Classical Music Vocabulary

Question 1

Historical style period

Answer 1

A convention of dividing up music history into style periods. These style periods are defined by dates, and each style period has its musical values and traditions.

Question 2

Genre

Answer 2

For this class, this term refers to what kind of music is being heard. It can refer to instrumentation, size of ensemble, artistic intent, or other ideas.

Question 3

Instrumental music

Answer 3

Uses only instruments to create sounds

Question 4

Vocal music

Answer 4

Uses voices to create music. Can be voices alone, or with instruments.

Question 5

A Capella

Answer 5

Refers to music that is sung by voices with no instruments. It is voices singing alone.

Question 6

Chamber music

Answer 6

Refers to music performed by a small ensemble (less than 12 musicians), and has no conductor. Musicians rely on each other for guidance and inspiration in rehearsal and performance.

Question 7

Conductor

Answer 7

A person that leads large ensembles through non-verbal communication. Hand and arm movements are used to communicate and motivate musicians in rehearsal and performance.

Question 8

Sacred

Answer 8

Refers to music that has a religious or worship intent

Question 9

Secular

Answer 9

Refers to music that is not religious in intent

Question 10

Programmatic music

Answer 10

Refers to music that is intended to tell a story, or give specific images to the listener through its sounds.

Question 11

Absolute music

Answer 11

Refers to music that has no plot, story, or specific meaning. The meaning is meant to be imagined by the listener.

Question 12

Movement

Answer 12

A self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form. While individual or selected movements from a composition are sometimes performed separately, a performance of the complete work requires all the movements to be performed in succession.

Question 13

Classical music

Answer 13

Refers to around 1200 years of music! It is a kind of concert music that uses instruments, voices, or both.

Question 14

Descriptive (or narrative) titles

Answer 14

Give an image or idea about what the music is about.

Night on Bald Mountain, The Watergoblin, and An Alpine Symphony are all examples of descriptive titles.

Question 15

Generic titles

Answer 15

Seem like a catalog name. They have generic names and numbers. An example of a generic title might be:

Symphony No. 5 in c minor, Op.67.  
Allegro con brio
Andante con moto
Scherzo  Allegro
Allegro

Question 16

The key

Answer 16

This tells the audience what pitches the composer used as ingredients for the music.

Question 17

The opus number

Answer 17

Opus numbers are used to catalog the published works of a composer in chronological order. In our example, this would be the 67th piece published by this composer. Opus numbers are not always used. Sometimes a composer is studied so much, they have a special catalog number system just for them selves. For example Mozart has “K” numbers.

Question 18

Medieval

Answer 18

400-1400 (that’s 1000 years of music!)

Question 19

Renaissance

Answer 19

1400-1600

Question 20

Baroque

Answer 20

1600-1750

Question 21

Romantic

Answer 21

1820-1900

Question 22

20th Century

Answer 22

1900-present

Question 23

Classical

Answer 23

1750-1820

Question 24

A symphony

Answer 24

1. It can refer to an actual orchestra.
   “I’m going to go hear the symphony this weekend.”
2. “Symphony” can refer to a piece of music written for an orchestra. It is usually a piece of music in several sections, and can be either absolute or programmatic. There is a specific design, almost a formula, for the symphony. Some of the most admired music for orchestras are symphonies.

Question 25

Concerto

Answer 25

A concerto is a piece of music that usually features a solo instrument, and the orchestra (or band) is the accompaniment. Sometimes more than one solo instrument is featured, but usually it is just one soloist.

Question 26

String quartets (which is chamber music)

Answer 26

Uses 2 violins, 1 viola, and 1 cello. A string quartet can also have two different meanings, just like the symphony above. It can refer to the actual instruments, or it can refer to the music they are playing.

Question 27

Orchestral Music

Answer 27

This ensemble has been in existence for around 400 years. The typical orchestra uses strings (violins, viola, cello and bass), woodwinds (flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon), brass (horn, trumpet, trombone, and tuba), and percussion (timpani, drums, cymbals, triable, and more).

Question 28

Tone Poem

Answer 28

A tone poem is programmatic, and is meant to use the orchestra in telling a story. Sometimes the story is very specific, with a plot and characters. Sometimes the story is more general and ambiguous.

Question 29

Sonata

Answer 29

Like a symphony, but usually for solo piano, or a solo instrument with piano.

Question 30

Woodwind Quintet

Answer 30

Flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn.

Question 31

Brass Quintet

Answer 31

2 trumpets, horn, trombone, and tuba.

Question 32

Madrigal

Answer 32

Usually a song for several voices in separate parts. It was very common and popular in the Renaissance style period. They often used intricate polyphonic textures, and clever settings of text.

Question 33

Art Song

Answer 33

Is usually for solo voice and piano. It is often in German, but can be in other languages.

Question 34

Mass

Answer 34

A mass is a church service set to music. It is a formal service with several different sections, and was usually intended to be a sung church service. There are many kinds of masses - for funerals, Christmas, Easter, and other important Christian church events. Now days it is also common to hear a mass sung in a concert setting, not only in church services.

Question 35

Cantata

Answer 35

Usually sacred in intent, a cantata uses choir, solo voice, and orchestra. The music usually focuses on a specific hymn or sacred text as the central meaning. There are usually several sections to cantata.

Question 36

Oratorio

Answer 36

Very similar to a cantata or mass- oratorio are usually sacred, and tell a story. They are not acted out like a play or opera. Usually oratorio are lengthy, and use a larger orchestra and choir in performance.

Question 37

Ballet

Answer 37

Ballet is a kind of formal dance. It often uses orchestras to provide music, as dancers perform on a stage. The orchestra is often in an area in front of, or below the stage - called “the pit.” There are many kinds of ballet dancing, some traditional and some very modern. Ballet can be programmatic, or just absolute.

Question 38

Opera

Answer 38

For centuries, opera was the ultimate in performing arts and entertainment. Opera combines story, acting, singing, music, costumes, sets, and sometimes dance. For many people opera is a complete and comprehensive art. Opera can be serious or comic. Opera can be in almost any language. Opera was born in Europe, but is now an admired by the world.

Question 39

Musical Theater

Answer 39

Similar to opera, musicals combine acting and elements of drama with singing. Musicals tend to include times when there is speaking - and have no music. Musical theater singers also tend to sing in a different style than opera singers. Musical theater was born out of a more casual, vaudevillian kind of performing, but some argue that there are some ancient music dramas similar to modern musicals. New York City and London seem to be the key places for musical theater development and performance.

Question 40

Film

Answer 40

Music has been used in motion pictures almost since the creation of film. Even silent films often had live musicians accompanying the film, to embellish the action and plot. Music is film can help convey the emotion and action, it can help define the characters, and it can give the audience clues to what is about to happen. One of the most successful film composers is John Williams.