Theory

Question 1

Melody

Answer 1

Linear sequence of notes - combination between pitch and rhythm

Question 2

Intervals

Answer 2

Distance between two pitches

Question 3

Arpeggios

Answer 3

Rising and falling melodies that use the notes of a chord.

Question 4

Notes on a stave

Answer 4

Lines - EGBDF

Spaces - FACE

Question 5

Decoration

Answer 5

Trill (Two notes next to eachother played v. fast) Acciaccatura (Very quick note that doesnt eat into the value of the main note) Appogiatura (eats into the note value - leaning on it) and Mordents (Play the note and then the one above, then back to the original.)

Question 6

General characteristics of melodies in the baroque period

Answer 6

Melodies moved from being based on modes to major or minor scales. This took place over a long period of time, but by the end of the Baroque period the 12-key system that we know today was established.
Melodies were based on motifs, which were often repeated and developed.
Melodies became longer - especially those of Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frederick Handel - and ends of phrases merged into the starts of new ones.

Question 7

Motif

Answer 7

A piece of music tied to a character or theme

Question 8

Imitation

Answer 8

Where one musical part copies another.

Question 9

Classical period melodies

Answer 9

Melodies were diatonic with the occasional chromaticism
Phrase lengths were even - usually four or eight bars long.
Balanced phrases - a question phrase was answered by a phrase of a similar length and rhythm.
A lot of Josef Haydn’s melodies were monothematic, ie melodies that evolved and developed out of a short musical idea.
Appoggiaturas were commonly used in Classical melodies, especially those written by Mozart.
Passing notes were frequently used to decorate melodies.

Question 10

Romantic melodies

Answer 10

The range of the melodies was larger than in earlier periods.
Composers would use extreme ranges of instruments to make their music more expressive. The introduction of extended instruments - eg a piccolo - also encouraged melodies with wider ranges.
Melodies were generally diatonic but chromatic passages became much more frequent than in earlier periods.
Melodies were lyrical and had longer phrases over more advanced harmonies than in the Classical period.
Leitmotif was used in programme music and operas to represent a theme, character or mood.
The rise of the virtuoso encouraged fast and exciting melodies.

Question 11

Triads

Answer 11

Chord of 3 notes.

Question 12

Dominant and subdominant chords

Answer 12

Chords built on the first, 4th and 5th degrees of a scale are all major. Chord built on the I is the tonic. Chord built on the 4th is subdominant, and the V is the dominant

Question 13

Sevenths

Answer 13

A seventh note in the scale added to the chord

Question 14

Types of chord

Answer 14

Concord - All the notes agree with eachother, feels complete

Discordc- Chord where notes clash

Diatonic - Notes outside of a key

Chromatic - Uses notes outside a key to give more colour to chords.

Question 15

Cadence

Answer 15

Formed by two chords at the end of a passage

Question 16

Perfect cadence

Answer 16

Feels like music has come to an end, chords V and I

Question 17

Interrupted cadences

Answer 17

You think you’ll get a perfect cadence but you get a minor chord instead

Question 18

Imperfect cadences

Answer 18

Sound unfinished, ends on a V chord

Question 19

Tierce de picardie

Answer 19

When the cadence of a minor key piece ends with a major instead of the expected minor.

Question 20

Modulation

Answer 20

When a song changes key, will most likely modulate to a closely related key

Question 21

Drone

Answer 21

Repeated chord or held chord, usually a bare fith

Question 22

Pedal

Answer 22

Single note that is held or repeated in the bass

Question 23

General characteristics of harmony and melody in the baroque period

Answer 23

Composed using modes, move to using 12 major and minor keys took place during the mid to late baroque period. Chords were usually diatonic, and the use of ground bass was common

Question 24

Classical period - Harmony and tonality

Answer 24

Tonality was diatonic - in a major or minor key.
Diatonic chords - mainly the primary chords - were used, with occasional chromaticisms.
Regular cadences were used to punctuate balanced classical phrases.
The two main chords were the tonic and dominant chords - chords I and V - with some diminished seventh chords.
Music often modulated to closely related keys.