Exam Terms Flashcards
(145 cards)
1
Q
A cappella
A
Performance by voices without instrumental accompaniment
2
Q
Alternatim
A
Alternation of polyphony and Gregorian chant, common in Magnificats
3
Q
Anthem
A
English-language setting of a sacred text; Anglican Protestant equivalent of a Catholic motet
4
Q
Ars antiqua
A
Style of sacred music during the High Middle Ages, including Notre-Dame school of polyphony and the development of the motet
5
Q
Ars nova
A
Style of 14th-century polyphonic music; characterized by greater expressiveness and more prevalent isorhythm
6
Q
Ballett
A
Secular genre in England and Italy; homophonic, repeated sections of music, dance qualities, fa-la-la refrains
7
Q
Basso continuo
A
Independent melodic bass line in vocal compositions; synonymous with figured bass
8
Q
Basso seguente
A
Predecessor of basso continuo: instrumental bass duplicates the lowest vocal part
9
Q
Cantoris
A
In cor spezzati, cantoris is on the left/cantor’s side
10
Q
Decani
A
In cor spezzati, decani is on the right/deacon’s side
11
Q
Cantus firmus
A
One voice part, usually tenor, set in longer note values than other parts, often from a preexisting melody
12
Q
Canzonetta
A
Secular genre in England and Italy; predominant melody in topmost part of vocal texture
13
Q
Catch
A
English round set to a humorous or crude text and scored for three male voices
14
Q
Cecilian
A
Related to the motet style of Palestrina
15
Q
Chanson
A
Secular composition set to French text; meant for performance by soloists in ensemble; counterpart to the Italian Madrigal
16
Q
Cor spezzati
A
Denotes polychoral works for broken or divided choirs to be separated spatially in performance; popular at St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice
17
Q
Colla parte
A
“With the parts,” designates instruments that should play from and with vocal parts
18
Q
Collegium Musicum
A
Society of amateur musicians, such as a college or university, that presents regular concerts
19
Q
Color
A
In isorhythm, phrases that were repeated with identical rhythms and melodies
20
Q
Concert spirituel
A
First public concert society in France, est. 1725
21
Q
Contrafactum
A
Vocal work where new text, usually sacred, has been substituted for the original text, usually secular
22
Q
Contratenor
A
Male alto part in England
23
Q
Council of Trent
A
Part of the Counter-Reformation; mandated intelligibility of text in all sacred music; promoted syllabic and declamatory musical settings
24
Q
Counterpoint
A
Combination of multiple melodic lines, usually in fugal arrangement
25
Counter-Reformation
Catholic resurgence and reform in response to the Protestant Reformation
26
Countertenor
General term for a male alto
27
Cyclic Mass
In which each movement begins with the same material and is then developed
28
Discant
Medieval style in which all parts move at the same speed; Renaissance developments included melodically prominent upper part
29
Fauxbourdon
Technique in which parts move in parallel motion
30
Fioritura
Complex embellishment of melodic lines
31
Formes fixes
Secular compositional structures with repeated verse and refrain schemes
32
Frottola
Secular genre with humorous or crude text; homophonic, solo SATB voices
33
Full anthem
Scored for a cappella chorus, without soloists or instrumental
34
Gentleman of the Chapel Royal
Adult male singer in English royal chapel, highest rank for a musician in England
35
Grand motet
Large, multimovement French motet
36
Haute-contre
French term for countertenor
37
Head motif
Group of 4-6 notes used as a unifying device at the beginning of Cyclic Mass Ordinary movements
38
Hemiola
Substitution creating a two-against-three rhythm
39
Historia, historiae
German settings of the nativity, passion, and resurrection stories
40
Hocket
Medieval comp device using quick alternation of notes between two voices
41
Homophony
Vertical/chordal texture of music, as opposed to polyphony/counterpoint
42
Incipit
Indicates short chant fragment that begins the Gloria, Credo, or other compositions
43
Intermedii
