Materials of Music

Question 1

Melody

Answer 1

a line, or the tune, in music

Question 2

Contour

Answer 2

how the melody moves up and down

Question 3

Range

Answer 3

the span from the highest pitch to the lowest pitch

Question 4

Interval

Answer 4

the distance between any two pitches

Question 5

Conjunct

Answer 5

a melody that moves in small, connected intervals

Question 6

Disjunct

Answer 6

a melody that moves by leaps

Question 7

Phrases

Answer 7

the units that make up a melody

Question 8

Cadences

Answer 8

the resting place at the end of a phrase

Question 9

Countermelody

Answer 9

the secondary melody that accompanies the melody

Question 10

Rhythm

Answer 10

what moves music forward in time

Question 11

Meter

Answer 11

marked off in measures, organizes the beats in music

Question 12

What kind of beat do measures often begin with?

Answer 12

measures often begin with a strong downbeat

Question 13

Simple Meters

Answer 13

duple, triple, & quadruple are the most common; each beat is divided into two

Question 14

Compound Meters

Answer 14

divide each beat into three rather than two

Question 15

Syncopation

Answer 15

a deliberate upsetting of the normal pattern of accents

Question 16

Offbeat

Answer 16

the beat in-between two stronger beats

Question 17

Polyrhythm

Answer 17

many rhythms

Question 18

Harmony

Answer 18

the vertical aspects of music: how notes (pitches) sound together

Question 19

Chord

Answer 19

the simultaneous sounding of three or more pitches

Question 20

Tonic

Answer 20

the central pitch around which a melody and its harmonies are built

Question 21

Tonality

Answer 21

the principle of organization around a central note, the tonic

Question 22

Dissonance

Answer 22

a combination of notes that sounds unstable, sometimes harsh, and in need of resolution. introduces conflict and suspense

Question 23

Consonance

Answer 23

an agreeable-sounding combination of notes that provides a sense of relaxation and fulfillment

Question 24

Octave

Answer 24

the interval spanning eight notes of the scale

Question 25

Chromatic Scale

Answer 25

made up of all twelve half steps

Question 26

Diatonic Scale

Answer 26

consists of seven whole and half steps whose patterns form major and minor scales

Question 27

Pentatonic

Answer 27

a five-note scale

Question 28

Texture

Answer 28

the interweaving of the melodic lines with harmony

Question 29

Monophony

Answer 29

a single voice or line without accompaniment

Question 30

Polyphony

Answer 30

a many-voiced texture with different melodic lines

Question 31

Homophony

Answer 31

one melodic voice is prominent over the accompanying lines or voices

Question 32

Imitation

Answer 32

when a melodic idea is presented in one voice, then restated in another

Question 33

Form

Answer 33

the organizing principle in music, its basic elements are repetition, contrast, and variation

Question 34

Strophic Form

Answer 34

repeated music for each stanza of text

Question 35

Through-Composed Form

Answer 35

no large repeated sections

Question 36

Binary Form

Answer 36

A - B

Question 37

Ternary Form

Answer 37

A - B - A

Question 38

Theme

Answer 38

a melodic idea in a large-scale work

Question 39

Sequence

Answer 39

results when a motive is repeated at a different pitch

Question 40

Motives

Answer 40

small, component fragments broken from a theme

Question 41

Ostinato

Answer 41

the repetition of a short melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic pattern

Question 42

Movement

Answer 42

a divided section from large-scale compositions, such as symphonies and sonatas

Question 43

Variation

Answer 43

some aspects of the music are altered but the original is still recognizable

Question 44

Tempo

Answer 44

the rate of speed, or pace, of the music

Question 45

Dynamics

Answer 45

the volume, or how loud or soft the music is played

Question 46

grave

Answer 46

solemn (very, very slow)

Question 47

largo

Answer 47

broad (very slow)

Question 48

adagio

Answer 48

quite slow

Question 49

andante

Answer 49

a walking pace

Question 50

moderato

Answer 50

moderate

Question 51

allegro

Answer 51

fast (cheerful)

Question 52

vivace

Answer 52

lively

Question 53

presto

Answer 53

very fast

Question 54

pianissimo (pp)

Answer 54

very soft

Question 55

piano (p)

Answer 55

soft

Question 56

mezzo piano (mp)

Answer 56

moderately soft

Question 57

mezzo forte (mf)

Answer 57

moderately loud

Question 58

forte (f)

Answer 58

loud

Question 59

fortissimo (ff)

Answer 59

very loud

Question 60

crescendo

Answer 60

growing louder

Question 61

decrescendo / diminuendo

Answer 61

growing softer

Question 62

Secular

Answer 62

nonreligious; music is generally sung in the language of the people (the vernacular)

Question 63

Sacred

Answer 63

religious, music is in Latin

Question 64

Syllabic

Answer 64

each syllable of a song text may get one note

Question 65

Neumatic

Answer 65

one syllable may get a few notes

Question 66

Melisma

Answer 66

one syllable may get many notes

Question 67

Nonlexical

Answer 67

singing without words

Question 68

What are properties of sound?

Answer 68

1. pitch 2. duration 3. volume 4. timbre/tone color

Question 69

What are the different classifications of instruments?

Answer 69

1. aerophones 2. chordophones 3. idiophones 4. membranophones

Question 70

What are the vocal ranges, from highest to lowest

Answer 70

1. soprano 2. mezzo-soprano 3. alto 4. tenor 5. baritone 6. bass

Question 71

Vibrato

Answer 71

a throbbing effect

Question 72

What are the four families of Western instruments?

Answer 72

1. strings 2. woodwinds 3. brass 4. percussion

Question 73

a cappella

Answer 73

singing without accompaniment

Question 74

Chamber Music

Answer 74

ensemble music for small groups, with one player per part

Question 75

Style

Answer 75

the characteristic way an artwork is presented