Music chapters 1-9
Which term best describes the texture of the listening example? chapter 9
imitative counterpoint
Which genre uses ritornello form?
solo concerto
Which definition accurately describes the term "forte"?
in musical notation, a dynamic mark indicating "loud"
Which of the following terms represents a slow tempo?
lento
Which term is synonymous with "bar"?
measure
What is the "treble clef"?
the sign placed on a staff to indicate the notes above middle C
"Tempo" refers to
the speed at which beats occur.
Which answer best defines the "dominant triad"?
the triad built on the fifth degree of the major or minor scale
What might be the purpose of repetition in music?
to convey musical "signposts" and give the listener a sense of comfort and security
Any element of music that continually repeats is called an "ostinato."
true
The solo concerto and concerto grosso are virtually identical genres, with the exception that the concerto grosso features multiple soloists while the solo concerto has only one.
true
Every human being has an idea (or a master plan) of what music should sound like, how it should go, and whether the music sounds good or bad. The term for this is
musical template.
When identifying musical style, the listener should match the
unknown with the known.
What information does the lower number in a "meter signature" ("time signature") convey to the performer of a piece of music?
which note value receives the beat
Which definition is appropriate for "strophic form"?
a musical form often used in setting a strophic, or stanzaic, text, such as a hymn or carol; the music is repeated anew for each successive strophe
What is "monophony"?
a musical texture involving only a single line of music with no accompaniment
"Polyphony" is
a musical texture involving two or more simultaneously sounding lines that are independent and create counterpoint.
"Tremolo" is
a musical tremor produced on a string instrument by repeating the same pitch with quick up and down strokes of the bow.
Which answer best describes a "trill"?
a rapid alternation of two neighboring pitches
Identify the correct definition of "motive."
a short, distinctive melodic figure that stands by itself
Identify what is meant by the term "vibrato."
a slight and continual wobbling of the pitch produced on a string instrument
What is the definition of basso continuo?
a small ensemble of at least two instrumentalists that provides a foundation for the melody above, heard almost exclusively in Baroque music
What is the standard musical form of Baroque period dance movements?
binary
What genre of popular music, also with a repeating harmony, is similar in mood and intent to a Baroque lament?
blues
Which characteristic does NOT apply to the art and music of the Baroque period?
calm, symmetrical organization of events
It is primarily instrumental music, in which meaning is communicated through a language of musical sounds and gestures.
classical music
It relies on acoustic instruments for performance.
classical music
It relies on preset musical notation and is to a certain extent a "fixed entity," meaning that it does not change significantly between different performances.
classical music
Musical pieces can be lengthy and involve a variety of moods, requiring the listener to concentrate over a long period of time.
classical music
The rhythmic "beat" often rests beneath the surface of this kind of music.
classical music
Which term is synonymous with "timbre"?
color
Mozart used __________ form for his composition, "Ah, vous dirai-je Maman," (known today as "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")
theme and variations form
What might account for the eternal popularity of the "Hallelujah" chorus?
Handel exploits a clear, emphatic setting of the English text and a few powerful gestures to create a variety of exciting textures and styles.
Identify the true statement about Handel's Messiah.
Handel's Messiah was composed in the space of three and a half weeks.
Identify the INCORRECT statement regarding Handel's efforts in opera while he was residing in London.
Handel's operas continued the English style that had been established by Henry Purcell.
Which work is NOT an expression of the Baroque artistic spirit?
Leonardo's Mona Lisa
What is a "meter signature" ("time signature")?
a symbol that tells the performer what note value is carrying the beat and how the beats are to be grouped
Which answer provides the correct definition for "homophony"?
a texture in which all the voices, or lines, move to new pitches at roughly the same time
Identify the correct definition for the term "concerto grosso."
a three-movement composition that pits the sound of a small group of soloists against that of the full orchestra
Which statement correctly defines "ternary" form?
a three-part musical form in which the third section is a repeat of the first, hence ABA
"Key" is defined as
a tonal center built on a tonic note and making use of a scale.
identify the correct definition of "chord."
a unit of two or more pitches that sound at the same time
Identify the INCORRECT statement regarding Handel's oratorios.
Performances were staged with costumes and scenery.
