Module 4
For what genre was Arcangelo Corelli particularly famous?
Trio sonatas
Which Prussian monarch did Bach visit late in his life?
Frederick the Great
Which is the best definition for "cantata"?
Large-scale composition for vocal soloists, chorus, and orchestra
What are the three parts of the Messiah about?
The birth, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus
Which statement about the church of St. Thomas in Leipzig is NOT true?
The famous reformer John Calvin preached there in 1539.
Which movements of Bach's Cantata No. 140 are restatements of the chorale melody?
1,4,7
Roughly how many concertos did Vivaldi compose during his lifetime?
500
In Spring by Vivaldi, there is a persistent orchestral figure meant to suggest:
A barking dog
"See the Conquering Hero Comes" from Judas Maccabaeus is frequently interpreted as a reference to the military defeat of what historical figure?
A grandson of James II
Which of the following features would identify a piece of music as one of Monteverdi's "songs of wars"?
A rapidly repeated instrumental figure
Which of the following is the correct definition for "triad"?
A three-note chord separated by intervals of a third
Listen to the following selection from Corelli's Trio Sonata in A minor, Op. III, No. 10; based on the character of the music, which movement is this?
Adagio
A Baroque dance in slow duple meter would be a(n):
Allemande
Melodic music in an opera that is introduced by recitative is commonly called:
An aria
Which statement about Bach's notoriety is true?
Bach lived and worked within a fairly small area of central Germany, and thus was not widely known.
Which statement about Bach's family life is NOT true?
Bach was born in Belgium, but grew up in Leipzig
Listen to the excerpt from Bach's "Little Fugue" in G minor and determine which part is stating the subject at the beginning of the excerpt.
Bass
Which is the proper term for a system of shorthand notation used to suggest harmonies above or below the bass part on a score?
Basso continuo
Listen to the following excerpt from "Spring" what natural sound or image is Vivaldi evoking with the solo violin?
Birdcalls
Which of the following is NOT a similarity between Monteverdi's "Possente spirtu" and Purcell's "When I am laid in earth"?
Both are about the portrayal of one unified emotion: grief
Which of the following statements is NOT true of both Bach and Handel?
Both were renowned for composing opera
Which is the term for an extended virtuoso passage for a soloist alone?
Cadenza
Listen to the selection from Bach's Brandenburg Concerto no. 5. Which two common compositional techniques from the Baroque era are used in this selection?
Cadenza, ritornello
A medium-length narrative work for chorus, soloists, and orchestra is called a:
Cantata
Which of the following describes the genre known as the trio sonata?
Chamber work in several movements that featured two treble instruments supported by a bass and a continuo
At the dramatic climax of Orfeo, which mythological character does Orpheus lull to sleep?
Charon, the ferryman for the river Styx
Listen to the following excerpt from "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion" from Handel's Messiah. To which section of the piece does this likely belong, and why?
Closing A section, as the melody is ornamented by the singer and the rhythm slows to indicate the piece's end
Which of the following is NOT a common feature of the Lutheran cantata?
Concerti
Listen to the selection from "Possente spirto" and identify which of the following Baroque instruments or practices is NOT used.
Cori spezzati
Which is a term for placing choirs in separate galleries in a church?
Cori spezzati
Listen to the selection from "When I am laid in earth" from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. What instrument do you NOT hear?
Cornette
Where did Bach live while he composed the Brandenburg concertos?
Cothen
Which of the following is NOT a method for manipulating the subject of a fugue?
Courrante
Which term properly describes the form of "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion" from Messiah?
Da capo aria
Which term is NOT matched with the correct definition?
Diminution: doubling the rhythmic values of the subject so that it slows down considerably
What was the title of Handel's first English oratorio?
Esther
While the harpsichord is a versatile instrument overall, what can it not provide?
Extreme dynamic levels of loud and soft
True/False J.S Bach composed nearly 300 cantatas, or five annual cycles, of which about half are lost.
False About 100 of Bach's cantatas are lost.
True/False The defeat of Charles Edward Stuart, often known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, came at the hands of the Duke of Wellington, who was then honored in a chorus composed by Handel for one of his oratorios.
False Charles Edward Stuart was defeated by the Duke of Cumberland
True/False Named after the Latin word for "flight" the fugue is a musical form with roots in Renaissance polyphony that features successive statements of a main theme, or subject, between two and only two competing parts or "voices".
