Music Appreciation Test 3 Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from Music Appreciation Test 3.

Cadenza

A virtuosic solo passage (often improvised) near the end of a concerto movement.

Chamber Music

Music for a small ensemble (2–9 players) with one player per part.

Da Capo

Italian for 'from the beginning'; instructs musicians to repeat from the start (common in arias).

Double-Exposition Form

Sonata form used in Classical concertos where orchestra and soloist each present the exposition.

Hemiola

Rhythmic shift where two groups of three beats sound as three groups of two.

Opera Buffa

Comic opera with everyday characters and humorous plots (Classical era).

Opera Seria

Serious opera with heroic or mythological themes and noble characters.

Pizzicato

String technique where players pluck the strings instead of bowing.

Rondo

Form with a recurring main theme (A) alternating with contrasting episodes (ABACA, etc.).

String Quartet

Ensemble of two violins, viola, and cello; also the music written for it.

Symphony

Large multi-movement orchestral work, usually in four movements.

Ternary Form (ABA)

Three-part structure with a contrasting middle section and a return to the first.

Theme and Variations Form

A theme followed by altered versions (changes in melody, rhythm, or harmony).

Art Song (Lied)

Vocal solo with piano accompaniment, setting a poem to music.

Chromaticism

Use of notes outside the key signature; adds tension or color.

Concerto

Composition for soloist and orchestra, often in three movements.

Drone

A sustained tone or tones throughout a piece, often found in folk music.

Idée Fixe

A recurring theme representing a person or idea (used by Berlioz).

Leitmotiv

A recurring musical idea linked to a character or concept (used by Wagner).

Nationalism

Music expressing national identity through folk tunes, rhythms, or themes.

Opera

A staged drama combining singing, orchestra, acting, and sometimes dance.

Plagal Cadence

Harmonic cadence IV–I, known as the 'Amen' cadence.

Program Music

Instrumental music that tells a story or depicts an image or idea.

Rubato

Flexible tempo; slight speeding up or slowing down for expressiveness.

Sonata

Multi-movement work for solo instrument or instrument with piano; also a form (sonata-allegro).

Song Cycle

A set of art songs connected by a unifying theme or story.

Symphonic Poem (Tone Poem)

Single-movement orchestral work that tells a story or paints a scene.

Strophic Form

Each verse of text set to the same music.

Through-Composed Form

New music for each verse; no repeated sections.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)

Classical composer; known for operas (The Magic Flute), symphonies, concertos, and chamber works.

Joseph Haydn (1732–1809)

'Father of the Symphony' and 'Father of the String Quartet'; mentor to Beethoven.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

Bridged Classical and Romantic eras; wrote 9 symphonies and expanded musical expression.

Franz Liszt (1811–1886)

Virtuoso pianist; creator of the symphonic poem; advanced Romantic piano technique.

Robert Schumann (1810–1856)

Romantic composer of piano music, lieder, and symphonies; husband of Clara Schumann.

Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904)

Czech nationalist composer; New World Symphony and Slavonic Dances.

Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901)

Italian opera composer; Rigoletto, La Traviata, Aida; master of dramatic realism.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893)

Russian Romantic composer; Swan Lake, Nutcracker, 1812 Overture.