Music History 1: Unit 1

Question 1

A metrical unit containing a fixed number of beats; separated on the staff by bar lines.

Answer 1

measure

Question 2

a fixed pattern of strong and weak beats.

Answer 2

meter

Question 3

time signatures in which each beat contains two subdivisions.

Answer 3

simple time

Question 4

time signatures in which each beat contains three (rather than two) subdivisons.

Answer 4

compound time

Question 5

a deliberate shifting of the musical accent to a weak beat.

Answer 5

syncopation

Question 6

an upbeat, or the last beat of a measure anticipating the downbeat.

Answer 6

anacrusis

Question 7

the highness or lowness of a particular sound.

Answer 7

pitch

Question 8

the distance between the highest and lowest notes of a melody.

Answer 8

range

Question 9

the distance between any two pitches.

Answer 9

interval

Question 10

melodies that contain many leaps and changes of direction.

Answer 10

disjunct

Question 11

melodies that move mostly in a stepwise direction.

Answer 11

conjunct

Question 12

a series of consecutive pitches that forma musical unit, much like a sentence.

Answer 12

phrase

Question 13

a short melodic or rhythmic fragment used to build a melody.

Answer 13

motive

Question 14

a combination of three or more pitches that create a unit of harmony.

Answer 14

chord

Question 15

a three-note chord that consists of a root, third and fifth

Answer 15

triad

Question 16

melodies/harmonies built from the notes of a major or minor scale.

Answer 16

diatonic

Question 17

melodies/harmonies that include all the notes available within the octave; from the Greek word for “color”.

Answer 17

chromatic

Question 18

an agreeable combination of tones that provides a sense of relaxation and stability.

Answer 18

consonance

Question 19

a combination of tones that sounds discordant, thus crating restlessness and a sense of instability.

Answer 19

dissonance

Question 20

the rate (frequency) of chord changes per measure.

Answer 20

harmonic rhythm

Question 21

a specific combination of two chords that provide moments of rest at the ends of phrases, much like punctuation.

Answer 21

cadence

Question 22

combination of two or more melodic lines.

Answer 22

*counterpoint

Question 23

single line of unaccompanied melody.

Answer 23

*monophonic texture

Question 24

single line of melody supported by a harmonic accompaniment.

Answer 24

*homophonic texture

Question 25

combination of two or more melodic lines, also referred to as counterpoint.

Answer 25

**\*polyphonic texture**

Question 26

* the level of volume in music * traditionally indicated with Italian terms or symbols

Answer 26

**dynamics**

Question 27

* tone-color * the quality of sound specific to a voice or instrument for example, the silvery sound of a celesta, the nasal tone of an oboe.

Answer 27

**timbre**

Question 28

* the speed at which music is performed * traditionally indicated with Italian terms

Answer 28

**tempo**

Question 29

* the classification of a composition type * includes categories such as sonata, symphony, and opera

Answer 29

**genre​**

Question 30

* Latin for "work" * usually abbreviated op. * indicates the order in which a composer's works were published

Answer 30

**opus**

Question 31

High female voice in a choir

Answer 31

**soprano**

Question 32

low female voice in a choir

Answer 32

**alto**

Question 33

high male voice in a choir

Answer 33

**tenor**

Question 34

low male voice in a choir

Answer 34

**bass**

Question 35

a male voice with a range that straddles the tenor and bass ranges.

Answer 35

**baritone**

Question 36

a female voice with a range that straddles the soprano and alto ranges

Answer 36

**mezzo-soprano**

Question 37

a high female voice trained to execute rapid passages demanding great agility.

Answer 37

**coloratura soprano**

Question 38

* a keyboard instrument dating back to the Middle Ages * often associated with church music * sound is generated by air passing through pipes or reeds

Answer 38

**organ**

Question 39

* a keyboard instrument popular from the late 16th through 18th centuries. * sound is generated by small quills inside the instrument that pluck the strings.

Answer 39

**harpsichord**

Question 40

* a small keyboard instrument popular from the late 16th through 18th centuries. * sound is generated by small metal tangents that strike the strings inside the instrument.

Answer 40

**clavichord**

Question 41

* a keyboard instrument invented in the early 18th century. Sound is generated by hammers inside the instrument that strike the strings. * invented by an inventor named Christofori

Answer 41

**piano**

Question 42

* a device (usually with a keyboard) that generates and modifies sounds electronically. * Robert Moog popularized the synthesizer int he 1960's.

Answer 42

**synthesizer**

Question 43

Name some examples of single reed woodwind instruments

Answer 43

Modern: clarinet & saxophone Historical: Hornpipe Traditional: Double clarinet (Middle Eastern)

Question 44

Name some double reed instruments

Answer 44

oboe, bassoon

Question 45

Name some pitched percussion instruments

Answer 45

xylophone, glockenspiel, timpani, celesta

Question 46

Name some unpitched percussion instruments

Answer 46

bass drum, snare drum, cymbals, castanets, triangle, tambourines

Question 47

Name the instruments of a string quartet

Answer 47

Violin 1 Violin 2 Viola Cello

Question 48

What are the instruments in a piano trio?

Answer 48

Violin piano cello

Question 49

What instruments are in a woodwind quintet

Answer 49

flute oboe clarinet bassoon French horn (exception: includes one brass instrument)

Question 50

What instruments are in a brass quintet?

Answer 50

`Trumpet 1 Trumpet 2 French horn Trombone Tuba

Question 51

Who is the Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra written by?

Answer 51

**Benjamin Britten**

Question 52

In the Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, how many times is the principal them stated?

Answer 52

**six times**

Question 53

Name the orchestral families that are stated in the Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. Include the full orchestra as well.

Answer 53

full orchestra woodwinds brass strings percussion full orchestra

Question 54

Name the solo instruments featured in the 13 variations of the Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra

Answer 54

1. flutes, piccolos 2. oboes 3. clarinets 4. bassoons 5. violins 6. violas 7. cellos 8. double basses 9. harp 10. French horns 11. trumpets 12 trombones, tubas 13. timpini, bass drum, cymbals, snare drums, woodblock, gong etc.

Question 55

Where does the theme in the Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra come from?

Answer 55

**It comes from a dance tune by English Baroque composer Henry Purcell**

Question 56

Name some famous concert pianists?

Answer 56

Sviatoslav Richter, Alfred Brendel, Vladimer Horowitz, Arthur Rubenstein, Andras Schiff, Angela Hewitt, Lang Lang etc.