Ap Music Terms

Front 1

voice leading

Back 1

the conduct of the several voices or parts in a polyphonic or contrapuntal texture

Front 2

contrary motion

Back 2

one part moves up while the other part moves down

Front 3

cross relation

Back 3

the succession of a pitch in one voice by a chromatic alteration of that pitch (or its equivalent in another octave) in another voice

Front 4

crossed voices

Back 4

in four-part writing, one voice written higher than the part above it or lower than the part below it; considered poor voice leading in common practice style

Front 5

direct fifths

Back 5

similar motion into a perfect interval, permitted only in inner voices or if the soprano moves by step

Front 6

direct octaves

Back 6

similar motion into a perfect interval, permitted only in inner voices or if the soprano moves by step

Front 7

oblique motion

Back 7

one part remains stationary while the other part moves

Front 8

overlapping voices

Back 8

a voice-leading error in which one voice overlaps into the register of an adjacent voice on an adjacent beat

Front 9

parallel motion

Back 9

motion in two parts simultaneously is parallel if the interval between the two parts remains constant

Front 10

parallel fifths

Back 10

the simultaneous statement of the same melodic interval in two otherwise independent parts of a polyphonic complex at the distance of a perfect fifth. Motion of this type is prohibited in classical tonal harmony and counterpoint.

Front 11

parallel octaves

Back 11

the simultaneous statement of the same melodic interval in two otherwise independent parts of a polylphonic complex at the distance of a perfect octave. Motion of this type is prohibited in classical tonal harmony and counterpoint.

Front 12

similar motion

Back 12

both parts move in the same direction but by different intervals

Front 13

tendency tones

Back 13

a chord member of scale degree whose dissonant relation to the surrounding tones requires a particular resolution in common-practice style. e.e., chordal sevenths resolve down and leading tones resolve up

Front 14

voice exchange

Back 14

the expansion of a functional area in which two voices exchange chord members (1 moves to 3 in the bass and 3 moves to 1 in the soprano) This skip is often filled in with a pasing tone or a passing chord

Front 15

arpeggio

Back 15

a chord whose pitches are sounded successively, usually from lowest to highest rather than simultaneously.

Front 16

chromatic

Back 16

chromatic music includes pitches from outside the diatonic collection. The chromatic collection consists of all twelve pitch classes.

Front 17

common practice period

Back 17

the compositional techniques and harmonic language of the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic era

Front 18

consonance

Back 18

the perceived stability of a complex of two or more sounds. In Western tonal music, consonant intervals are those that are treated as stable and not requiring resolution.

Front 19

diatonic

Back 19

1. The collection of seven pitch classes that, in some rotation, conforms to the pattern of the whole and half steps of the major scale (a subset of the chromatic collection). 2. Made of of pitches belonging to a given diatonic collection

Front 20

dissonance

Back 20

the perceived instability of a complex of two or more sounds. Dissonant intervals are those regarded as having an instability that requires a resolution to a consonance.

Front 21

figured bass

Back 21

a bass part to which Arabic numbers have been added to indicate the accompanying harmonies. The strict realization in four parts of figured basses is a regular feature of instruction in harmony

Front 22

lead sheet

Back 22

in jazz and popular music, a shorthand score or part. It may provide melody, chord symbols, accompanimental figures, or lyrics

Front 23

picardy 3rd

Back 23

the raised or major thirt of the tonic triad as the final chord in a work otherwise in the minor mode

Front 24

resolution

Back 24

a progression from a dissonant tone or harmony to one that is consonant; the consonant tone or harmony itself. In classical tonal counterpoint, every dissonant tone must be resolved, normally by stepwise motion.

Front 25

interval

Back 25

the measurement of the distance in pitch between two notes. Measured by quantity and quality.

Front 26

inversion

Back 26

the new numerical name can be calculated by subtracting the old from 9- also M becomes m, P-P, A-d, d-A

Front 27

quality

Back 27

perfect, major, minor, diminished, augmented

Front 28

quantity

Back 28

2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc

Front 29

tritone

Back 29

the term used for the augmented fourth and its enharmonic equivalent, the diminished fifth

Front 30

unison

Back 30

same note

Front 31

whole step

Back 31

moving from one note to another with exactly one note in between

Front 32

antiphonal

Back 32

singing in which two choirs alternate

Front 33

articulation

Back 33

the characteristics of attack and decay of single tones or groups of tones and the means by which these characteristics are produced.

Front 34

arco

Back 34

resume bowing after a passage marked pizzicato

Front 35

legato

Back 35

played smoothly with no separation between successive notes

Front 36

pizzicato

Back 36

an indication that notes are to be plucked rather than bowed

Front 37

slur

Back 37

a curved line placed above two or more notes of different pitch to indicate that they are to be performed legato

Front 38

staccato

Back 38

short and detached

Front 39

adagio

Back 39

a slow tempo, often said to be slower than andante, but not as slow as largo

Front 40

allegro

Back 40

fast

Front 41

andante

Back 41

moderately slow, walking speed

Front 42

andantino

Back 42

slightly faster than andante

Front 43

largo

Back 43

broad

Front 44

lento

Back 44

slow

Front 45

moderato

Back 45

moderate

Front 46

presto

Back 46

very fast

Front 47

vivace

Back 47

lively

Front 48

ritardando

Back 48

slowing down gradually

Front 49

ritenuto

Back 49

held back, slowed down, usually a more sudden reduction in tempo than called for by ritardando and rallentando

Front 50

rubato

Back 50

the practice of altering the relationship among written note values and making the established pulse flexible by accelerating and slowing down the tempo