Music - Classical Period / Baroque Period

Glossary

Classical Period

An era of music history beginning around 1750 and ending around 1820.

Fortepiano

An early version of the piano.

Melody-dominated homophony

A musical texture in which one part, often the highest, plays a distinct melody, and the accompanying parts provide an underlying accompaniment.

Balanced phrases

Paired phrases of similar length and rhythm – an antecedent and a consequent.

Antecedent and Consequent

Two phrases, alike in length and rhythm. The second is a concluding response to the first.

Phrase

A unit of melody that has a complete musical sense of its own – ‘a musical sentence’.

Cadence

Two chords at the end of a phrase – ‘musical punctuation’.

Perfect Cadence

Chord V followed by chord I at the end of the phrase. It makes the phrase sound conclusive.

Imperfect Cadence

Chord I followed by chord V at the end of the phrase. It makes the phrase sound unfinished.

Symphony

A large-scale composition for orchestra, developed during the Classical Period and normally in 4 movements.

Movement

A self-contained unit of music, complete in itself, that can stand alone or be joined with others in a larger work, such a symphony or a concerto.

Minuet

A dance in 3/4 time.

Conductor

A person who leads the orchestra in how to interpret music and stay in time.

String Section

The string section of the orchestra. In the Classical period it was made up of the Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass.

Woodwind Section

The woodwind section of the orchestra. In the Classical period it was made up of the Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon

Brass Section

The brass section of the orchestra. In the Classical period it was made up of the Horn and Trumpet

Concerto

A composition for a solo instrument, accompanied by an orchestra.

Rondo

A structure containing a repeating section, which alternates with contrasting sections – ABACADA.

Sonata

A large-scale composition for a soloist, often a piano or an instrument with a piano accompaniment, typically in several movements.

Alberti bass

A broken chord accompaniment, common in the second half of the C18th and named after Domenico Alberti.

Broken chord

A pattern in which the notes of a chord are played singly in a figuration, rather than together.

Musical Development

The way in which musical ideas are transformed over the course of a composition.

Western Classical Music

‘Art music’ from European countries. The years between 1600 and 1910 were very important in the development of WCM.

The Baroque Period

An era of music history beginning around 1600 and ending around 1750.

Polyphonic / Contrapuntal

When multiple different melodies sound at the same time. Also, when the same melody is heard at slightly different times, so that entries overlap in canon.

Harpsichord

A keyboard instrument with strings that are plucked, creating a ‘twangy’ sound.

Basso Continuo

A part given to instruments that play a bass line and chords to accompany a melody, usually the bass viol and harpsichord.

Passing notes

A non-chord note, which moves between two chord notes by step.

Staccato

Italian for 'detached'. It is indicated by short vertical strokes or dots above or below the note.

Legato

Italian for 'linked together'. It means that notes should be played smoothly, without separation.

Slur

A curved line between notes, indicating that they are to be played without separation.

Sequence

A pattern of musical notes that are repeated at a different pitch.

Countermelody

A secondary melody that is sung or played in counterpoint with the original melody.

Ornaments

Extra notes which decorate the music.

Trill

A rapid alternation between two adjacent notes, usually a semitone or tone apart.

Upper mordent

An ornament formed by playing a note, the note above and then returning to the first note.

Lower mordent

An ornament formed by playing a note, the note below and then returning to the first note.

Acciaccaturas

An ornament written using a small note with a stroke through it. It is played as quickly as possible before moving to the next note.

Ripieno

The main body of instruments in a Baroque ensemble.

Bass Viol

A bowed, fretted, stringed instrument which resembles a cello. It has six strings, sloped shoulders and a flat back.

Recorder

An instrument from the woodwind family. It is blown at the top and the player covers and uncovers holes with their fingers to change pitch.

Baroque Violin

An instrument from the string family. It is similar to the modern violin but has a slightly shorter fingerboard and is played with a tapered bow.

Baroque Flute

An instrument from the woodwind family. It is made from wood and has six holes, which are covered and uncovered with the fingers to change pitch.

Baroque Trumpet

An instrument from the brass family. It differs from the modern trumpet in that it is longer and doesn’t have any valves.

Canon

A piece or section of music where voices or instrumental parts sing or play the same music but starting at different times, so that they overlap.

Imitation

When a melody in one part is repeated a few notes later in a different part, overlapping the melody in the first part which continues.

Accompaniment

An instrumental or vocal part designed to support or complement a melody.

Ground Bass

A bass line which is repeated throughout a piece, around which other parts change.

Chord

Two or more notes played together.

Bass Clef

A symbol placed at the start of a stave to indicate low pitch.

Triad

A chord consisting of three notes: a root, a third and a fifth.

Root

The note which gives its name to a triad.

Third

The middle note of a triad; a third above the root.

Fifth

The top note of a triad; a fifth above the root.

Inversion

A triad which does not have the root as its lowest note.

Arpeggiation

A chord played as a succession of notes.