Survey of Music Lit

Middle Ages

400 -1450: melodies preserved through notation. Harmony developed. Rhythmic concepts introduced

Renaissance

1450-1600: Metric schemes developed, Textures grow more complex based on imitation, Increased emphasis on text expression.

Baroque

1600-1750: New multi movement genres developed, Orchestra instruments developed, Expression marking introduced

Classical

1750-1825: Balanced melodic phrases accompanied my major and minor harmonies, Standardization of forms and genres, Pianoforte is now the norm.

Romantic

1820-1900: Chromaticism and dissonance, Expanded concepts of tonality, Broadening of formal structures.

Twentieth Century and Beyond

1900-present: revolutionary concepts in rhythm and harmony, experiments in free forms and procedures, tech. And global music concepts explored.

Pitch

Musical sound that has a perceivable measure

Frequency

Number of vibrations per second

Melody

A succession of pitches that we hear as a recognizable whole

Contour

The overall shape of a melody

Conjunct

A way to describe notes that are connected in succession

Disjunct

A way to describe notes with larger intervals in succession

Cadence

End of a musical phrase

Climax

The “high point” of a melodic line

Countermelody

A melody going on simultaneously with the melody. Has less importance then the true melody

Simple meters

Duple, triple, and quadruple are examples. A meter where each beat is divided into two

Compound Meters

Divide each beat into three rather then two

Quadruple Meter

Contains four beats to the measure with accent on the Downbeat and secondary accent on the third

Sextuple Meter

Six beats to one measure or two main beats divided into three

Syncopation

Deliberate upsetting of the normal pattern of accents

Polyrhythm

Different meters that are being played at the same time

Additive Rhythms

Example (2+2+3=8) rather then recurring patterns of two or three

Nonmetric

The beat is veiled or the song does not have a meter

Harmony

Simultaneous combination of sounds

Chord

Three or more notes put together

Tonic

First note of a scale (do)

Tonality

The principle of organization around a central note

Dissonance

A combination of notes that sounds unstable

Consonance

An agreeable sounding combination of notes that feels relaxing

Drone

Single sustained note that plays against the melody/rhythmic complexity

Chromatic Scale

Twelve half steps that make up an octave

Dominant

The (sol) of any key or the 5th note of the scale

Pentatonic

A five note scale, not traditionally used in western music. Children’s music will be pentatonic

Modulation

Moving to different Chords of a key

Transpose

To put a song into an entirely new key

Texture

Interweaving of the melodic lines through a melody

Monophony

A single line or voice without accompaniment

Polyphony

Many-voiced texture with DIFFERENT MELODIC LINES based on counterpoint

Polyphony

Many-voiced texture with DIFFERENT MELODIC LINES based on counterpoint

Imitation

A melodic idea is presented in one voice, then restated in another- common unifying technique in polyphony

Heterophony

Several musicians sing or play the same line but vary an element. Might sound “out of sync”

Homorhythmic

A type of homophonic texture in which all voices move together with the same words

Form

The organization principle of music; its basic elements are repetition, contrast, and variation

Strophic Form

Features repeated music for each stanza of text.

Through-composed Form

NO large sections of repeated music

Binary Form

(A-B)

Ternary

(A-B-A)

Theme

A melodic idea in a large scale work, can be broken down into small fragments

Motive

A small fragment of a theme

Sequence

When a motive is repeated at a different pitch

Ostinato

The repetition of a short melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic pattern

Thematic Development

The expansion of a theme, achieved by varying its melody, rhythm, or harmony

Tempo

The rate of speed of the music

Grave

SLOWEST: solemn very very slow

Largo

2. Broad very slow

Adagio

3. Quite slow

Andante

4. A walking pace

Moderato

5. Moderate

Allegro

6. Fast cheerful

Vivace

7. Lively

Presto

8. Very fast

Put the dynamic markings in order

Pianissimo (pp very soft), Piano (p soft), Mezzo Piano (mp moderately soft), Mezzo Forte (mf moderately loud), Forte (f loud), Fortissimo (ff very loud)

Nonlexical

Using syllables instead of words

Scat-singing

Vocal improvisation using wordless vocables

Vernacular

Language of the people (not Latin)

Secular

Non-religious

Syllabic

One note set to each syllable of text

Neumatic

A few notes set to one syllable

Melismatic

Many notes set to one syllable

Aerophones

Produce sound using air

Chordophones

Produce sound by vibrating a string stretched between two points

Idiophones

Produce sound from the substance itself (eg. steel drum)

Membranophones

Sounded from tightly stretched membranes

Embouchure

The placement of lips, lower facial muscles, and jaws when playing a wind instrument

Chorus

A large body of singers playing together

Choir

A smaller chorus

Chamber Music

Ensemble music for a group of about 2 dozen players

String quartet

Two violins, Viola and Cello

Duo Sonata

Solo string, Wind, or percussion instrument with a piano

A cappella

“In the chapel” in other words no accompaniment

Madrigal Choir

Usually renaissance choir of 6-8 people

Wind Quintet

Horn, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, flute

Quintet

2 violins, 2 violas, cello

Brass Quintet

2 trumpets, French horn, trombone, tuba

Symphony Orchestra

Western Ensemble with a string core

Band

American, Winds and percussion at the core

Conductor

Interprets music, decides tempo, and dynamics

Concertmaster

First-Chair violin, the first “conductor” when there was none

Genres

Category of repertoire, suggests a character and a function

Medium

Specific group that performs a work

Oral Transmission

The way music was passed on to one another before it was written or recorded

Ethnomusicologists

Capture music through field recordings

Western Music

Melody and harmony oriented

Characteristics of MIDDLE AGES

Music gets notated, early harmony (not well known) and early rhythm

Characteristics of RENAISSANCE

Polyphony, printing music

Characteristics of BAROQUE

Simplified, tonal harmony introduced

Characteristics of CLASSICAL

Origins of modern harmony, the rise of public concerts

Characteristics of ROMANTIC ERA

Everything gets more complex, chromatic harmony

Characteristics of POST ROMANTIC

Influential