Musical interludes for soloists and chorus between acts of spoken plays in Italy
44
Isorhythm
Medieval structure involving repetition of phrases - talea and color
45
Kantorei
Singers and instrumentalists in a German chapel, court, or cathedral
46
Kapellmeister
German for "chapel master"
47
Lai
Monophonic secular song of Medieval era
48
Lamentations
Renaissance musical settings of verses from BOL, important element of Holy Week services
49
Lauda
Nonliturgical, monophonic, sacred composition; syllabic, verse/refrain format, Italian text
50
L'homme arme
Extremely popular Renaissance chanson melody upon which many masses were based
51
Liber usualis
Book of chants used in Roman Catholic liturgies and offices
52
Lied
German song characterized by homophony, predominant melody in top voice and accompanimental texture in lower voices
53
Madrigal
Small-scale Italian secular composition scored for solo voices in ensemble
54
Maestro della musica
Italian musical master of a court
55
Maestro di cappella
Italian musical master of a chapel or cathedral
56
Magnificat
Musical setting of text from Luke - "My soul magnifies the Lord"
57
Maitre de chapelle
Highest musical position in a French chapel
58
Maitre de musique
Highest musical position in a French court or cathedral
59
Maitre des enfants
Master of the choristers
60
Mass Ordinary
Elements of the mass that remain consistent: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei
61
Mass Proper
Variable based on day or season: Introit, Gradual, Alleluia/Tract, Sequence, Offertory, Communion
62
Mean
Soprano voice part in England, lower than treble
63
Melisma
Long group of notes set to a single syllable of text
64
Monody
Monophonic melodic line, usually accompanied by basso continuo
65
Monophony
Single unaccompanied melodic line, such as Gregorian chant
66
Montpelier Codex
Compilation/source of 13th-century French polyphony
67
Motet
Genre set to a sacred Latin text, scored for chorus in imitative style
68
Musica ficta
Process of raising notated pitches by a half step to avoid tritones and reach cadences by half steps
69
Musica reservata
Compositions that set texts in an expressive manner without overt word painting
70
Musica Transalpina
Collection of translated Italian madrigals published in England that led to the development of the English Madrigal
71
Musique mesuree
In chansons, long and short rhythmic values that correspond to accented and unaccented syllables of text
72
Neume
A note in Gregorian chant
73
Note nere
Comp style common to later Italian Madrigals, characterized by black notes (quarter and eighth) as opposed to white notes (half and whole)
74
Odhecaton
Harmonice Musices Odhecaton - anthology of polyphonic secular songs published by Ottaviano Petrucci in 1501 in Venice
75
Old Hall Manuscript
Collection of late 14th and early 15th century English sacred music
76
Organum
Medieval comp style in which improvised voice followed an existing liturgical chant melody
77
Ostinato
Pattern of notes repeated consecutively at least several times
78
Paired duets
Imitation between a pair of high voices and a pair of low voices; commonly used by Josquin Desprez
79
Paraphrase
Freely composed melody based upon a pre-existing melody, usually a chant
80
Paraphrase Mass
In which one voice is set to borrowed material, and other voices contain newly composed material
81
Parody Mass
Based upon all voice parts of a previously composed piece of music
82
Parisian Chanson
homophonic style of chanson popularized by publisher Pierre Attaingnant
83
Passagio
Melismas that are fast in tempo and require virtuosic skills
84
Passion
Oratorio based on the crucifixion story
85
Pastorale
A play that incorporates songs and choruses
86
Petit motet
Small-scale French motet scored for soloists and basso continuo; counterpart to grand motet
87
Point of imitation
Section of music, set to one text phrase, that all parts imitate in melody and rhythm; most common in the Late Renaissance
88
Programmatic chanson
Narrative chansons that featured onomatopoeic sounds, such as those by Janequin.
