Baroque Terms Understanding Music

Front 1

Chromatic

Back 1

Melody or harmony built from many if not all 12 semitones of the octave. A Chromatic scale consists of ascending or descending sequence of semitones.

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Diatonic

Back 2

Melody or harmony built from the 7 tones of a major or minor scale. A diatonic scale encompasses patterns of 7 whole tones and semitones.

Front 3

Affections (Doctrine)

Back 3

Baroque doctrine of the union of text and music.

Front 4

Virtuoso

Back 4

Performer of extraordinary technical ability.

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Improvisation

Back 5

Creation of a musical composition while it is being performed, seen in Baroque ornamentation, Cadenzas of concertos, jazz, and some non-western musics.

Front 6

Terraced Dynamics

Back 6

Sudden change from full to soft, with no crescendo or decrescendo. Harpsichord could only play soft or loud notes.

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Forte

Back 7

Loud

Front 8

Piano

Back 8

Soft

Front 9

Aria (da capo aria)

Back 9

Lyric song for solo voice /w orchestral accompaniment, generally expressing intense emotion; found in opera, cantata, and oratorio.

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Recitative

Back 10

Solo vocal declamation that follows the inflections of the text, often resulting in a disjunct vocal style; found in opera, cantata, and oratorio. Can be secco or accompagnato.

Front 11

Librettist

Back 11

Prepares the text, or script, of an opera.

Front 12

Overture (Fr. and Italian)

Back 12

Introductory movement, as in a opera or oratorio, often presenting melodies from arias to come. Also an orchestral work for concert performance.

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Sinfonia

Back 13

Short instrumental work, found in Baroque opera to facilitate scene changes.

Front 14

Concertino

Back 14

The smaller group of instruments in a concerto grosso.

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Tutti (Ripieno)

Back 15

Italian. All of the orchestra plays together opposite of the solo.

Front 16

Dido's Lament

Back 16

Purcell.

Front 17

Spring from The Four Seasons

Back 17

Vivaldi.

Front 18

Water Music

Back 18

Handel

Front 19

The Messiah

Back 19

Handel

Front 20

Cantata 80: A Mighty Fortress is Our God.

Back 20

Bach

Front 21

The Art of The Fugue, Contrapunctus I.

Back 21

Bach

Front 22

Trill

Back 22

Ornament consisting of the rapid alternation between one tone and the next or sometimes the tone below.

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Tremolo

Back 23

Rapid repetition of a tone; can be achieved instrumentally or vocally.

Front 24

Ritornello Form

Back 24

Short, recurring instrumental passage found in both the aria and the Baroque concerto.

Front 25

Episode

Back 25

Interlude or intermediate section in the Baroque fugue that serves as an area of relaxation between statements of the subject.

Front 26

Exposition

Back 26

Opening section. In the Fugue, the first section in which the voices enter in turn with the subject. In Sonata-Allegro form, first section in which major thematic material is stated.

Front 27

Subject

Back 27

Main idea or theme of a work, as in a fugue.

Front 28

Chorale

Back 28

Congregational hymn of the German Lutheran Church.

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Dates of The Baroque Era

Back 29

1600 - 1750

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Composers of The Baroque Era

Back 30

1. Gabrielli
2. Purcell
3. Vivaldi
4. Handel
5. Bach

Front 31

Baroque Genres

Back 31

1. Opera
2. Solo Concerto
3. Concerto Grosso
4. Suite
5. Oratorio
6. Cantata
7. Fugue

Front 32

Antiphonal

Back 32

Performance style in which an ensemble is divided into two or more groups, performing in alternation and then together.

Front 33

Collegium Musicum

Back 33

Association of amateur musicians, popular in the Baroque Era. Also a modern university ensemble dedicated to the performance of music.

Front 34

Basso Continuo

Back 34

Italian for "Continuous Bass" Refers to performance group with a bass, chordal instrument (harpsichord, organ) and one bass melody instrument (cello, bassoon).

Front 35

Tonality

Back 35

Principle of organization around a tonic, or home, pitch, based on a major or minor scale.

Front 36

Tonic (Keynote)

Back 36

First note of the scale or Key, do.

Front 37

Opera

Back 37

Music drama generally sung throughout, combining resources of vocal and instrumental music with poetry and drama, acting and pantomime, scenery and costumes.

Front 38

Solo Concerto

Back 38

Solo instrument and accompanying instrumental group. Violin most frequently used. Used mostly by Vivaldi.

Front 39

Concerto Grosso

Back 39

Baroque concerto type based the opposition of solo instruments (the concertino) and the orchestra (the ripieno)

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Suite

Back 40

Multi-movement work made up of a series of contrasting dance movements, generally all in the same key. (Also partita and orde)

Front 41

Oratorio

Back 41

Large-scale dynamic genre originating in the Baroque, based on a text of religious or serious character, performed by solo voices, chorus, and orchestra-like opera but without scenery, costumes, or action.

Front 42

Cantata

Back 42

Vocal genre for solo singers, chorus, and instrumentalists based on a lyric or dramatic poetic narrative. It generally consists of several movements, including recitatives, arias, and ensemble numbers.

Front 43

Fugue

Back 43

Polyphonic form popular in the Baroque Era in which one or more themes are developed by imitative concept.

Front 44

Major

Back 44

Scale consisting of 7 different tones that comprises a specific pattern of whole and half steps. Differs from minor scale primarily because that its third degree is raised a half step.

Front 45

Minor

Back 45

Scale consisting of 7 different tones that comprises of a specific pattern of whole and half steps. Differs from major scale in that it's third degree is lowered a half step.

Front 46

Oratorio

Back 46

Large-scale dynamic genre originating in the Baroque, based on a text of religious or serious character, performed by solo voices, chorus, and orchestra-like opera but without scenery, costumes, or action.

Front 47

Cantata

Back 47

Vocal genre for solo singers, chorus, and instrumentalists based on a lyric or dramatic poetic narrative. It generally consists of several movements, including recitatives, arias, and ensemble numbers.

Front 48

Fugue

Back 48

Polyphonic form popular in the Baroque Era in which one or more themes are developed by imitative concept.

Front 49

Major

Back 49

Scale consisting of 7 different tones that comprises a specific pattern of whole and half steps. Differs from minor scale primarily because that its third degree is raised a half step.

Front 50

Minor

Back 50

Scale consisting of 7 different tones that comprises of a specific pattern of whole and half steps. Differs from major scale in that it's third degree is lowered a half step.

Front 51

Strings as in the Baroque Orchestra

Back 51

1. Violin (I and II)
2. Viola
3. Cello
4. Double Bass

Front 52

Basso Continuo as in the Baroque Orchestra

Back 52

1. Harpsichord or Organ (Chords)
2. Cello or Bassoon (Bass Part)

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Optional as in the Baroque Orchestra

Back 53

1. Flute, Oboe, Bassoon
2. Trumpet, Horn
3. Timpani