jazz + sacred music exam

non-metrical

refers to music that lacks a consistent rhythmic pattern or meter, often allowing for more freedom in expression and phrasing.

melismatic

a vocal style characterized by the singing of multiple pitches on a single syllable

monophonic

refers to music consisting of a single melodic line without any harmonic accompaniment

ritornello

a recurring section in a musical composition, typically alternates with contrasting sections or material.

be bop

a style of jazz developed in the 1940s characterized by fast tempos, complex chords, and improvisation.

free jazz

a genre of jazz that developed in the 1950s, known for its avant-garde approach, improvisation, and lack of predetermined structure.

ragtime

a jazz genre that originated in the late 19th century, characterized by its syncopated rhythms and piano compositions.

ternary

a musical form consisting of three sections, typically structured as A-B-A.

cadenza

flourish at the end of a piece of music

syllabic

one syllable paired with one musical note

homophonic

all harmonies follow the same rhythm

cantus firmus

pre-existing melody forming the basis of a polyphonic composition

swing

Swing is a style of jazz that grew from African American roots and the 1920s big-band traditions

jazz fusion

musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues.

Palestrina

an opera by the German composer Hans Pfitzner

organum

a plainchant melody with at least one added voice to enhance the harmony, developed in the Middle Ages

cadence

a harmonic moment of stasis. can be compared to a comma or period in written language—the ear gets a moment to process a short passage of music, then the music continues.

tutti

all or together

polyphonic

different melodies occurring simultaneously

fugue

lots of independent things happening at once

blues

certain characteristics such as soulful melodies, moving lyrics, and unique harmonic progression

boogie woogie

percussive style of playing blues on the piano characterized by a steady rhythmic ground bass of eighth notes in quadruple time and a series of improvised melodic variations

Thomas Dorsey

an American musician, composer, and Christian evangelist influential in the development of early blues and 20th-century gospel music

plainchant

A single line of unaccompanied vocal melody