89
Polyphony
Multiple lines of music, each of which maintains independence
90
Polytextuality
Medieval comp practice of two or more texts, often in different languages, occurring in the same piece
91
Prima prattica
In which polyphony was treated as more important than text; characterized by imitative polyphony, scored for voices a cappella, or voices with nonindependent basso continuo
92
Quodlibet
Composition in which multiple preexisting melodies appear successively or simultaneously
93
Reformation
Theological movement that marked the beginning of Protestantism and brought about the use of vernacular in religious compositions
94
Requiem
Or Missa pro defunctis - a mass for the dead
95
Responsorial
Alternation of a soloist(s) and chorus
96
Ritornello
Short, usually instrumental passage of music that recurs as an interlude
97
Sackbut
Early form of trombone, used in colla parte accompaniment
98
Sarum chant
Used primarily at Salisbury Cathedral in England between 13th and 15th centuries
99
Seconda prattica
In which text was prioritized over melody and rhythm; characterized by vertical texture, scoring for soloists and chorus, independent basso continuo accomp
100
Sequence
Medieval trope inserted between phrases of liturgical chant
101
Sine nomine
Style of Renaissance mass with no identified source of compositional material
102
Si placet
Indicates that vocal and instrumental scoring should be based on resources at hand or personal preference
103
Soggeto Cavato
Cantus firmus constructed of pitches that correspond to vowels of a name
104
Soggeto Cavato Mass
Style of mass in which cantus firmus is constructed of pitches that correspond to the vowels of a name
105
Stile antico
Baroque term for the Renaissance prima prattica style
106
Strophic
Multiple verses of text set to the same music
107
Tactus
Basic metrical unit in medieval music
108
Taille
French term for tenor
109
Talea
In isorhythm, phrases that were repeated with identical rhythms but different melodies
110
Te Deum
Celebratory musical setting of sacred text "Te Deum laudamus, te Dominum confitemur"
111
Tessitura
Range of a vocal or instrumental part
112
Through-composed
Style of comp characterized by continuous flow of new music, without sectional repeats
113
Treble
Highest voice part in the soprano range
114
Trope
Medieval practice of new music inserted between phrases of liturgical chant
115
Treatise
A publication that reports/explains current compositional practice and music theory
116
Trent Codices
Collection of manuscripts compiled in the 15th century in Italy
117
Tudor
Era in the English monarchy between the late 1400s and ~1600
118
Tutti
Performance by all vocal/instrumental forces of a composition
119
Verse anthem
Scored for soloists, chorus, and accompaniment (either organ or consort of viols)
120
Villancico
Spanish genre characterized by coplas (verses) and estribillo (refrain); strophic and homophonic; usually secular in early Renaissance and sacred in late Renaissance
121
Villanella
Italian secular genre in late Renaissance; strophic, three voices with prominent melody in top voice
122
Viol
Any fretted and bowed instrument
123
Viol da gamba
Viol played on or between the legs
124
Voice exchange
Scoring of two voices in same vocal range that exchange melodic passages
125
Word painting
Effect created by musical figures that illustrate textual words or phrases
126
Cantata (early and late)
Early: secular text, solo voices, and basso continuo
Late: sacred text, solos, chorus, and instruments
127
Chorale
Hymn used in the Lutheran Church
128
Concertato
Style that employs contrast between smaller (concertino) and larger (concerto grosso) performing forces
129
Concerto Grosso
Larger force of a concertato - chorus and full instrumentation
130
Da capo
Indication of repeated A section in ABA structure
131
Figured bass
Notation of chords to be realized above basso continuo
132
Historicus
The evangelist or narrator in an oratorio
133
Messa di voce
Swelling and decreasing the volume of single notes
134
Oboe da caccia
Baroque oboe in tenor range
135
Oboe d'amore
Baroque oboe in alto range
136
Ode
Secular poetry, scored for soloists, chorus, and instruments, and often celebrating special occasions
137
Oratorio
Multimovement setting of a sacred dramatic/moral text for soloists, chorus, and instruments
138
Oratory
Building or area of church where oratorio performances were given
139
Recitative
Style in which solo voice emulates natural speech
140
Stile concertato
Style employing contrast between larger and smaller performing forces
141
Stile moderno
Seconda prattica
Text prioritized over music
142
Stile rappresentativo
Freedom of rhythm to emulate natural speech patterns
143
Theorbo
Large bass lute used as basso continuo
144
Viola d'amore
Viol with range of a modern viola
145
