MUSIC 101 Exam 3 Flashcards

When was the Twentieth Century?

1900-2000

Consonance

music features notes that sound nice together, no discord/tension, sounds conclusive/at rest

Dissonance

music features notes that don’t sound nice together, discord/tension, sounds transitional/uneasy

Impressionism

composer attempts to convey an impression of something at a specific moment in time

Is impressionism absolute or program music?

lies in the grey area between absolute/program music, but leans more heavily toward program music

What are the various techniques that can be used in impressionism?

Note clusters, tone color, unusual scales, static harmony

Note clusters in impressionism

blending of dissonant clusters

Tone color in impressionism

melodies and harmonies are passed from instrument to instrument

Unusual scales in impressionism

nontraditional scales that achieve a dream-like quality

Static harmony

chords don’t follow a tonic chord progression

What unusual scales can be used in impressionism?

whole-tone scale, pentatonic scale, octatonic scale

whole-tone scale

all whole steps, no half steps

pentatonic scale

has only 5 pitches before reaching the octave

octatonic scale

alternates half steps and whole steps

atonality

a piece of music avoids maintaining a tonic

polytonality

two or more tonal centers are present at the same time

polyrhythm

2 contrasting rhythms occurring at the same time

mixed meter

a piece of music has one meter for a certain amount of time, then shifts to another meter

irregular meter

irregular number of beats per measure (meter isn’t easily divisible by 2 or 3)

polymeter

multiple meters occurring at the same time

Quoting

preexisting piece or fragment of a piece is used note for note exactly as it was composed

Borrowing

 preexisting piece or fragment of a piece is used but is arranged or varied in some way

Indeterminacy

Part of the performance is not predetermined by the composer, so certain elements are left up to the performers

Indeterminacy is also known as…

aleatory or chance music

Prepared piano

Certain objects inserted on specific strings at precise measurements to affect sound produced

John Cage was best known for what two techniques?

indeterminacy and prepared piano music