Untitled Flashcards Set

Contour: the general directional pattern formed by a melody or melodic fragment from the first important pitch to the last

Chromatic tendency tone: accidental serving to create a half step between that tone and the next

Real sequence: intervallically exact transpositions of a musical idea

Resolve/resolution: to move to a more stable tone

Sequence: the immediate or nearly immediate restatement of a melodic idea by the same instrument or voice part, but at a different pitch level

Tendency tone: pitches that have a strong inclination to move in a specific direction

Tonal sequence: precise interval quality in each sequence statement is not retained (diatonic)

Modified sequence:  slight change in rhythm or pitch other than those necessary to remain diatonic in the key

Partial sequence: Over half of the sequence replicated and then cut off

Large scale arpeggiation: chordal outlining involving non adjacent pitches (often primary tones) over the course of several measures

Melodic prolongation: like pedal point, anchor point of notes, usually tonic

Step progression: a sense of overall direction is imparted to a melody when there is a clear relationship between its more important pitches, this relationship often proves to be a stepwise. (scalur)

Melodic reduction: a representation of a melody using different symbols is termed a melodic reduction

Primary tone: focal pitches, they are pitches toward, from, or around which the other pitches move, they tend to be (half note)

-            Longer and/or metrically stronger than the others’

-            More important by virtue of the position they occupy in the passage

-            Supported by the underlying harmonic structure

Embellishing tone: normally the shortest in duration and usually have a stepwise relationship to more important tones (note head)

Secondary tone: pitches that lie somewhere between primary tones and embellishing tones in the melodic hierarchy (quarter note)

Melodic Units: individual components of a melodic line

Motive – consists of 3 to eight notes bound together in a distinctive rhythmic pattern

Phrase: larger unit, typically fou to eight measures in length in which musical ideas are developed into more complete thoughts

Phrase members: units often two measures in length which, in combination, create phrases

Cadential elision: the end of one phrase and the beginning of the next coincide, replacing the cadence

Cadential extension: expansion of a phrase at its cadence by emphasizing and prolonging the final pitch or chord (usually the tonic or dominant) for an extra measure or so

Internal extension: repetition or sequencing

Asymmetric period: periods containing phrases of different lengths

Contrasting period: the phrases differ, usually in contour and rhythm and possible in length as well

Double period: four phrase unit in which the final phrase ends more conclusively than any of the preceding phrases

modulating period: consists of two (and sometimes 3 phrases)

Parallel period: phrases begin in a similar or identical manner and are usually alike in contour and rhythm, but the final phrase ends more conclusively than the first

Period: a unit comprising two (sometimes three) phrases, in which the final phrase provides a greater sense of completion than the first.

Phrase groups: phrases heard to form a larger unit by virtue of such considerations as m,otivic or textural consistency

Symmetric period: periods containing phrases of the same length