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T - Music History 3 > Definitions > Flashcards

Definitions Flashcards

1
Q

Define neo-Classicism. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A 20th century style that combined elements of Classical and Baroque music with modernist trends- Bela Bartok
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2
Q

Define minimalism. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Musical style developed in the 1960s- Repetition of melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic patterns with little variation- Often trance-like with a hypnotic effect- Generally tonal- Pioneered by composers La Monte Young, Phillip Glass, Steve Reich, Terry Riley, and John Adams- Arvo Part
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3
Q

Define serialism. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Method of composition in which various musical elements (pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tone color) may be ordered in a fixed series- Total serialism: extremely complex, totally controlled music in which the twelve-tone principle is extended to elements of music other than pitch- Anton Webern
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4
Q

Define polytonality. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • The simultaneous use of two or more keys- Bela Bartok
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5
Q

Define celesta. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A percussion instrument resembling a small upright piano- Metal bars are struck by hammers that have been activated by a keyboard- Produces a delicate, silvery sound- Alban Berg
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6
Q

Define ensemble. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A musical number in an opera featuring any number of soloists, but generally a smaller group than a “chorus”- Often serves as a musical and dramatic climax- Each person expresses his/her own emotions directly to the audience- Giuseppe Verdi
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7
Q

Define quotation in music. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Music that parodies another composition or style- Draws a melody from a pre-existing work and presents it in a new guise- Bela Bartok
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8
Q

Define whole-tone scale. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A non-traditional scale employed by composers of the late 19th and 20th centuries - Consists of 6 different pitches, all spaces a whole tone (whole step) apart, for example C-D-E-Fsharp-Gsharp-Asharp-C- Maurice Ravel
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9
Q

Define recitative. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A speech-like style of singing heard in an opera, oratorio, or cantata- Used for “dialogue” between characters and to advance the plot- Often used to precede an aria- Giuseppe Verdi
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10
Q

Define etude. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • French for “study”- Solo instrumental work intended to develop technical facility- Focuses on one or more specific technical challenges- Franz Liszt
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11
Q

Define durchkomponiert (through composed). Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A song structure that avoids repetition of entire sections of the music- As a result, melody, harmony, and piano accompaniment are able to reflect the meaning of the text- Robert Schumann
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12
Q

Define Lied. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • The musical setting of a German poem- For solo voice, generally with piano accompaniment- Flourished in the 19th century- Robert Schumann
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13
Q

Define double stopping. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A string-instrument technique- Two parts are produced by playing on two strings simultaneously- Felix Mendelssohn
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14
Q

Define changing meter. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A common trait in 20th century music- The time signature changes frequently and unpredictably- A rejection of standard metrical patterns in favour of non-symmetrical groupings- Bela Bartok
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15
Q

Define sonata form. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Formal structure often used in first movement of sonata cycle- Consists of Exposition (statement of two or more contrasting themes), Development (departure), and Recapitulation (return)- AKA sonata-allegro form- Felix Mendelssohn
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16
Q

Define Heldentenor. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • German for “heroic tenor” - A male voice with a high range, possessing incredible strength and stamina- Richard Wagner
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17
Q

Define chromatic harmony. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • From Greek chroma for “color”- Liberal use of chords based on notes outside of the key- Frequently involves modulations to distant keys- Used as an expressive device - Richard Wagner
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18
Q

Define Leitmotif. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • German for “leading motive”- A melodic fragment imbued with meaning, representing a character, place, object, or emotion- Undergoes thematic transformation as the opera unfolds - Richard Wagner
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19
Q

Define modality. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • The use of non-traditional scales, in particular, those scales that date back to antiquity, for example, Lydian mode- Bela Bartok
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20
Q

Define program music. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Significant trend in 19th century music- Instrumental music with extra-muscial associations, (literary, poetic, visual)- Descriptive title identifies the connection- Some works include a written text or “program” provided by the composer- Bedrich Smetana
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21
Q

Define bel canto. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Italian for “beautiful singing”- A style used in early 19th century Italian opera- Emphasized purity of tone and lyrical melodies of a highly ornamented nature- Rossini, Bellini, Donizetii, and early Verdi
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22
Q

Define pointillism. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A term derived from the post-Impressionist style of painting that used dots of pure color on the canvas- In music, this dappled effect was achieved through the use of Klangfarbenmelodie and the delicate weaving of the contrapuntal lines-Arnold Schoenberg
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23
Q

Define Sprechstimme. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • German for “speech-voice”- A vocal technique developed Schoenberg and used for the first time in his song cycle Pierrot lunaire- The singer/reciter performs what sounds like “pitched speaking”- The singer initiates a note then drops the pitch slightly- Indicated with an ‘x’ marked on the stem of the note-Arnold Schoenberg
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24
Q

Define theme and variations. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Compositional procedure in which a theme is stated and then altered in successive statements; occurs as an independent piece or as a movement of a multi movement cycle- Anton Webern
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25
Q

Define cadenza. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A solo passage heard in a concerto, aria, or any large orchestral work- Often of a virtuosic nature- Suggests an improvised style- 19th century cadenzas were usually written out by the composer- Felix Mendelssohn
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26
Q

Define libretto. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • The text of an opera, oratorio, or cantata- Usually written by someone other than the composer- Giuseppe Verdi
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27
Q

Define retrograde (in twelve-tone music). Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Writing the tone row backwards- Arnold Schoenberg- Anton Webern
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28
Q

Define cluster chord. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A dissonant chord consisting of major and minor seconds - Often employed in atonal music- Alban Berg
29
Q

Define strophic form. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A song structure where the same music is performed for each verse of the poem- As a result, little connection can be achieved between the words and music- Robert Schumann
30
Q

Define expressionism in music. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • The German answer to French Impressionism- Impulse for Expressionist movement came from painting- First triumphed in central Europe, especially in Germany- Reached full tide in dramatic works of the Second Viennese School (Arnold Schoenberg and his disciples Alban Berg and Anton Webern)- Favored a hyperexpressive harmonic language marked by extreme wide leaps in the melody, and by the use of instruments in their extreme registers- Arnold Schoenberg
31
Q

Define hemiola. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A temporary shift of the metric accents- Notes grouped in threes are momentarily grouped in twos or vice-versa - Robert Schumann- Johannes Brahms
32
Q

Define ostinato. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A short rhythmic or melodic pattern repeated throughout a section or a work- Bela Bartok
33
Q

Define music drama. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Term used to describe the synthesis of music and drama- Served to distinguish his operatic style from the “traditional” operas of his day- Richard Wagner
34
Q

Define atonality. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Total abandonment of tonality (entering in a key)- Atonal music moves from one level of dissonance to another, without areas of relaxation- Arnold Schoenberg
35
Q

Define coloratura soprano. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A female voice with an especially high range- Trained to execute breathtakingly difficult passages with great ability - Giuseppe Verdi
36
Q

Define en pointe. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • French for “on point”- A challenging dance technique practised by ballerinas (female dancers) and used in traditional ballet- Requires the dancer to dance and balance on their toes with the help of specially constructed dance slippers- Sergei Prokofiev
37
Q

Define rondo form. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Classical formal structure often used in sonata cycle- Section A recurs, with alternating sections creating contrast- Section A heard 3 times or more in the tonic key- Most frequently ABACA or ABACABA- Johannes Brahms
38
Q

Define mode of limited transposition. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A scale that is limited to fewer than the usual twelve transpositions; some can only be transposed once- First mode of limited transposition is the whole tone scale- Second mode is the octatonic scale whose pattern alternates semi-tones and tones- Absence of a central pitch or pull to a tonic- Olivier Messiaen
39
Q

Define diminution. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A rhythmic device in which the note values of a melody are shortened- As a result, the music sounds faster- Arnold Schoenberg
40
Q

Define symphonic poem (tone poem). Who is this term associated with?

A
  • One of the most popular forms of orchestral program music- Single movement work, generally in free form, with literary or pictorial associations- Invented by Franz Liszt, associated with Bedrich Smetana for this course
41
Q

Define sourdine. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • French for “mute”- An instruction given to string and brass instruments to use their mutes- Creates softer dynamics, veiled, subdued instrumental effects- Olivier Messiaen
42
Q

Define Tristan chord. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A half-diminished 7th chord heard in the opening measures of Tristan und Isolde, formed by the notes F-B-Dsharp-Gsharp- Serves as a leitmotif throughout the opera for lover’s passion- Demonstrates the heightened chromaticism - Richard Wagner
43
Q

Define homorhythmic texture. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • All voices sing the same rhythm- Results in a blocked chordal texture (homophonic)- Delivers the text with clarity and emphasis- Johannes Brahms
44
Q

Define tintinnabulation. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • From Latin word for “bell”- A minimalist compositional style developed by Arvo Part during the 1970s- Music generally characterized by 2 voices: one voice (called the tinntinnabular voice) arpeggiates the tonic triad while the other voice moves diatonically, with conjunct motion- Works tend to have slow tempi, introspective mood, showing the composer’s fascination with chant- Arvo Part
45
Q

Define retrograde-inversion (in twelve-tone music). Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Writing the tone row upside down and backwards- Arnold Schoenberg- Anton Webern
46
Q

Define twelve-tone music. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A method of composition developed by Schoenberg- An approach used to organize atonal music- Based on a fixed order of the twelve chromatic pitches forming a tone row- Also referred to as dodecaphonic music (derived from the Greek for “twelve”) - Arnold Schoenberg- Anton Webern
47
Q

Define song cycle. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A collection of art songs united by central theme or narrative thread- Intended to be performed together- Poetic text drawn from same author- Robert Schumann
48
Q