It relies greatly on an immediately audible, recurrent beat.
Popular music
The lament, "When I am laid in earth," is a ground bass aria from
Purcell's Dido and Aeneas.
Which statement about Antonio Vivaldi is INCORRECT?
Since his father disapproved of music, he quietly practiced the violin in the attic in order to avoid discovery.
What is the definition of "theme and variations"?
a musical form in which a theme continually returns but is varied by changing the notes of the melody, the harmony, the rhythm, or some other feature of the music
What does the term "piano" mean?
in musical notation, a dynamic mark indicating "soft"
What is a "figured bass"?
in musical notation, a numerical shorthand that tells the player which unwritten notes to fill in above the written bass note
Which term best describes the melodic style of the listening example?
melodic sequence
The correct definition for "syncopation" is
placing an accent on a weak beat or between the beats.
When musicians play in a "pizzicato" style, what are they doing?
plucking the strings of an instrument rather than bowing them
Compositions in this style are relatively short, averaging from three to four minutes in length, and possess a single mood from beginning to end.
popular music
It relies mostly on oral and aural transmission, and the work can change greatly from one performance to the next.
popular music
It usually makes use of a text or "lyric" to convey its meaning.
popular music
Meter" is defined as
the gathering of beats into regular groups.
What is a "concertino"?
the group of instruments that function as soloists in a concerto grosso
What is meant by the term "venue" with regard to musical performance?
the place where music is performed
Identify the correct definition of "melodic sequence."
the repetition of a musical motive at successively higher or lower degrees of the scale
What does the term "terraced dynamics" describe?
the sharp, abrupt dynamic contrasts found in the music of the Baroque era
What does the term "simple recitative" indicate?
the soloist is accompanied by the basso continuo alone
Dynamics" are defined as
the various levels of sound, loud and soft, at which pitches are produced in a musical composition.
What is the correct meaning of "mode"?
a pattern of pitches forming a scale, whether major or minor
What is "melody"?
a series of notes arranged in order to form a distinctive, recognizable musical unit; the tune
Which phrase accurately describes the "major scale"?
a seven-note scale that ascends in the following order of whole and half steps: 1-1-1/2-1-1-1-1/2
What is the "bass clef"?
a sign placed on a staff to indicate the notes below middle C
What is a "chord progression"?
a succession of chords moving forward in a purposeful fashion
What is meant by the term "interval"?
the distance between the pitches of a chord or the pitches in a musical scale
The "octave" is
the interval comprising the first and eighth tones of the Western major and minor scale.
What is meant by the term "accelerando"?
the musical instruction to increase the tempo of the musical performance
The "triad" is
a chord consisting of three pitches and two intervals of a third.
Dissonance" describes
a discordant mingling of sounds, resulting in harmonic tension that ultimately seeks resolution.
What is the "great staff"?
a large musical staff that combines both the treble and the bass clefs
Which definition of "harmony" is accurate?
all of the above
identify the correct statement about the minor scale.
all of the above
Which definition of "scale" is correct?
an arrangement of pitches that ascend and descend in a fixed and unvarying pattern
Identify the definition that applies to "beat."
an even pulse in music that divides the passing of time into equal units
Fame of the piece is associated with the composer, not the performer.
classical music
Identify the correct definition of "tonic."
the central pitch around which the melody and harmony gravitate
What is the process described by the term "modulation"?
the change in tonal center from one key to another
Which statement best applies to opera?
All of the above apply equally well.
Finally, how did Vivaldi communicate his "program" to his listeners?
He wrote onomatopoeic music that mimicked in sound the words of his own poem
Identify the one statement about Henry Purcell that is INCORRECT.
His concertos and trio sonatas were widely admired throughout Europe.
was a prominent genre during the early Baroque. It features a vocal soloist singing a highly charged, emotional text with an accompaniment consisting of a few instruments.
Monody
In your experience, which of the following statements is true?
Inserting a chorus during an aria is surprising—indeed, unprecedented.
Which of the following is true about the "Spring" Concerto?
It has a basso continuo but no basso ostinato
Which of the following, as appropriate for a lament, is true of this aria?
It is in a minor key and a slow tempo.
