RCM Level 8 History

morality play

genre created in the Middle Ages combining drama and music

used allegorical characters to teach lessons and portray desirable behaviour

monophonic texture

a single line of unaccompanied melody

plainchant

a sacred genre representing the earliest form of notated Western art music

consists of a monophonic modal melody with unmeasured rhythm and Latin text

modes

scale patterns with distinct relationship between whole steps and half steps

served as the source of melody and harmony in the Middle Ages and Renaissance

Hildegard von Bingen - Ordo Virtutum

a monophonic morality play

- spoken male part to represent the devil

- free-flowing rhythm

- modal melodies

polyphonic texture

the combination of two or more independent melodic lines

also known as contrapuntal texture

rota

old English word for a "round"

strict imitation is created through successive entries of a melody in several voices

ostinato

a recurring rhythmic or melodic pattern

Sumer Is Icumen In

a polyphonic vocal work

- six voices

- ostinato in the two bottom voice

- long-short dance like quality

frottola

a popular secular polyphonic vocal genre developed in Italy in the late 15th century

based on playful poems and lighthearted word painting

word painting

musical pictorialization

the music mirrors the meaning of the words through melody, harmony, and rhythm

a cappella

vocal music without instrumental accompaniment

homorhythmic texture

all voices have the same rhythmic pattern, creating blocked chordal style

text is very clear and easy to follow as a result

Josquin des Prez - El grillo

a four-voice frottola

- frequent homorhythmic passage

gamelan

a traditional Javanese instrumental ensemble

features metallophones, gongs, xylophones, drums and voices

metallophones

instruments featuring metal bars of different sizes that are stuck with a variety of mallets

produce a shimmering bell-like sound

raga

literally means "color" or "atmosphere"; provides melodic structure of a composition or performance

a pattern of pitches defined by the number of notes it contains as well as the pattern of intervals

used as basis of extended improvisation

sitar

a multi-stringed plucked instrument with movable frets; similar to a lute or guitar

five strings are used to play melodies, while two strings are used for drone and percussive effects

tala

literally means "claps"; provides rhythmic structure for a composition or performance

a metric cycle or regularly repeating rhythmic phrase that can include from three to over one hundred rhythmic units

often expressed by percussion instruments such as the tabla (pair of drums)