music test 2
Weelkes
As Vesta Was
Josquin
Ave Maria
Review the careers of Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel. Which of the following statements is the most accurate comparison of the livelihoods, appointments, musical works, and performances of these two composers?
Bach worked for courts, towns, and churches, but although he had a wide reputation as an organ virtuoso, he rarely worked or traveled far from home (central Germany). Handel preferred opera to organ music, and produced in Italy and England operas (and, later, English oratorios) that he had composed.
The Art of Fugue
Bach's last project (1742-1750), an encyclopedic treatment of all known contrapuntal procedures, set forth in nineteen canons and fugues
For most people, music means a "song" with words, melody, harmony, and rhythm. Why, then, is the rise of purely instrumental music in the Baroque era seen as a positive development instead of a decline or deprivation? Three of the following statements provide logical explanations regarding the loss of words to sing in Baroque instrumental music. Which one does NOT?
Baroque instrumental music was aesthetically inferior due to the fact that, without the structure given by liturgical texts or secular poetry, it was distorted and grotesque; hence the Portuguese word barroco.
The phrase "well-oiled machine" is used to informally describe a mechanism, such as a steam locomotive or automobile, that has many parts, but the parts work smoothly together to create power and motion. Which of the following statements does NOT describe some way in which Baroque instrumental music can be likened to a "well-oiled machine"?
Baroque violins, concertinos, oboes, and flutes needed oil to stay in tune, and thus were forerunners of the Industrial Age
Students learning a new language are taught how to use sentence patterns, in which the words serving as subject, verb, and other parts of speech are changed to express various thoughts. Which of the following statements describes a comparable structuring in Baroque music?
By the mid-Baroque, the basso continuo method had developed a number of standard chord progressions. Over the well-defined structure of these progressions, melodic phrases could be varied, mixed, and repeated as needed for the desired musical expression.
Baroque arts in general are characterized by the adjectives grandiose, dramatic, and monumental. The following statements describe how these style characteristics could be achieved in Baroque opera. However, one of these statements is confused about this. Which answer below is a POOR method for achieving the Baroque style in music?
Enlarge the percussion section of the opera orchestra, so that dramatic affects depicting storms, armies marching, and knife stabs are unmistakable. The demise of equal-voiced polyphony meant that unpitched percussion, although still obstinate, was no longer problematic.
Machaut
Kyrie of the Messe de Nostre Dame
In the Middle Ages, religious music was heard in chapels, cathedrals, monasteries, and convents. Secular music, including dances and songs by troubadours and trouvères, were heard in castles, taverns, and public squares. By Handel's day, this division was breaking down. Which of the following statements represents a POOR example of religious music becoming increasingly secular in the eighteenth century?
Oratorios featured Renaissance dance pieces between each chorus, some of which were also used in royal processional music.
Bach
Wachet auf, movement IV Organ Fugue in G minor
Which composition is an example of the late Baroque church cantata?
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme by Bach
Purcell
When I Am Laid
chanson
a French term used broadly to indicate a lyrical song from the Middle Ages into the twentieth century
Dies irae
a Gregorian chant composed in the thirteenth century and used as the central portion of the Requiem Mass of the Catholic Church
walking bass
a bass line that moves at a moderate pace, mostly in equal note values, and often stepwise up or down the scale
dance suite
a collection of instrumental dances, each with its own distinctive rhythm and character
motet
a composition for choir or larger chorus setting a religious, devotional, or solemn text; often sung a cappella
anthem
a composition for chorus on a sacred subject; similar in design and function to a motet
solo concerto
a concerto in which an orchestra and a single performer in turn present and develop the musical material in the spirit of harmonious competition
madrigalisms
a device, originating in the madrigal, by which key words in a text spark a particularly expressive musical setting
shawm
a double-reed woodwind instrument of the late Middle Ages and Renaissance; the precursor of the oboe
opera
a dramatic work in which the actors sing some or all of their parts; it usually makes use of elaborate stage sets and costumes
galliard
a fast, leaping Renaissance dance in triple meter
strophic variation
a form in which the music is slightly varied from one strophe to the next
monody
a general term connoting solo singing accompanied by a basso continuo in the early Baroque period
opera seria
a genre of opera that dominated the stage during the Baroque era, making use of serious historical or mythological subjects, da capo arias, and lengthy overtures
falsetto voice
a high, soprano-like voice produced by adult male singers when they sing in head voice and not in full chest voice
Gregorian chant (plainsong)
a large body of unaccompanied monophonic vocal music, set to Latin texts, composed for the Western Church over the course of fifteen centuries, from the time of the earliest fathers to the Council of Trent (1545-1563)
oratorio
a large-scale genre of sacred music involving an overture, arias, recitatives, and choruses, but sung, whether in a theater or a church, without costumes or scenery
castrato
a male adult singer who was castrated as a boy to keep his voice from changing so that it would remain in the soprano or alto register
gothic style
a medieval style exemplified by cathedrals possessing such elements as pointed arches, high ceiling vaults, flying buttresses, and richly colored stained glass
minuet
a moderate dance in 34 though actually danced in patterns of six steps, with no upbeat but with highly symmetrical phrasing
basso ostinato
a motive or phrase in the bass that is repeated again and again
Doctrine of Affections
early-seventeenth-century aesthetic theory that held that different musical moods could and should be used to influence the emotions, or affections, of the listener
Identify the term that does NOT apply to the fugue.
figured bass
Vivaldi
first movement of "Spring" from Violin Concerto No. 1 ("Spring")
ritornello form
form in a Baroque concerto grosso in which all or part of the main theme—the ritornello (Italian for "return" or "refrain")—returns again and again, invariably played by the tutti, or full orchestra
Which Baroque genre opens with a section called the "exposition"?
fugue
exposition
in a fugue, the opening section, in which each voice in turn has the opportunity to present the subject; in sonata-allegro form, the principal section, in which all thematic material is presented
figured bass
in musical notation, a numerical shorthand that tells the player which unwritten notes to fill in above the written bass note
melismatic singing
many notes sung to just one syllable
mensural notation
measured notation that specified rhythm as well as pitch precisely
vielle
medieval fiddle
Recitative
musically heightened speech, often used in an opera, oratorio, or cantata to report dramatic action and advance the plot
Renaissance
period of intellectual and artistic flowering that occurred first in Italy, then in France, and finally in England, during the years 1350-1600
simple recitative
recitative accompanied only by a basso continuo or a harpsichord, and not the full orchestra
Identify the statement that does NOT apply to the late Baroque church cantata.
since it was a liturgical drama, the singers wore elaborate costumes, but the scenery was minimal due to its church setting
pavane
slow, gliding Renaissance dance in duple meter performed by couples holding hands
Baroque
term used to describe the arts generally during the period 1600-1750 and signifying excess and extravagance
ground bass
the English term for basso ostinato
chorale
the German word for the hymn of the Lutheran Church; hence, a simple religious melody to be sung by the congregation
What is a chorale?
the German word for the hymn of the Lutheran church; hence, a simple religious melody to be sung by the congregatio
Which activity was NOT a part of Bach's duties as cantor of St. Thomas Church?
writing concertos for weekly concerts by the school's orchestra, highlighting the skills of his most talented pupils
tutti
(Italian for "all") the full orchestra or full performing force
Identify the correct definition of "exposition" in the context of a fugue.
. the opening section, in which each voice in turn has the opportunity to present the subject
Which of the following statements is an INCORRECT comparison of Monteverdi's Orfeo and Purcell's Dido and Aeneas?
Orfeo was written to be performed before aristocratic people of the Venetian Republic. This opera is a monument to the heroes of the Trojan War. Dido and Aeneas, in contrast, was written for students in a girls' school. It is free of violence and has a high moral tone, setting the standard for opera of the future.
Which of the following paradoxes is NOT found in seventeenth-century opera and instrumental music (as described in Chapter 6)?
Paradox 2: In the earliest operas, the orchestra played first, in order to set the rhythm and tempo for the ballets to follow. This led to many ritornellos in opera, to remind the aria singers of the rhythm and tempo of their ballet steps.
Suppose you were to attend a concert of orchestral music in an aristocratic palace in Italy or Germany in 1724. Which of the following statements describes a musical structure or form you would likely hear?
The orchestra begins playing a theme all together. Soon, three or four instruments of that orchestra (including the harpsichord) play the theme, but with some elaboration on it. Then the full orchestra plays an abbreviated form of the theme. This pattern of alternation is repeated a number of times and in a number of keys until the end of the movement is reached, in the home key
Notice that the top staff and middle staff have some notes in common, but the line in the bottom staff is quite different. Three of the following statements can be logically extrapolated from this musical example. Which one CANNOT—which one is not true?
The top staff recalls the ornate ceilings of Baroque churches. Such ceilings would have rows of columns to support them. The line in the bottom staff is the one that is ornamented in the top system.
