Untitled Flashcards Set

Contour

The general directional pattern formed by a melody or melodic fragment from the first important pitch to the last.

Chromatic tendency tone

Accidental serving to create a half step between that tone and the next.

Real sequence

Intervallically exact transpositions of a musical idea.

Resolve/resolution

To move to a more stable tone.

Sequence

The immediate or nearly immediate restatement of a melodic idea by the same instrument or voice part, but at a different pitch level.

Tendency tone

Pitches that have a strong inclination to move in a specific direction.

Tonal sequence

Precise interval quality in each sequence statement is not retained (diatonic).

Modified sequence

Slight change in rhythm or pitch other than those necessary to remain diatonic in the key.

Partial sequence

Over half of the sequence replicated and then cut off.

Large scale arpeggiation

Chordal outlining involving non-adjacent pitches (often primary tones) over the course of several measures.

Melodic prolongation

Like pedal point, an anchor point of notes, usually tonic.

Step progression

A sense of overall direction imparted to a melody when there is a clear relationship between its more important pitches, often proving to be stepwise (scalur).

Melodic reduction

A representation of a melody using different symbols.

Primary tone

Focal pitches that other pitches move toward, from, or around; they are usually longer and metrically stronger.

Embellishing tone

Normally the shortest in duration and usually has a stepwise relationship to more important tones.

Secondary tone

Pitches that lie between primary tones and embellishing tones in the melodic hierarchy.

Melodic Units

Individual components of a melodic line.

Motive

Consists of 3 to eight notes bound together in a distinctive rhythmic pattern.

Phrase

A larger unit, typically four to eight measures in length where musical ideas are developed into more complete thoughts.

Phrase members

Units often two measures in length that, in combination, create phrases.

Cadential elision

The end of one phrase and the beginning of the next coincide, replacing the cadence.

Cadential extension

Expansion of a phrase at its cadence by emphasizing and prolonging the final pitch or chord for an extra measure or so.

Internal extension

Repetition or sequencing.

Asymmetric period

Periods containing phrases of different lengths.

Contrasting period

The phrases differ, usually in contour and rhythm and possibly in length as well.

Double period

A four phrase unit in which the final phrase ends more conclusively than any of the preceding phrases.

Modulating period

Consists of two (and sometimes 3) phrases.

Parallel period

Phrases begin in a similar or identical manner, usually alike in contour and rhythm, but the final phrase ends more conclusively.

Period

A unit comprising two (sometimes three) phrases, where the final phrase provides a greater sense of completion.

Phrase groups

Phrases heard to form a larger unit by virtue of motivic or textural consistency.

Symmetric period

Periods containing phrases of the same length.