Musical Keywords

Ornamentation

Notes that decorate a melody. Typically a Baroque feature.

5 Examples of Ornamentation

Trill, turn, upper mordent, lower mordent, appoggiatura

Diatonic

notes belonging to the key of the piece

Monophonic texture

one single line of music

Homophonic texture

Melody and accompaniment

Polyphonic texture

More than one melody at the same time or overlapping

Sequence

Repetition of a musical phrase

Pedal

A sustained note, usually in the bass. Usually on the tonic or dominant notes.

Suspension

Making a note longer to create dissonance and then resolve.

Affection

The main mood of a Baroque movement.

Concerto Grosso

A concerto for more than one soloist. Written in three movements that go fast-slow-fast.

What two groups make up the concerto grosso?

Concertino and the Ripieno

Concertino

Smaller group of soloists in the concerto grosso.

Which instruments make up the concertino in the Bach Brandenburg

Flute, Violin, Harpsichord

Ripieno

The larger group in the concerto grosso.

What is the ripieno made up of in the Bach Brandenburg Concerto?

A string orchestra.

Dialoguing

Instruments playing one after each other, swapping ideas.

Basso Continuo

Continuous bass parts are provided of the harpsichord. The player then adds chords and melody depending.

Figured bass

A musical shorthand for the keyboard player that shows the chord and inversion.

4 roles of the continuo harpsichord in the Bach Brandenburg Concerto

It acts as a soloist, it forms part of the continuo, providing a background accompaniment, it realises the figured bass as chords and melody, it directs the ensemble

Fugue

A musical form with an exposition, middle and end. The music of a Fugue is contrapuntal (lines of different melodies - similar to polyphonic)

Ternary form

A, B, A

Fugal exposition

The initial statements of the subject and answer.

Subject

The short main theme of the fugue

Tonal answer

Closely replicates the subject, but not exactly

Real answer

Exact transposition, where there is no alterations of intervals between notes.

Countersubject

The melody played after the subject or answer. It is against the subject.

Stretto

Entries of the subject close together, heightening the tension of the music.

Contrapuntal

When two melodies are played against each other and interweave. Almost the same as polyphonic, written in counterpoint.

Counterpoint

Simultaneous combination of two or more melodies with independent rhythms.

Unison

More than one part playing the same melody at the same pitch.

Scalic

Music that is based on scales ascending or descending in pitch.

Canon

Parts copy each other in exact intervals.

Chromatic

A harmonic term to describe notes that are not diatonic (part of the key).

Romanticism

An artistic movement that focused more on expression of emotions and freedom of imagination.

Beethoven dates

1770 - 1827

Bach dates

1685 - 1750

When was the Bach Brandenburg Concerto composed?

1721

When was the Beethoven Pathetique Sonata composed?

1798

Classical dates

1750 - 1820

Romantic dates

1810 - 1900

Baroque dates

1600 - 1750

Sonata form

Contains the exposition, development and recapitulation

First subject and key in Beethoven Sonata Pathetique

The first theme or melody - in C minor

Second subject in Beethoven Sonata Pathetique

Contrasts the first subject in terms of mood - in Eb minor (very surprising as it is not related to C minor)

Features of the Beethoven Sonata Pathetique Sonata introduction

• Heavy chords

• Use of dotted rhythms

• Dramatic diminished seventh chords

• Sudden contrasts in dynamics

Murky bass texture

Rapidly alternating octaves

Transition

A section used to take the music from one key to another. Can also be called a bridge.

How is the second subject different from the first in the Beethoven Sonata Pathetique

The second subject has a more lyrical melody. It uses hand crossings.

Alberti bass

Broken chord accompaniment

Features of the recapitulation in the Beethoven Sonata Pathetique

• Reprise of first and second subjects

• Second subject is not in the tonic key (not Cmin, but Ebmin)

• Ends with a coda that reminds us of the grave section.

Ground bass structure

Music is written above a repeating patter of bass notes

Key features of a ground bass structure (5)

• Minor key

• Straightforward rhythm

• Ends with a perfect cadence

• Solemn mood

• Uses chromatic notes

Which instruments play the basso continuo in Purcell Music for a While

Harpsichord, bass viol

What type of voice is the singer in Purcell Music For a While?

Soprano

How many bars is the ground bass in Music For a While?

3 bars long

Syllabic word setting

One note per syllable

Melismatic word setting

More than one note per syllable

Word-painting

Depicting a word in music to imitate its meaning

Ways that Purcell creates a feeling of anguish or pain (5)

• Uses dissonant intervals

• Descending pitches in short sequences (eas’d)

• Falling phrases

• Minor Keys

• Slow tempo

Tierce de Picardie

Where a chord in a minor piece of music is major

Effect of Tierce de Picardie in Purcell Music For a While

Is word-painting, creates dramatic first use of the word ‘snakes’

Da Capo Aria

ABA ternary, but the second A is ornamented by the singer

Purcell dates

1659 - 1695

When was Purcell Music For a While written

1692

When was Killer Queen released?

1974

Key features of Queen’s music (6)

• Adventurous structures

• Use of unusual keys

• Multi-tracking

• Complex guitar parts

• Anthemic melodies

• Studio sound

Extended Chord

A chord with at least one added note, such as the ninth

Overdubbing

Recording an instrumental or vocal part over previously recorded music

Antiphony

Dialogue between groups

Examples of music technology effects (5)

• Panning

• Flanger

• Distortion

• Wah-wah

• Reverb

Examples of guitar techniques (4)

• String bends

• Slides

• Pull-offs

• Vibrato

What is the texture of defying gravity

Lots of melody and accompaniment, but a wide range of textures are used.

What is the instrumentation in Defying Gravity

It uses the whole orchestra along with modern instrumentation such as electric guitar, drums and synthesisers.

Why does Defying Gravity use perfect fourth and perfect fifth intervals in the melody in the main verse?

They provide a strong and assertive melody.

Diegetic Music

When the character in the movie can hear the music.

Underscoring

Non-diegetic music adding to the mood of the scene, reinforcing dramatic developments and aspects of character

When was Stephen Schwartz Defying Gravity released?

2003

When was John Williams Star Wars released?

1977

Quartal Harmony

A feature used in Star Wars where a chord is built on fourths, creating tension

List the textures used in John Williams Star Wars?

Polyphonic, Melody and accompaniment, Contrary motion

Key of John Williams Star Wars

Bb Major to tonally ambiguous

When was Afro Celt Sound System released?

1999

What key is Afro Celt Sound System Release in?

It is in C Aeolian

List the instrumentation in Afro Celt Sound System Release

Synth, accordion, fiddle, hurdy-gurdy, uilleann pipes, low whistle

When was Esperanza Spalding Samba Em Preludio released?

2008

What key is Esperanza Spalding Samba Em Preludio in?

B minor

Instrumentation of Esperanza Spalding Samba Em Preludio

Female vocal, Acoustic guitar, Nylon, acoustic bass guitar

Texture of Esperanza Spalding Samba Em Preludio

Alternates between melody and accompaniment and counterpoint melody.