comes from Portuguese. Meaning a distorted or misshapen object (pearl)

It was originally and sometimes still is a derogatory word

Florentine Camarata

A group of artists, humanist, musicians, and intellectuals in the late 16th century

Opera

A fusion of drama and music, involving poetry, stage craft, instruments, and singers

Recitative

More speech-like in free and rhythm. Simple musical accompaniment. Well, suited for dialogue, plot-heavy moments, sequences of action

Aria

An extended vocal solo. Provides the emotional context or inner thoughts of a character. More elaborated musical ideas and accompaniment

Tonality

The arrangement, organization, and interrelation of musical tones around a central home note