Why is Orfeo important?
It was the first major opera in the history of Western music.
Which monarch came to epitomize the grandeur and glory of the Baroque era, building a palace so monumental that it was virtually a small, independent city?
Louis XIV of France
Which answer applies to Handel's posthumous reputation?
Many consider Handel to be the finest composer of choral music who ever lived.
Which correctly identifies the ways in which our modern recording of the "Hallelujah" chorus differs from the performance practices of Handel's time?
The chorus is much larger, and women sing the alto and soprano chorus parts.
Identify the one statement about Vivaldi's Violin Concerto in E major (the "Spring") that is NOT correct.
The first movement is in binary form and prominently features the oboes and bassoon in the tutti section.
Which is true about Mouret's Rondeau?
The majority of the music is the refrain of the rondo.
Identify the INCORRECT statement about Handel's oratorio, Messiah.
The nineteen choruses are exclusively simple, homophonic settings of chorales.
In what way does Handel's Water Music, though originally not intended for dancing, retain a characteristic of dance music?
The phrase structure, unlike much Baroque melody, is highly regular (symmetrical).
In this monody with strophes and a ritornello, which function(s) more like a chorus in a pop song—the strophes or the ritornello?
The ritornello functions like a chorus because it comes back again and again, always with the same music.
Which composition is an example of a solo concerto?
Vivaldi's "The Spring" Concerto from The Four Seasons
Identify the INCORRECT statement about Water Music.
Water Music is an example of a concerto grosso.
The best description of "binary form" is
a musical form consisting of two units (A and B) constructed to balance and complement each other
The correct definition of "orchestral score" is
a composite of musical lines of all the orchestral instruments, from which a conductor conducts
What is the correct definition of "canon"?
a contrapuntal form in which the individual voices enter and each in turn duplicates exactly the melody that the first voice played or sang
Which answer best describes "glissando"?
a device of sliding up or down the scale very quickly
What is a symphony?
a genre of instrumental music for orchestra consisting of several movements; also, the orchestral ensemble that plays this genre
Which definition for "measure" is correct?
a group of beats that serves as a continual unit of measurement in music
Identify the correct definition of "movement."
a large, freestanding piece within a major instrumental work
The "oratorio" is
a large-scale genre of sacred music involving an overture, arias, recitatives, and choruses, but performed, whether in a theater or a church, without costumes or scenery.
What is an "ostinato"?
a musical figure, motive, melody, harmony, or rhythm that is repeated again and again
Identify the phrase that best applies to "aria."
all of the above
A good definition of "musical style" is a(n)
amalgam of the surface details of the music, such as volume, texture, color, melody, and so on.
What is "rondo form"?
an ancient musical form (surviving into the twenty-first century) in which a refrain alternates with contrasting material
What is a "toccata"?
an instrumental showpiece, originally for solo keyboard but later for instrumental ensemble as well
When and where did Baroque music first appear?
around 1600, in northern Italy
What is the meaning of "idiomatic writing"?
exploiting the strengths, special abilities, and color of a particular instrument or voice while avoiding its weaknesses
Identify the phrase that applies to harmony during the early Baroque era.
stable, diatonic chords played by basso continuo support melody; clearly defined chord progressions begin to develop; tonality reduced to major and minor keys
"Opera seria" is best defined as a(n)
stage work making use of a serious historical or mythological subject, usually in three acts.
The musical form of Monteverdi's Prologue from Orfeo is
strophic variation.
Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Reed Pipes" from The Nutcracker is composed in
ternary form.
During the Baroque era, musicians used three distinct techniques to heighten musical contrast: clear alternations between major and minor keys, abrupt changes in orchestration, and
terraced dynamics.
What is "color"?
the character or quality of a musical tone produced by a voice or an instrument
What is the most distinctive feature of the concerto grosso?
the contrast in sound between the tutti and concertino
Which answer provides the correct definition for "texture"?
the density and disposition of the musical lines that make up a musical composition
This listening excerpt (from Handel's Messiah) is most like which section from another musical genre?
the exposition of a fugue
Which statement accurately describes "downbeat"?
the first beat of each measure
What is meant by the term "tutti"?
the full orchestra or full performing force
