Musical Terms

Question 1

Accent

Answer 1

An emphasis or ‘punch’ at the beginning of a musical sound

Question 2

Adagio

Answer 2

Slow tempo, sometimes the name of a work like Mozart’s Adagio for Violin and Orchestra.

Question 3

Andante

Answer 3

Walking tempo; a moderate speed

Question 4

Bar/Measure

Answer 4

A specific number of musical sounds that are organised within a measure, and that are contained within two solid lines called bar lines

Question 5

Beat/Pulse

Answer 5

Regular pattern within a bar or measure

Question 6

Cadenza

Answer 6

An extended solo for the soloist in a concerto

Question 7

Chord

Answer 7

When two or more notes or pitches are sounded simultaneously a chord is created

Question 8

Concerto

Answer 8

A work for one performer or a group of performers with orchestral accompaniment

Question 9

Crescendo

Answer 9

Meaning growing, swelling of sound, becoming louder

Question 10

Decrescendo/Diminuendo

Answer 10

Getting softer; the opposite of a crescendo

Question 11

Dolce

Answer 11

To be performed sweetly/delicately

Question 12

Downbeat

Answer 12

The first bar in a measure as conducted by the leader of an ensemble is called the downbeat

Question 13

Ensemble

Answer 13

1) a group of musicians playing together like an orchestra or a string quartet;
2) the actual act of playing as a unit, or performing together

Question 14

Fanfare

Answer 14

A musical work used as an announcement, often played by the brass section of the orchestra or a single instrumentalist like a trumpet

Question 15

Fermata

Answer 15

A symbol that tells the performer to hold the note as long as they would like, but certainly longer then the written note value

Question 16

Flat

Answer 16

Lowers the note but a half-step

Question 17

Form

Answer 17

The shape or organisation of a musical composition

Question 18

Forte

Answer 18

Loud or strong

Question 19

Fortissimo

Answer 19

Louder than forte

Question 20

Half-step

Answer 20

A musical interval equivalent to 1/12 of an octave

Question 21

Harmony

Answer 21

The simultaneous combination of pitches, especially when blended into chords that are pleasing to the ear

Question 22

Instrumentation

Answer 22

Also called orchestration; it is the way the composer or arranger takes musical sounds and assigns them to specific instruments

Question 23

Key

Answer 23

A group of pitches based on a particular tonic, and comprising scale, regarded as forming the tonal basis of a piece or section of music

Question 24

Larghetto

Answer 24

Usually slightly faster then largo

Question 25

Largo

Answer 25

Meaning wide, broad; a tempo meaning to be performed quite slowly

Question 26

Major (when referring to a chord)

Answer 26

When the chord has three musical pitches with the space between the fist and the secon point he’s being 4 half-steps, and the distance between the second and the third being 3 half-steps.

Question 27

Major (when referring to a key)

Answer 27

The central tonality upon which a work or movement is constructed, and will usually use the same tonic chord as the ‘destination’ chord of the composition (happy)

Question 28

Measure

Answer 28

A measurement of time in music that contains a specific number of pulses defined by a time signature, and that is contained within bar lines

Question 29

Melody

Answer 29

An identifiable succession of musical sounds

Question 30

Minor (when referring to to a chord)

Answer 30

When the chord has three different pitches and the distance between the first and second pitch is 3 half-steps and the distance between the second and third pitch is 4 half-steps.

Question 31

Minor (when referring to a key)

Answer 31

When minor refers to key, it is the central tonality upon which a work or movement is constructed, and will usually use the same tonic chord as the central chord. (Sad)

Question 32

Molto vivace

Answer 32

Very lively, or at a very quick speed

Question 33

Motif

Answer 33

An identifiable succession of musical sounds, but shorter than a complete melody

Question 34

Movement

Answer 34

A large unit within a symphony or concerto. It usually is comprised of many themes or musical ideas

Question 35

Notes

Answer 35

Symbols to represent sounds or pitches and duration of those sounds

Question 36

Octave

Answer 36

The interval between two musical notes, the upper one of which has twice the pitch of the lower note. (Eg, from note middle c-c)

Question 37

Pianissimo

Answer 37

Softer than piano

Question 38

Piano

Answer 38

Gently, soft

Question 39

Pitch

Answer 39

The frequency of a note depending how high or low it sounds.

Question 40

Piu

Answer 40

More, (e.g, piu piano = more softly)

Question 41

Resolution

Answer 41

A group of chords can create harmonic tension. When this tension is released with a calm chord, or a chord without tension, it is ‘resolved’ and is thus called a resolution

Question 42

Scale

Answer 42

An ordered succession of adjacent pitches, arranged in a sequence of whole and half-steps, for example the major or minor scales

Question 43

Sempre

Answer 43

Always. (For example, sempre forte would mean always loud)

Question 44

Sempre piu

Answer 44

Always More.

Question 45

Sforzando

Answer 45

Forcefully, usually accented

Question 46

Sharp

Answer 46

When a sharp symbol is added to a note it raises it by a half-step.

Question 47

Solo

Answer 47

For one player (musician), or to be played alone.

Question 48

Step

Answer 48

A musical interval between pitches compromising two half-steps

Question 49

Symphonic form

Answer 49

The structure of a work for large ensemble

Question 50

Tempo

Answer 50

The rate of speed of a musical work

Question 51

Theme

Answer 51

The most important melody at any specific time in a musical work. There can be one main theme in a work, or many themes

Question 52

Tonality

Answer 52

The organisation of all the tones and harmonies of a piece of music in relation to a tonic

Question 53

Tonic

Answer 53

A pitch that is the first degree of a major or minor scale and the tonal center of a piece composed in a particular key

Question 54

Upbeat

Answer 54

The preparatory sign given prior to the first beat in a bar