False Fugues could have many more than two parts stating the subject
True/False After deciding not to pursue a career in law, Handel moved to Hamburg where he played the harpsichord for the municipal orchestra.
False Handel played violin in the municipal orchestra
True/False Jean-Baptiste Lully, a Portuguese composer living in Paris, established French opera while working under a royal patent granted by Louis XIV.
False Lully was Italian
True/False J.S. Bach fathered 20 children in his life: seven in his marriage to Maria Barbara Bach, who died while her husband was accompanying his employer to the court of Louis XIV, and the rest in his marriage to Anna Magdalena Bach, a singer and skilled musical who produced copies of her husband's work.
False Maria Barbara Bach died while her husband was accompanying his employer on an extended trip to a spa.
True/False Baroque composers were particularly concerned with relating music and text; as Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi described it, they inherited a growing interest in clarity of text in music from their Renaissance predecessors.
False Monteverdi claimed that Baroque composers were in reaction against their Renaissance predecessors and their excessive use of polyphony.
True/False Claudio Monteverdi, who published his first piece at the age of 15, worked for more than 20 years at the ducal court of Venice before taking over the post of music director at the cathedral of St. Mark's
False Monteverdi worked for more than 20 years at the ducal court of MANTUA.
True/False An opera, which is a dramatic work set to continuous music and acted out on a stage, always includes a chorus, orchestra, and cast of solo singers.
False Operas may, but do not always, include a chorus.
True/False Scholars agree that J.S. Bach wrote the famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor, but debate whether or not he originally wrote it for the harpsichord or for the organ.
False Scholars are not in agreement as to Bach's authorship of this piece. AND No scholar argues that Bach composed this piece for the harpsichord first.
True/False Derived from an Italian word meaning "to sound", the sonata developed during the Baroque era as a genre of music written for solo violin.
False Sonatas were written for a variety of solo instruments and ensembles.
True/False Depressing the keys of a harpsichord activates a mechanism that drives a stiff quill fixed to a strip of wood (known as a "jack") downward so that it plucks the instrument's strings, generating a distinctive sound/
False The "jack" is driven UPWARD by depressing the keys of the harpsichord.
True/False Handel composed a large orchestral piece, The Music for the Royal Fireworks, to celebrate the end of one of the many wars that embroiled England and its American colonies.
False The Music for the Royal Fireworks was written to celebrate the end of one of the many wars between England and other European monarchies.
True/False Al six of Bach's famed Brandenburg Concertos feature a string orchestra in four parts-violins, cellos, and double-bass-with a solo ensemble consisting of harpsichord, flute, and violin.
False The concertos do not all feature the same instruments in the solo ensembles
True/False Toward the end of the Baroque era, the emphasis on ornate and magnificent spender began to be seen as overly emotional; music and the other arts began to resist the extravagance of the Baroque in favor of a resurgence of spiritual renewal known as the Protestant Reformation
False The end of the Baroque saw a movement towards increased interest in intellectualism, commonly called the Enlightenment
True/False The rococo style developed in northern Italy during the late Baroque period, featuring lighter from of opera that featured dances and scenes from everyday life.
False The rococo style developed in France
True/False Nicknamed "the Red Priest" for his fiery hair, Vivaldi's pupils came from the households of widely known public figures, but they performed half concealed in a gallery behind latticework.
False Vivaldi's pupils were orphans living at a convent for girls
True/False During the rousing "Hallelujah Chorus" in Handel's Messiah, King George II reportedly rose to his feet and began clapping in time with the music; the audience was compelled to follow the lead of their monarch, leading to a lasting tradition that endures to this day.
False The tradition merely states that the monarch rose to his or her feet
Aeneas, the male lead in Dido and Aeneas, is the mythical personage commonly held responsible for:
Founding the city of Rome
Listen to the following excerpt from the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah. What compositional device does Handel use here, and which other composer is particularly famous for his skill in it?
Fugue - Bach
Which of the following is described as an intellectually demanding display of counterpoint?
Fugues
Which piece studied in this chapter contributed to Handel's decision to turn from Italian opera to English oratorio?
Gay's The Beggar's Opera
Out of the 53 parts of the Messiah, roughly how many are written for full chorus?
Half
Which composer studied in this section a piece of music intended to be performed on a boat?
