Quiz 5 Flashcards
(26 cards)
Bel Canto
the style of early Romantic Italian opera, emphasizing graceful singing and ornamentation
Coloratura
showy, melismatic vocal writing
Two-Part Aria
slow-fast aria typical of Italian Romantic opera
Risorgimento
Italian independence movement, which influenced Verdi.
Verdi’s Reform of Opera
used heavier, more dramatic voices, leading to a decline in bel canto singing
Soprano
high female voice, often the romantic heroine
Mezzo-Soprano
lower female voice, often the temptress or “bad” female character
Tenor
high male voice, the romantic hero
Baritone
lower male voice, usually the villain
The Ring of the Nibelung
cycle of four operas by Wagner (includes The Valkyrie)
Source of The Ring
German medieval epic and Norse mythology
Love vs Power
the central theme of The Ring
Stabreim
unrhymed, alliterative verse modeled on Icelandic epic poetry
Leitmotif
a musical idea associated with a person, object, or idea
Total Work of Art
the synthesis of the separate arts in opera
Absolute Music
pure instrumental music, like symphonies, sonatas, and concertos
Program Music
instrumental music with an accompanying verbal description (the program)
Rondo
form with repeating theme and varied episodes (ABACA)
Developing Variation
constructing music out of small, continually devloped motives (Brahms)
Symphonic Poem
An orchestral piece in one movement with a program
Incidental Music
music that accompanies a spoken play (overture, songs, entr’actes, etc.)
Pastoral Style
imitation of simply country music, using “bagpipe” drones, simple harmonies, and circling melodies.
Pentatonic Scale
5-note scale, often used in pastoral music
Impressionism
painting movement dedicated to capturing the momentary effect of light
