key words

Question 1

timbre

Answer 1

tone colour of a musical sound. e.g. a flute sounds different to a trumpet

Question 2

pizzicato

Answer 2

plucking on a string instrument

Question 3

double stopping

Answer 3

playing two notes at the same time on a string instrument

Question 4

cul legno

Answer 4

using the wooden side of the bow

Question 5

harmonics

Answer 5

touching a string very lightly when played - it produces a high, pure sound

Question 6

tremelo

Answer 6

fast up and down bow movements on a string instrument

Question 7

vibrato

Answer 7

small, rapid undulations in pitch used by string and woodwind players

Question 8

mutes

Answer 8

can be used to change the timbre of brass and string instruments to be softer

Question 9

glissando

Answer 9

sliding between notes

Question 10

flutter tonguing

Answer 10

rolling the letter R while blowing a wind instrument

Question 11

finger-picking

Answer 11

plucking strings individually as opposed to strumming a group of strings

Question 12

syllabic

Answer 12

one note per syllable

Question 13

melismatic

Answer 13

multiple notes per syllable

Question 14

parlando

Answer 14

sing in a style that resembles speaking

Question 15

sprechgesang

Answer 15

‘speech-song’ half spoken half sung

Question 16

vocalising

Answer 16

singing vowel sounds not words, similar to scatting

Question 17

monophony

Answer 17

a single unaccompanied melody, can be in octaves

Question 18

heterophony

Answer 18

a melody and decorated melody played together

Question 19

homophony

Answer 19

one part has the main melody while the others accompany

Question 20

melody and accompniament

Answer 20

similar to homophony although the accompanying part has some independence, working with the melody and interweaving

Question 21

counterpoint

Answer 21

two or more melodies with independent rhythms, having a contrapuntal texture

Question 22

antiphony

Answer 22

groups of singers/instruments playing alternately, widely separated

Question 23

dialogue

Answer 23

a musical idea passes from one part to another

Question 24

counter melody

Answer 24

two tunes playing at the same time, working in counterpoint with the other melody

Question 25

doubling

Answer 25

playing the same melody in unison or octaves

Question 26

tutti

Answer 26

everyone plays

Question 27

ostinato

Answer 27

melodic or rhythmic pattern that is repeated throughout a passage of music

Question 28

pedal

Answer 28

a sustained or repeated note

Question 29

canon

Answer 29

a melody fits with itself in a different part but starting a few beats later, e.g. pacabells canon

Question 30

imitation

Answer 30

a melody idea is copied immediately by another part

Question 31

fugue

Answer 31

a melody that is introduced by each part in turn, continuing on to a countersubject