MUS 121 Final Exam Questions And Correct Answers
Pitch
is the relative highness or lowness that we hear in a sound. No doubt you've noticed that most men speak and sing in a lower range of pitches than women or children do.
Interval
distance in pitch between any two tones
Octave
interval be...
MUS 121 Final Exam Questions And
Correct Answers
Pitch
is the relative highness or lowness that we hear in a sound. No doubt you've noticed
that most men speak and sing in a lower range of pitches than women or children do.
Interval
distance in pitch between any two tones
Octave
interval between two tones in which the higher tone has twice the frequency of the lower
tone
Dynamics
degrees of loudness or softness in music
Crescendo
gradually louder
Diminuendo
gradually softer
Tone color
succession of varying tone colors serving as a musical idea in a composition, used by
Schoenberg and his followers
Timbre
quality of sound that distinguishes one instrument or voice from another
voice ranges female; soprano
female voice of high range
voice ranges female; alto
female voice of low range
voice ranges male; tenor
male voice of high range
Instrument families: strings
instrument whose sound is produced by the vibration of strings
Instrument families: woodwinds
instrument whose sound is produced by vibrations of air in a tube; holes along the
length of tube are opened and closed by the fingers, or by pads, to control pitch.
Instrument families: percussion (unpitched & pitched)
instrument of definite or indefinite pitch whose sound is produced by striking by hand, or
with a stick or hammer, or by shaking or rubbing.
Instrument families: brass
Instrument, made of brass or silver, whose sound is produced by the vibrations of the
player's lips as he or she blows into a cup- or funnel-shaped mouthpiece. The vibrations
are amplified and colored in a tube that is flared at the end
voice ranges male; bass
male voice of low range
Instrument families: Keyboard instruments
,instrument, such as the piano, organ, or harpsichord-- played by pressing a series of
keys with the fingers.
Instrument families: Electronic Instruments
instrument whose sound is produced, modified, or amplified by electronic means.
Beat
regular, recurrent pulsation that divides music into equal units of time
Meter
organization of beats into regular groups
Tempo
basic pace of the music
Melody
series of single tones that add up to recognizable whole
Step
interval between two adjacent tones in the scale
Leap
interval larger than that between two adjacent tones in the scale.
Phrase
part of a melody
Consonance
tone combination that is stable and restful
Dissonance
tone combination that is unstable and tense
Harmony
how chords are constructed and how they follow each other.
Chord
combination of three or more tones sounded at once.
Major scale
series of seven different tones within an octave, with an eighth tone repeating the fist
tone an octave higher, consisting of a specific pattern of whole and half steps; the whole
step between the second and third tones is characteristic.
Chromatic scale
scale including all twelve tones of the octave; each tone is a half step away from the
next one.
Monophonic textures
single melodic line without accompaniment
Homophonic textures
term describing music in which one main melody is accompanied by chords
Polyphonic textures
performance of two or more melodic lines of relatively equal interest at the same time.
Aspects of Form: Repitition
reiteration of a motive, phrase, or section, often used to create a sense of unity.
aspects of form; contrast
striking differences of pitch, dynamics, rhythm, and tempo that provide variety and
change of mood
aspects of form; variation
changing some features of a musical idea while retaining others
,Ternary
Three-part (ternary) form: A B A′
Binary
Two-part form, gives a sense of statement (A) and counterstatement (B). Usually, the
compositon in two-part form repeat both parts: A A B B.
Characteristicis of Baroque music: unity of mood
A baroque piece usually expresses one basic mood: what begins joyully will remain
joyful throughout.. (Read p. 122-123, 153)
Characteristics of Baroque music: Continuity of rhythm within a singe piece
Unity of mood in baroque music in conveyed, first of all, by continuity of rhythm.
Rhythmic patterns heard at the beginning of a piece are repeated throughout it. This
rhythmic continuity provides a compelling drive and energy-the forward motion is rarely
interrupted. The beat, for example, is emphasized far more in baroque music than in
most Renaissance music.
Characteristics of Baroque music: Opening melody heard
again and again
Baroque melody also creates a feeling of continuity. An opening melody will be heard
again and agian in the course of a baroque piece. and even when a melody is
presented in varied form, its character tends to remain constsant. There is a continuous
expanding, unfolding, and unwinding of melody.
Characteristics of Baroque music:Terraced dynamics -
why?
This alternation between loud and soft is called terraced dynamics; Gradual changes
through crescendo and decrescendo are not prominent features of baroque music.
However, singers and instrumentalists no doubt made some subtle dynamic inflections
for expressive purposes.
Characteristics of Baroque music:Predominant texture:
Early Baroque:Homophonic
Early baroque composers favored homophonic texture over polyphnic texture typical of
Renaissance music. They felt that words could be projected more clearly by using just
one main melody with a chordal accompaniment.
Characteristics of Baroque music: Predominant texture: Late Baroque:
Polyphonic
two or more melodic lines compete for listener's attention. Usually, the soprano and
bass lines are the most important. Imitation between the various lines, or "voices," of the
texture is very common. A melodic idea heard in one voice is likely to make an
apperance in the other voices as well.
When was the Baroque Era?
1600-1750
Improvisation
creation of music at the same time as it is performed
Basso continuo
Baroque accompaniment made up of a bass part usually played by two instruments: a
keyboard plus a low melodic instrument
Figured bass
, bass part of a baroque accompaniment with figures (numbers) above it indiciating the
chords to be played.
Equal temperament
Equal temperament, in music, a tuning system in which the octave is divided into 12
semitones of equal size.
Castrato
male singer castrated before puberty to retain a high voice range; the most important
category of vocal soloists in opera during the baroque period
Opera
drama that is sung to orchestral accompaniment, usualy a large-scale composition
emplying vocal soloists, chorus, orchestra, costumes, and scenery
Libretto
text of an opera
Aria
song for a solo voice with orchestral accompaniment, usually expressing an emotional
state through its outpouring of melody; found in operas, oratorios, and cantatas.
Recitative
Vocal line in an opera, oratorio, or cantata that imitates the rhythms and pitch
fluctuations of speech, often serving to lead into an aria.
Secular cantata
Composition in several movements, usually written for chorus, one or more vocal
soloists, and instrumental ensemble. Chamber canta styles
Sacred cantata
Composition in several movements, usually written for chorus, one or more vocal
soloists, and instrumental ensemble. the church cantata for the LUtheran service in
Germany during the baroque period often includes chorales.
Chorale
Hymn tune sung to a German religious text
Oratorio
Large scale composition for chorus, vocal soloists, an orchestra, usually set to a
narrative text, but without acting, scenery, or costumes; often based on biblical stories
Movement (of a composition)
Piece that sounds fairly complete and independent but is part of a larger composition
Concerto Grosso
Composition for several instrumental soloists and small orchestra ; common in late
baroque music
Ritornello form
Compositional form usually employed in baroque concerto grosso, in which the tutti
plays a ritornello, or refrain, alternating with one or more soloists playing new material
Fugue
Polyphonic composition based on one main theme, or subject
Solo concerto
A piece for a single solists and an orchestra
Suite
In baroque music, a set of dance-inspired movements all written in the same key but
differing in tempo, meter, and character
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