Music for a while Flashcards
Explain the difference between BASSO CONTINUO and GROUND BASS
Basso continuo: Harpsichord played with the Bass Viol/Cello
Ground Bass: Bassline of the music constantly repeated throughout the piece
Identify THREE different ornaments used and give examples (bar and beat numbers)
Lower mordent - Bar 11, Beat 3
Trill – Bar 13, Beat 4
Appoggiatura – Bar 35, Beat 3
What is the difference between SYLLABIC WORD SETTING and MELISMA?
Syllabic word setting: One specific note applied to each syllable
Melisma: Multiple different notes applied to one syllable
What TWO instruments make up the BASSO CONTINUO?
Harpsichord and the Bass Viol/Cello
What is meant by TERNARY form? Use bar number to give a more detailed answer
When there are 3 sections to a piece of music, the first and last section is section A and the second section is section B:
Section A is from Bar 1 to Bar 22
Section B is then from Bar 23 to Bar 29
Section A is then once more repeated from Bar 30 to the end of the song.
What mood do you think Purcell is trying to achieve in this song? How does he achieve this mood?
Purcell is trying to achieve a sad/relaxing mood. He does this by:
Putting the music in an A minor key
Having the tempo slow
Explain how GROUND BASS works in this song
Ground bass is constantly repeated in the first 15 bars and then begins to change when leading up to section B
Most of the bassline is the same except for some changed notes
But the rhythm remains the same constantly throughout the song
Name TWO features of this song that show it was written during the Baroque era
It uses the Harpsichord
It is in ternary form
Describe TWO ways in which Purcell gives emphasis to individual words or syllables in this piece
He uses melisma which is the use of multiple notes for one syllable. An example of this would be in bar 10, the syllable ‘Won’ in ‘Wond’ring’ has multiple notes to it to represent the steps one takes when they wonder.
Another way is by using word painting, which is essentially just matching the lyrics of a song to what the music is currently playing. An example of this would be in bar 23, on beat 4 ½. The quaver notes relate to the words “drop, drop, drop”.
How does Purcell bring this expressive text to life in this song? Can you give one example?
Purcell is able to bring the text to life in this song by expressing the lyrics in areas where the music intends to create an effect. An example of this would be in bar 13, beats 1 and 2 where the lyrics are “Eased__, Eased__”. This creates a sigh-like effect, representing the words ‘eased’ as a way of relief by making the two notes sound like a sigh.
Describe what SYLLABIC and MELISMATIC mean
Syllabic is when each syllable in the lyrics has one note assigned/played with it
Melismatic is when one syllable in the lyrics has multiple notes assigned/played with it
Describe the state of music in England during Purcell’s time
Music in England at the time was often composed for the church and the royal court. Religious and sacred music played an important role in churches so Purcell, and many other composers like him, were employed by the church to create music such as: hymns; anthems; and canticles. However, it was difficult for Purcell to find opportunities that could showcase his true potential as public concerts were still in development due to the fact England had no interest in grand operas, unlike other parts of Europe.
The structure of Music For A While can be described as ABA. What name is given to this structure?
Ternary form
What are the TWO main types of word setting in this piece?
Syllabic and Melismatic
Name TWO ways, other than lyrics, in which the B section of this song differs to the A section
Section A has far more ornamentation than Section B (Bar 31, beat 2 ½ compared to bar 24)
Section B is in the relative major key of C major, contrasting Section A which is in the relative minor key of A minor.
