MUSI 1306: Week 6 Review

These flashcards cover essential musical terms and concepts from the lecture, providing definitions for each term to aid in understanding music theory and appreciation.

Rhythm

The temporal aspect of sound; the pattern of 'on' and 'off' states as time passes.

Meter

The grouping of pulses into stable units usually containing two, three, or four pulses.

Dynamics

The loudness or softness of a musical passage.

Register

A part of an instrument or vocalist’s range; can be high, middle, or low.

Melody

A coherent sequence of notes that is of primary importance within a musical texture.

Harmony

The pitches that support the melody, often referring to non-melodic voices or specifically to chords.

Polyphonic Musical Texture

A musical texture in which no single voice has the melody, and all voices are of equal importance.

Homophonic Musical Texture

A musical texture in which a single prominent melody is supported by accompaniment.

Symphonic Poem

A descriptive single-movement orchestral work that portrays a scene or communicates an idea.

Absolute Music

Instrumental music that does not reference anything beyond its own form and sound.

Mimesis

The imitation of real-world sounds through instruments or voices.

Quotation

The technique of incorporating a familiar melody into a composition to convey information.

Musical Topic

A compositional style associated with specific subject matter, theorized by musicologist Leonard Ratner.

Leitmotif

A recurring musical theme associated with a particular character, idea, or situation.

Cyclical Composition

The repetition of themes across different movements of a work.

Families of Instruments

The four main families in an orchestra: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion.