Music Appreciation Mid Term

Olivia Steward

Interval

• Distance between two pitches

Pitch- Highness or lowness of a sound

Tone-sound with specific pitch, produced by a constant rate of vibration

Frequency- rate of a sound wave’s vibration

Texture- manner in which melodic lines are used in music

Dynamic Level- level ofvolume

Recitative- speechlike setting of a text, with homophonic accompaniment by a keyboard or an

orchestra

Monophony- one unaccompanied melodic line/sound

Homophony-melodic line accompanied by chordal harmony

Polyphony-combination of 2 or more simultaneous melodic lines

• Tonal system-system of harmony based on the major and minor scales that has dominated Western music since the 17th century

• Unison-production of music by several voices or instruments at the same pitch, performed at the same octave or at different octaves

• Imitative Polyphony- technique in which each phrase of a composition is addressed by all the voices which enter successively in imitation of eachother

• Chorale-characteristic hymn introduced by Martin Luther

• Strophic Form-the most popular song form, which has 2 or more verses set to the same music

• Motet-polyphonic vocal form, usually consisting of two melodic lines, each with its own text above a plainchant melody

• Psalm Tune-tuneful settings of the 15 psalms in versions suitable for congregational singing

• Opera-dramatic vocal form blending visual, literary and musical arts in which all dialogue is sung

• Aria-songlike vocal piece, musically expressive, with orchestral accompaniment; usually homophonic

Oratorio

• Multimovement dramatic vocal work on a religious subject, performed in concert style

Cantata• Multimovement dramatic vocal work on a

religious or secular subject, performed in concert style; shorter than an oratorio

• Canon- polyphonic composition in which all the voices perform the same melody beginning at different times

• A capella- unaccompanied group singing

• Meter-is a recurring pattern of stresses or accents that provide the pulse or beat of music

Libretto

• Text of a dramatic vocal work

• Bel canto- “beautiful singing” 18th century Italian singing style that emphasized the beauty and virtuosity of the voice

• Timbre-characteristic quality of the sound of a voice or instrument

4 elements of music

rhythm

MELODY

harmony

timbre

Hildegard of Bingen

Form of chorales