Handel
Which instrument famously occupies two distinct roles-accompaniment and solo-in the fifth Brandenburg Concerto?
Harpsichord
Which pair of instruments would have potentially played the continuo part in a Baroque piece?
Harpsichord & Cello
Which statement about Henry Purcell is NOT true?
He composed anthems for the Lutheran church
Which statement about Handel's time in Italy is true?
He composed over 100 cantatas while in Italy.
Which statement about J.S. Bach's life and work in Leipzig is NOT true?
He derived great joy from teaching Latin at the Thomas School.
How was Bach an international composer?
He drew inspiration from the music of Corelli and Vivaldi
Which of the following was one of J.S. Bach's tasks in Weimar?
He maintained and repaired organs
Which statement about Vivaldi's life and career is true?
He was known to boast about how quickly he could write a concerto.
Which is NOT an accurate statement about Corelli's sonatas?
His chamber sonatas are typically in six movements
Which statement about Bach's life and work in Cothen is true?
His employment there only began after his former employer, the duke of Weimar, released him from prison over the fact that Bach wanted to leave.
Listen to the following excerpt from Handel's Water Music, Air in F Major. In the midst of this statement of the primary material, what instrument group does Handel add to the orchestration?
Horns
Which is the best definition of "chorale"?
Hymn tunes commonly used in Lutheran worship
Listen to the following selection from Corelli's Trio Sonata in A minor, Op. III No. 10; which term best describes the relationship between the two violins?
Imitative
Which of the following is the correct definition for "program music"?
Instrumental music meant to tell a story or explore different non-musical ideas, identified or hinted at by the title
How is Handel's Messiah different from his other oratorios?
It does not tell a story but rather provides a commentary on the Christian experience.
Why is the Mass in B Minor considered unsuitable for performance during a service?
It is too long.
Which statement about the traditional French overture is NOT true?
It typically consisted of three sections of drastically different character.
Which statement about The Messiah is true?
It was originally performed as a benefit for charity
Which statement about Handel's Water Music is true?
It was originally performed on a barge.
Why is Handel's opera Rinaldo historically unique?
It was the first Italian opera composed for England
Which author famously wrote a novel book based on a fugal structure?
Joyce
Which of Handel's oratorios celebrates the event celebrated in the Jewish celebration of Hanukah?
Judas Maccabaeus
Which is the best definition of the word "oratorio"?
Large-scale musical work, usually narrative, that treats a Biblical subject and is traditionally performed without costumes or scenery
In which city did Handel NOT work during his lifetime?
Leipzig
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the galant style of music?
Lengthy, drawn out phrases
What is the term for the dramatic text of an opera?
Libretto
Listen to the following selection from Bach's Cantata no. 140. What earlier composer pioneered this rhythmic technique, and for what purpose?
Lully - to signify the presence of royalty in the audience
Which statement about Lully's career is NOT true?
Lully was the first composer to believe that the French language would be a visible vehicle for opera.
Which of the following terms is used to describe the new musical system of structuring melodies and harmonies that became prevalent during the Baroque era?
Major-Minor Tonality
Augmentation is a method for altering what musical element of a fugal subject?
Meter
Which of the following is the definition of "basso obstinato"?
Music that features a repeated bass pattern with melodic and harmonic material in higher registers
Which term is used to describe music written for specific events?
Occasional music
What is the term for a new type of opera that featured a few characters singing tuneful arias and recitatives, usually within the context of a comedic story?
Opera buffa
Handel was famous for writing in many genres during his lifetime; which one first thrust him into the public eye?
Operas
Which of the following is a key distinction between the operas Orfeo and Coronation of Poppea?
Orfeo was intended for performance at court, while Coronation of Poppea premiered in a public Venetian opera house.
When a stringed instrument usually played with a bow is instead played by plucking the strings, the effect is called:
Pizzicato
How are Baroque preludes and suites different from one another?
Preludes were more freely conceived as improvisation; pieces, while suites were based on specific successions of well known dances.
Which did Monteverdi NOT do while working in Venice?
Produce madrigals, but only for voice alone (no instruments)
In Spring from the Four Seasons, how does Vivaldi depict a thunderstorm?
Rapid pitches and sweeping scales in the orchestra
A returning orchestral theme that is frequently restated between solo sections of a concerto is known as a
Ritornello
What musical feature pf the fifth Brandenburg Concerto is also found in the concertos of Vivaldi?