Define concert overture. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A single movement orchestral work with literary or pictorial associations- Usually in sonata form- Independent concert work; not connected to an opera or ballet- Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
49
Q

Define pedal point. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A sustained note over which harmonies change- Felix Mendelssohn
50
Q

Define orchestral suite. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A group of orchestral movements drawn from a larger dramatic work such as a ballet - Programmatic in nature- Played in a concert setting, outside of its original dramatic context- Sergei Prokofiev
51
Q

Define canon. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • From the Latin for “law”- Strict imitation of a musical line at a fixed interval throughout- Can be complete polyphonic composition or a technique used within a work- Arnold Schoenberg
52
Q

Define glissando. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Derived from French “glisser”, to slide- On the harp, a quick strumming of all the strings with a broad sweeping hand movement creating beautiful shimmering effects- On the piano, a rapid ascending or descending “strumming” of the keys (white or black)- Maurice Ravel
53
Q

Define modified strophic form. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A song structure that allows for some repetition of music- Some changes to the melody, harmony, and accompaniment take place to reflect the text, such as a shift to tonic Major or tonic minor key- Robert Schumann
54
Q

Define impressionism in music. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Surfaced in France after the possibilities of the Major-minor system had been exhausted - Emphasis on primary intervals-octaves, fourths, fifths- and the parallel movement of chords - More subtle harmonic relationships- Use of dissonance, entire spectrum of chromatic scale- Tone combinations that had formerly been regarded as inadmissible- Fluid sequence of pitches that lacks the pull towards a tonic- Claude Debussy- Maurice RavelREAD PG. 466-467 IN EoM
55
Q

Define pentatonic scale. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A scale consisting of 5 different pitches, for example C-D-E-G-A-C- Can be rendered easily by playing the 5 black keys on the piano- Common to the folk music of many European and Asian cultures - Maurice Ravel
56
Q

Define choreography. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • The art of designing the dance steps and movements in a ballet (or musical)- Sergei Prokofiev
57
Q

Define nationalism in music. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Important element of 19th century musical style - Patriotism expressed through music- Influence of folk song and dance, myths and legends, landscapes, historical events- Bedrich Smetana
58
Q

Define Klangfarbenmelodie. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • German for “tone-color melody”- Concept developed Schoenberg in the early 20th century- Individual notes of a melody are distributed around several instruments and often over a wide range- Creates an angular melody and sparse sound- Often compared to pointillism in painting-Arnold Schoenberg
59
Q

Define cyclical structure. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Material heard in 1 movement recurs in later movements- Creates structural unity in a multi-movement work- A characteristic employed increasingly by Romantic composers in various genres, but notably in their symphonies- Gustav Mahler
60
Q

Define rondeau. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A poetic form developed in the 14th century- Generally, the poem consisted of 4 verses: the first verse was repeated partially in the second verse, and completely in the fourth verse- The musical rondeau often took its shape from the poem’s structure-Arnold Schoenberg
61
Q

Define aria. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Italian for “air” (an old English word for song)- A solo song with orchestral accompaniment heard in an opera, oratorio, or cantata- Highly emotional, often virtuosic- May have lyrical or dramatic character- Giuseppe Verdi
62
Q

Define inversion (in twelve-tone music). Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Writing the tone row upside down- Arnold Schoenberg- Anton Webern
63
Q

Define thematic transformation. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A basic theme is repeated throughout a work in different guises- The theme may be changed rhythmically, melodically or harmonically- Unlike a variation, the transformed theme takes on a new identity in a new context- Franz Liszt
64
Q

Define symphony. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A multi movement orchestral work- Developed in the 18th century, especially by Haydn Mozart, and Beethoven- Typically in 4 movements- Generally includes at least 1 movement in sonata form- Gustav Mahler
65
Q

Define tone row. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Fixed order of the twelve chromatic pitches - Basis of a twelve-tone composition- Undergoes manipulations including: transposition, inversion, retrograde, and retrograde-inversion- Arnold Schoenberg- Anton Webern
66
Q

Define ballet. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • Highly stylized type of dance that often interprets a story- First developed in the 17th century at the court of Louis XIV- 19th century ballet reached its peak at the Russian court- Russian dancers dominated the ballet scene throughout most of the 20th century- Sergei Prokofiev
67
Q

Define micropolyphony. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • The weaving of many separate melodic strands into a complex polyphonic fabric- The sheer density of the music renders the individual lines imperceptible - Developed by Gyorgy Ligeti
68
Q

Define concerto. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • A multi movement work for soloist(s) and orchestra- Showcases virtuosity of soloist(s)- Felix Mendelssohn
69
Q

Define Gesamtkunstwerk. Who is this term associated with?

A
  • German for “total art work” - Achieved through the perfect union of text, music, and stagecraft (costumes, scenery, lighting)- Richard Wagner

T - Music History 3 (13 decks)

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