Exam #1 Music Terms

Basso Ostinato

A motive or phrase in the bass that is repeated again and again.

Binary form

A musical form consisting of two units (A and B) constructed to balance and complement each other.

Theme and Variation

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.

Monophonic

A musical texture involving only a single line of music with no accompaniment.

Polyphonic

A musical texture involving two or more simultaneously sounding lines; the lines are often independent and create counterpoint

Mode

A pattern of pitches forming a scale; the two primary modes in Western music are major and minor.

Melody

A series of notes arranged in order to form a distinctive, recognizable musical unit: most often placed in the treble.

Minor Mode

A seven-note scale that ascends in the following order of whole and half notes 1-1/2-1-1-1/2-1-1.

Major Mode

A seven-note scale that ascends in the following order of whole and half notes: 1-1-1/2-1-1-1-1/2.

Motive

A short, distinctive melodic figure that stands by itself.

Sforzando

A sudden, loud attack on one note or chord.

Largo

A temp mark indicating "slow and broad"

Accelerando

A tempo mark indicating "getting faster"

Andante

A tempo mark indicating "moderately moving"

Allegro

A tempo marker indicating "fast"

Sequence

A Gregorian chant, sung during the Proper of Mass, in which a chorus and a soloist alternate

Phrase Symmetry

Musical ideas constructed in regular phrases of four or eight measures.

Consonance

Pitches sounding agreeable and stable

Tertian Harmony

Principally uses chords based on thirds; the term is typically used to contrast with quartal and quintal harmony which uses chords based on fourths or fifths.

Chromatic Scale

Scale that makes use of all twelve pitches, equally divided, within the octave.

Elided Phrases

Seeming phrase ends that simultaneously dovetail with beginnings

Stepwise Melodic Motion

The difference in pitch between two consecutive notes of a musical scale. In other words, it is the interval between two consecutive scale degrees

Interval

The distance between any two pitches on a musical scale. (horizontally)

Harmony

The sounds that provide the support and enrichment -the accompaniment- for melody

Tempo

The speed at which the beats occur in music.

Consequent Phrases

The second phrase to a two-part melodic unit that brings a melody to a point of repose and closure

Forte (f)

in musical notation, a dynamic mark indicating "loud"

Compound Meter

is a meter in which each beat of the bar divides naturally into three equal parts. That is, each beat contains a triple pulse

Rubato

(Italian for "robbed") in musical notation, a tempo mark indicating that the performer may take, or steal, great liberties with the tempo.

Dominant Triad

A chord built on the fifth degree of the scale.

Triad

A chord consisting of three pitches and two intervals of a third.

Measure/bar

A group of beats, or musical pulses; usually, the number of beats is fixed and constant so that the measure serves as a continual unit of measurement in music.

Dissonance

A discordant mingling of sounds.

Crescendo

A gradual increase in the volume of sound

Syncopation

A rhythmic device in which the natural accent falling on a strong beat is displaced to a weak beat or between the beats.

Ternary Form

A three-part musical form in which the third section is a repeat of the first; hence ABA

Rondo

Classical form with at least three statements of the refrain (A) and at least two contrasting sections (at least B and C); placement of the refrain creates symmetrical patterns such as ABACA, ABACABA, or even ABACADA.

Pulse

Consists of beats in a of identical yet distinct periodic short-duration stimuli perceived as points in time occurring at the mensural level.

Piano (p)

In musical notation, a dynamic mark indicating "soft"

Disjunct Melody (motion)

Melodic motion that moves primarily by leaps rather than by steps.

Conjunct Melody (motion)

Melodic motion that proceeds primarily by steps and without leaps.

Mezzo Piano

Soft piano

Meter

The Gathering of beats into regular groups.

Tonic

The central pitch around which the melody and harmony gravitate.

Timbre (color)

The character or quality of a musical tone as determined by its harmonics and its attacks and decay.

Cadence

The concluding part of a musical phrase.

Ground Bass

The english term for the basso ostinato

Counterpoint

The harmonious opposition of two or more independent musical lines.

Finale

The last movement of a multi-movement composition, on that usually works to a climax and a conclusion.

Arpeggio

The notes of a chord played in succession, either ascending or descending.

Antecedent Phrase

The opening, incomplete-sounding phrase of a melody; often followed by a consequent phrase that brings the melody to closure.

Rhythm

The organization of time in music, dividing up long spans of time into smaller, more easily comprehended units.

Modulation

The process in music whereby the tonal center changes from one key to another-from G major to C major, for example.

Pizzicato

The process whereby a performer plucks the strings of an instrument rather than bowing them.

Melodic Contour

The quality of movement of a melody, including nearness or farness of successive pitches or notes in a melody. This may be described as conjunct or disjunct, stepwise, skipwise or no movement, respectively

Melodic Sequence

The repetition of a musical motive at successively higher or lower degrees of the scale.

Chord

Two or more simultaneously sounding pitches

Unison

Two or more voices or instrumental parts singing or playing the same pitch.