Musical Terms

Front 1

Syncopation

Back 1

Placing the accent either on a week beat or between the beats.

Picture in your mind a grid with the beats falling on the vertical lines; now picture notes-the syncopated notes-falling in between the lines

Front 2

Tempo

Back 2

the speed at which the beats progress.

Tempo is indicated to the performer by means of a tempo marking placed at the beginning of the piece

Front 3

Melody

Back 3

It’s the part we sing along with

Front 4

The octave

Back 4

an octave is a pitch that is exactly twice the vibration rate of another pitch. Such a note is said to be an octave above or below anothe

Front 5

The staff

Back 5

a grid work of lines and spaces, which allows the exact distance between the pitches to be judged immediately. The higher on the staff the note is placed, the higher the pitch

Front 6

Scales

Back 6

the fixed pattern of tones with in the octave that ascends or descends. This is the pitches spaced out on a grid.

Front 7

Major/Minor scale

Back 7

seven steps within the octave.

A major or minor scale can start on any of the twelve notes within the octave, thus there are twelve major and twelve minor scales

Front 8

Tonality

Back 8

The organization of music around a central pitch. The key of the tonic is the key a piece is said to be written in.

Front 9

monophony

Back 9

a single line of music with no harmony.

Front 10

Homophony

Back 10

Means “Same sounding”. This texture the voices, or lines, all move together to new pitches at about the same time.

Front 11

Polyphony

Back 11

Two or more lines in the same musical fabric. These lines will be autonomous and independent, often entering at different times

Front 12

Counterpoint

Back 12

The harmonious opposition of two or more independent musical lines.

Front 13

Free counterpoint

Back 13

The voices are highly independent, and they may begin together or begin separately but then they go their own ways. Much jazz improvisation is done in free counterpoint.

Front 14

Imitative counterpoint

Back 14

a leading voice followed by one or more voices and duplicate what the first voice presente

Front 15

Canon

Back 15

A leading voice followed by one or more voices and duplicate what the first voice presented. If the followers copy exactly note for note what the lead player sings.

Front 16

basso continuo

Back 16

Bass driven, chordal support

Front 17

Concerto

Back 17

one or more soloist play with and against a larger orchestra.

Front 18

Program music

Back 18

A piece of instrumental music, usually for symphony orchestra, that seeks to re-create in sound the events and emotions portrayed in some extramusical source such as a play, historical event, ect.

Front 19

Fugue

Back 19

Composition for three, four , or five parts played or sung , with a “subject” presented and imitated, continuing with modulating passages of “free counterpoint”.

Front 20

Aria

Back 20

an elaborate lyrical song for solo voice.

Front 21

Recitative

Back 21

musically heightened speech, often used in an opera, oratorio, or cantata to imply drama.

Front 22

Ternary form (ABA)

Back 22

a simple arrangement “home-away-home”. serves as a useful intro to more complex melody.

Front 23

Sonata

Back 23

Played on an instrument as opposed to something sung

Front 24

Sonata Allegro

Back 24

A dramatic musical form that originated in the classical period involving an exposition, development, and recapitulation with optional introduction and coda.

Front 25

Symphony

Back 25

a genre of instrumental music for orchestra consisting of several movements.

Front 26

Coda

Back 26

Meaning “tail”, a final and concluding section of a musical composition.

Front 27

Developmental coda

Back 27

A concluding section in which a new pattern of notes emerge. Often takes a improvised quality

Front 28

Theme and variations

Back 28

Occurs when a melody is altered, decorated, or adorned in some way by changing pitch, rhythm, harmony, or mode.

Front 29

Motive

Back 29

a short, distinct melodic figure that stands alone.

Front 30

Song cycle

Back 30

A tightly structured group of individual songs that tell a story or treat a single theme.

Front 31

program music

Back 31

instrumental music often written for symphony orchestra that seeks to re-create in sound the events and emotions portrayed in some extramusical source such as a legend, play, novel, or historical event.

Front 32

Mazurka

Back 32

a fast dance in triple meter with and accent on the second beat.

Chopin

Front 33

Polonaise

Back 33

Polish folk dance written in triple meter.

Chopin

Front 34

Nocturne

Back 34

A slow, dreamy genre of piano music. Creates a “bittersweet” mood, evoking ideas of romantic longing and wistful melancholy.

Chopin

Front 35

Rubato

Back 35

To “steal time”. making some sections longer than others.

Chopin

Front 36

Transcription

Back 36

Arrangement for a instrument which has been rewritten for another.

Liszt transcription for Beethoven #5

Front 37

étude

Back 37

A short, one movement composition designed to improve one or more aspects of a performer’s technique.

Liszt

Front 38

symphonic poem

Back 38

Also “tone poem”. One movement programmatic orchestral work.

Tchaikovsky’s “romeo and Juliet” is an example.

Front 39

verismo opera

Back 39

also “realistic opera”, but the italian version. Subject matter treats issues of everyday life in a realistic way.

“Giacomo Puccini”