Ritornello
In what genre did Vivaldi NOT compose?
Secular madrigal
Henry Purcell composed several masques that increasingly took on the trappings of opera-these were described as:
Semi-operas
Which of the following was NOT a component of a standard Baroque organ?
Strings
Listen to the following excerpt from Handel's Water Music; what rhythmic device does Handel use throughout this piece?
Syncopation
Which of the following is the term for unsuccessive shifts in increasing or decreasing volume?
Terraced dynamics
Which of Bach's pieces features a contrapuntal treatment of his own name?
The Art of Fugue
Which of the following works demonstrated Monteverdi's mastery of polychoral composition?
The Vesper settings of 1610
Which piece by J.S. Bach contains a cycle of piece written in each of the 24 major and minor keys?
The Well-Tempered Clavier
How does a "concerto gross" differ from a "concerto"?
The concerto gross alternates full orchestra with a small group of soloists rather than just one soloist.
"Continuo" can refer to which two things?
The ensemble entrusted with the task of accompanying soloists or featured instruments; the practice of providing a bass line with numerical symbols that indicate the chords to be played above the notes
Which of the following is the definition for the term "fugal exposition"?
The initial statement of a fugal subject at the beginning of the piece by one part alone
Which statement about recitative is NOT true?
The melodic line is lyrical and sweeping, with little regard to the accents and inflections of the text.
Which of the following is a key distinction between Handel's operas and his oratorios?
The oratorios do not include exit arias
Which instrument discussed in this chapter has its roots in ancient Greco-Roman hydraulic pumping mechanisms?
The organ
Which statement about The Four Seasons is NOT true?
The piece is one concerto in four movements
Listen to the selection from Strozzi's "Voglio morire" What element is used here to unify the composition as a whole?
The regularly repeating ground bass pattern
What famous 20th century political event is directly tied to St. Nicholas's church in Leipzig?
The toppling of the Berlin Wall
For which instrument did Vivaldi NOT compose at least one concerto?
The trombone
Which of the following is NOT an actual feature of the violin?
The violin has five strings.
What is the correct description of the relationship between all major keys?
They are transpositions, or repetitions of the same patterns starting on different pitches.
Which of the following accurately describes a way that Baroque composers exhibited the persuasive cultural interest in human passions?
They used intense contrasts of loud and soft music.
Why are the Brandenburg Concertos so named?
They were composed at the request of Margrave of Brandenburg
Which of the following correctly describes the function of bar lines?
To divide the music into recurring beat patterns
Why was the Royal Academy of Music founded?
To generate income to support productions of Italian opera
Which of the following is the strongest association between chords used in tonal harmony?
Tonic-Dominant
True/False Baroque composers sought above all to highlight unity of mood within a composition, capturing one particular emotion-such as rage, sorrow, joy, or grief-through various musical "figures of speech" that represented these moods.
True
True/False The chorale on which Bach's Cantata No. 140 is based fills out a 3-part form (often labeled AAB) in which the final B section includes a repeat of the third phrase of the A section.
True
True/False In Bach's monumental St. Matthew Passion, the composer set the story of the Passion of Christ, taking special care to use red ink to denote texts taken directly from the Bible and black ink for non-biblical texts.
True
True/False The English court's favored form of entertainment in the late 17th century was the masque, allegorical spectacles that typically centered on topics such as peace and love in performances that featured poetry and music.
True
True/False Vivaldi's use of programmatic music was echoed by composers that followed him- for instance, within seventy years of Vivaldi's death Ludwig van Beethoven included bird-cals and thunder in his Pastoral Symphony.
True
True/False While the repeated A section in a da capo aria slows down the progress of the story, the repeated material allowed singers to showcase their voices through trills, runs, and other ornaments.
True
What is indicated by the common musical notation ||:A:||:B:||?
Two contrasting sections are each repeated once in what is known as binary form
Corelli and Vivaldi were widely known as virtuosic performers on what instrument?
Violin
"A cappella" music is written for
Voices alone
In Bach's Cantata No. 140, the composer uses a steadily treading bass line to provide a driving energy - what is the name of this technique?
Walking bass
A bass-line pattern that announces arrival in a particular key is commonly called a __________.
cadence