Counter-Reformation
a movement that fostered reform in the Roman Catholic Church in response to the challenge of the Protestant Reformation and led to a conservative, austere approach to art
concerto grosso
a multimovement concerto of the Baroque era that pits the sound of a small group of soloists (the concertino) against that of the full orchestra (the tutti)
idiomatic writing
a musical composition that exploits the strengths and avoids the weaknesses of particular voices and instruments
pedal point
a note, usually in the bass, sustained or continually repeated for a period of time while the harmonies change around it
The term "pedal point" describes
a note, usually in the bass, sustained or continually repeated for a period of time while the harmonies change around it.
toccata
a one-movement composition, free in form, originally for solo keyboard but later for instrumental ensemble as well
Which response best describes the meaning of "episode"?
a passage of free, nonimitative counterpoint found in a fugue
episode
a passage of free, nonimitative counterpoint found in a fugue
imitation
a polyphonic procedure whereby one or more voices, or parts, enter and duplicate exactly for a short period of time the music presented by the previous voice
madrigal
a popular genre of secular vocal music that originated in Italy during the Renaissance, in which usually four or five voices sing love poems
cadenza
a showy passage for the soloist appearing near the end of the movement in a concerto; usually incorporates rapid runs, arpeggios, and snippets of previously heard themes into a fantasy-like improvisation
basso continuo
a small ensemble of at least two instrumentalists who provide a foundation for the melody or melodies above; heard almost exclusively in Baroque music
carol
a song in the local language that marked Christmas, Easter, or even a military victory; most carols use strophic form
syllabic singing
a style of singing in which each syllable of text has only one or two notes; the opposite of melismatic singing
Identify the correct definition of "subject."
a term for the principal theme in a fugue
cantata
a term originally meaning "something sung"; in its mature state, it consists of several movements, including one or more arias, ariosos, and recitatives; cantatas can be on secular subjects and intended for private performance or on religious subjects, such as those of J. S. Bach for the German Lutheran church
terraced dynamics
a term used to describe the sharp, abrupt dynamic contrasts found in the music of the Baroque era
libretto
a text of an opera
ritornello
a theme in Baroque works that returns again and again; from Italian for "return" or "refrain"
Council of Trent
a two-decades-long (1545-1563) conference at which leading cardinals and bishops undertook the reform of the Roman Catholic Church, including its music
trouvères
a type of secular poet-musician that flourished in northern France during the thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries
troubadours
a type of secular poet-musician that flourished in southern France during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries
Identify the answer that best applies to "fugue."
a. a polyphonic composition for two, three, four, or five parts b. can be played by one or more instruments or sung by voices c. begins with a presentation of a subject in imitation in each part
da capo form
an aria in two sections, with an obligatory return to and repeat of the first; hence, an aria in ternary (ABA) form
aria
an elaborate lyrical song for solo voice
trio
an ensemble, vocal or instrumental, with three performers; also, a brief, self-contained composition contrasting with a previous piece, such as a minuet or a mazurka; originally, the trio was performed by only three instruments
concerto
an instrumental genre in which one or more soloists play with and against an orchestra
overture
an introductory movement, usually for orchestra, that precedes an opera, oratorio, or dance suite
French overture
an overture style developed by Jean-Baptiste Lully with two sections, the first slow in duple meter with dotted note values, the second fast in triple meter and with light imitation; the first section can be repeated after the second
The three movements for chorus from Bach's cantata Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme are based on the text and melody of a sixteenth-century
chorale
humanism
the Renaissance belief that people have the capacity to create many things that are both good and beautiful; it rejoiced in the human form in all its fullness, looked outward, and indulged a passion for invention and discovery
Mass
the central religious service of the Roman Catholic Church, one that incorporates singing for spiritual reflection or as accompaniment to sacred acts
Ordinary of the Mass
the five sung portions of the Mass for which the texts are invariable
concertino
the group of instruments that function as soloists in a concerto grosso
Hundred Years' War (1337-1453)
the name given to a century-long series of military conflicts between the French and the English
organum
the name given to the early polyphony of the Western Church from the ninth through the thirteenth centuries
Sistine Chapel
the pope's private chapel within his Vatican apartments
word painting
the process of depicting the text in music, be it subtly, overtly, or even jokingly, by means of expressive musical devices
melodic sequence
the repetition of a musical motive at successively higher or lower degrees of the scale
subject
the term for the principal theme in a fugue
