Music itww unit 2

basso continuo

a set of chords continuously underlying the melody in a piece of baroque music

ground bass

an ostinato in the bass

opera

drama presented in music, with the characters singing instead of speaking

recitative

a half-singing, half-reciting style of presenting words in opera, cantata, oratorio, etc., following speech accents and speech rhythms closely.

aria

a vocal number for solo singer and orchestra, generally in opera, cantata, or oratorio

arioso

a singing style between recitative and aria

fugue

a composition written systematically in imitative polyphony, usually with a single main theme, the fugue subject

concerto

a large composition for orchestra and solo instrument

concerto grosso

the main early baroque type of ____, for a group of solo instruments and a small orchestra

movement

a self-contained section of a larger piece, such as a symphony or concerto grosso

ritornello

the orchestral material at the beginning of a concerto grosso, etc., which always returns later in the piece

subject

the term for the principle theme of a fugue

expostition

the first section of a fugue, or the first section of a sonata form movement

episodes

in a fugue, a passage that does not contain any complete appearances of the fugue subject

prelude

an introductory piece, leading to another, such as a fugue or an opera

minuet

a popular 17th century dance in moderate triple meter; or a movement in a sonata, symphony, etc, based on this dance

suite

a piece consisting of a series of dances; sometimes also used for a piece joining several or many small pieces

binary form

a musical form having two different sections; A B form

trio

a piece for three instruments or singers; the second, or B section of a minuet movement, scherzo, etc

opera seria

a term for serious, heroic ___ of the baroque period in Italy; usually had historic characters

da capo

literally “from the beginning”; a direction to the performer to repeat music from the beginning of the piece up to a later point

oratorio

long semi dramatic piece on a religious subject for soloists, chorus, and orchestra

cantata

a composition in several movements for solo voices, instruments, and perhaps also chorus

chorales

German for “hymn”; also used for a four-part harmonization of a Lutheran hymn

gapped chorale

a setting of a ____ in which the tune is presented in phrases with “gaps” between them, during which other music continues in other voices or instruments

sonata form

developed by the Classical composers and using in almost all the first movements of their symphonies, etc

development

the process of expanding themes and short motives into larger sections of music; or the second section of a sonata-form movement, which features the development process

recapitulation

the third section of a sonata form movement

coda

the concluding section of a piece or a movement, after the main elements of the form have been presented

rondo

a musical form consisting of one main theme or tune alternating with other themes or sections

double-exposition form

a type or sonata form developed for use in concertos

ensemble

a musical number in an opera, cantata, or oratorio that is sung by two or more people

string quartet

an instrumental group consisting of two violins, viola, and cello; or a piece composed for this group; or the four players themselves

cadenza

an improvised passage for the soloist in a concerto, or sometimes in other works. Usually come near the ends of movements

secco

accompanied only by continuo

accompagnato

accompanied by an orchestra

symphony

a large orchestral piece in several movements

sonata

a chamber-music piece in several movements, typically for three main instruments plus continuo in the baroque period, and for only one or two instruments since then

solo exposition

in classical concerto form, the second of two ____, played by the soloist and orchestra

ternary form

a three-part musical form in which the last section repeats the first; A B A form

theme and variations

a form consisting of a tune plus a number of ____ on it

opera buffa

italian comic opera; contains every day, common people

orchestra exposition

in Classical concerto form, the first of two expositions, played by the ____ without the soloist

libretto

the complete book of words for an opera, oratorio, cantata, etc.

concerto, solo concerto

a large composition for orchestra and solo instrument

chamber music

music played by small groups, such as a string quartet or piano trio

castrato

men who had submitted to castration at puberty in order to preserve their voices in the soprano or alto range

affections

a Baroque-era theory that music could evoke specific emotions in the listener through particular musical figures and techniques.