Vocabulary U1 Flashcards
(64 cards)
canon
a body of works considered to be significant in a particular field and shaped by certain figures in that field
e.g. Handel, Messiah (1742)
aria
(da Capo aria/dal Segno aria)
a vocal solo piece, usually within an opera or oratorio, that is impressive and expressive of a certain mood/emotion
da Capo/dal Segno aria: an aria that provides contrast through an ABA’ form which varies musical characteristics like texture, rhythm, text, and key between the A and B sections. vocalists usually add ornamentation on the A’ section.
e.g. Handel, Messiah, “The Trumpet Shall Sound” (1742)
melisma
a type of vocal technique where one syllable of text is sung over 5 or more notes (in contrast to syllabic or neumatic singing)
e.g. Handel, Messiah, “The Trumpet Shall Sound (1742)
musical festival
a series of instrumental or choral concerts over the course of a few days that raised money for charity.
e.g. Handel’s Messiah (1742) was often performed at such events from 1750-1880.
oratorio
(history; lauda; miscellaneous)
a genre of music for chorus, soloists, and orchestra on a sacred theme. oratorios use the same musical styles and forms as opera (such as arias, recitatives, etc.) but are rarely performed with staging and/or costumes.
history oratorio: an oratorio that tells a story from the Bible.
e.g. Handel, Saul (1738)
lauda oratorio: an oratorio whose subject matter is more generally praising God
e.g. Handel, Messiah (1742)
patronage
the funding provided (by patrons) to composers and performers to create music
e.g. Handel’s patrons included British monarchs and nobility.
accretion
the process of building up or accumulating something (meaning) over time.
e.g. Hoffman/Showalter, “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” (1887), which started as a Christian hymn about consolation after the death of a loved one, and took on the meaning of nostalgia in “The Wicked Flee” from True Grit by Carter Burwell. Used in the 2014 Salisbury’s commercial, the sense of nostalgia was amplified further.
e.g. Handel, Messiah (1742), which took on new meanings as the context of its performance evolved from secular entertainment to charity performances to religious rite to reinterpretation
trope
a significant or repeated theme within culture or literature.
e.g. fanfares such as the opening Toccata of L’Orfeo by Monteverdi (1607)
e.g. nostalgia such as in Hoffman/Showalter’s “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” (1887)
fanfare
a flourish for brass that signals the start of an important event (like a battle or hunt) or the entrance of an important person (like a ruler or president).
e.g. Monteverdi/Striggio, L’Orfeo: Favola in Musica (1607)
e.g. Copland, Fanfare for the Common Man (1942)
nostalgia
a wistfulness or a yearning for a past time or experience.
e.g. Hoffman/Showalter, “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” (1887)
recitative
(secco; accompanied)
a vocal singing style present in operas and oratorios which utilizes the natural inflection of speech and is generally syllabic. recitatives serve to move the plot of a story forward, and can include dialogue.
secco: voice accompanied by just basso continuo
e.g. Handel, “Where is the Son of Jesse,” Saul (1738)
accompanied: fuller texture, with the accompaniment providing dramatic effect
e.g. Handel, “The Time at Length Has Come,” Saul (1738)
hymn
a song of praise to God, which may or may not have originally taken that form. Protestant Christian hymns are generally metrical and adapted for religious service.
e.g. Luther/Luther, “Ein Feste Burg” (c. 1527-9)
e.g. J. W. Johnson/J. R. Johnson, “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” (1900/1905)
e.g. Blake/Parry, “Jerusalem” (“And Did Those Feet”) (c. 1804-8/1916)
e.g. Newton/Anon., “Amazing Grace” (1779/19th Century)
e.g. Hoffman/Showalter, “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” (1887)
meter (metrical music)
the specific, repetitive, syllable count of each line of text within a stanza. metrical music has the same syllabic structure in each stanza.
e.g. Blake/Parry, “Jerusalem” (“And Did Those Feet”) (c. 1804-8/1916): meter is 88.88.88.88
e.g. Newton/Anon., “Amazing Grace” (1779/19th Century): meter is 8.6.8.6
functional music
music that is written for a specific purpose (rather than for its own sake)
e.g. Protestant hymns such as Luther’s “Ein Feste Burg” (c. 1527-9) were written to provide the congregation with a direct line of communication with God
ethnomusicology
the study of how and why humans make music. while the goal of many ethnomusicologists is to preserve a wide variety of musical traditions, the field often ends up marginalizing the communities whose music it is, and taking away their ability to talk about it.
monophonic music
music with only one unison voice or part
e.g. any chant such as Alleluia, “Pascha nostrum” (Anon., c. 800) or Mass for Christmas Day, Kyrie/Agnus Dei (Anon)
intercession
the act of praying on behalf of someone else (intervening spiritually)
e.g. chant was sung by those who had taken holy orders, like priests, in order to intercess for members of the Church, often nobility
chant
(syllabic, neumatic, melismatic; responsorial, antiphonal, direct)
monophonic music sung in the Catholic Church, for mass or office
syllabic: primarily based on 1 syllable per note
neumatic: primarily 2-4 syllables per note
melismatic: primarily 5 or more syllables per note
direct: sung in unison by a group
antiphonal: sung alternating between 2 or more groups
responsorial: sung as a call and response between one or several cantors/soloists and the whole choir
e.g. Anon., Mass for Easter Day, Alleluia, “Pascha Nostrum” (c. 800) is a responsorial, melismatic chant
e.g. Anon., Vespers for Christmas Day, “Dixit dominus” (by 1014) is an antiphonal, syllabic chant
e.g. Wipo, “Victimae paschali laudes” (c. 995-1050) is a direct, syllabic chant
jubilus
the long melisma placed on the last syllable of “Alleluia” in chant
e.g. Anon., Mass for Easter Day, Alleluia, “Pascha nostrum” (c. 800)
mass
(ordinary; proper)
the main church service offered every day, which includes a combination of ordinary and proper chants/prayers
ordinary: chants or prayers which are sung every day with the same text but different music
e.g. any Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, or Ite missa est, such as Anon’s Mass for Christmas Day, Kyrie/Agnus Dei
proper: chants or prayers that are sung every day, but have different texts and music allocated for specific days
e.g. the Introit, Gradual, Alleluia/Tract, Offertory, and Communion, such as Anon’s Mass for Easter Day, Alleluia, “Pascha nostrum” (c. 800)
divine office
a set of prayers scheduled throughout the day, and are generally smaller services than masses
*e.g. Anon., Vespers for Christmas Day, “Dixit dominus” and “Tecum principium” (by 1014)
recitation tone
a certain pitch which relates to the mode of the chant and which is common to repeat many times in a row during syllabic chants
e.g. Griffin, “The Man of Calvary” (1934)
temporale
days in the Catholic calendar that celebrate the life of Christ, such as Christmas and Easter
e.g. chants for Christmas and Easter, such as Anon., Mass for Easter Day, Alleluia, “Pascha nostrum” (c. 800); Anon., Vespers for Christmas Day, “Tecum principium” and “Dixit dominus” (by 1014)
sanctorale
days in the Catholic calendar that celebrate saints or churches, etc. and are on fixed dates
