Gcse Music Edexcel

Front 1

Name features of the Baroque era (1600-1760).

Back 1

Ornamentation, major/minor key structure, terraced dynamics, homophonic/contrapuntal textures, layered melodies, continuo bass, continuous mood, long melodies, energetic rhythms.

Front 2

Name features of the Classical era (1750-1820).

Back 2

Emphasis on beauty/balance/elegance, dominantly homophonic, more variety/contrast than Baroque (and frequent changes), sonata form is the most important design, shorter melodies/clear cut phrases or cadences, larger orchestras.

Front 3

Name features of the Romantic era (1780-1910).

Back 3

Song-like melodies (lyrical), great technical virtuosity, dramatic contrasts of dynamics/pitch, chromatic harmonies/dissonances, freedom of form/design (emotion-based music)

Front 4

Name features of Expressionism.

Back 4

Atonality, clashing dissonances, distorted melodies, expression, extreme contrasts in dynamics, fragmentary form/structure.

Front 5

Name features of jazz.

Back 5

Improvisation, dotted/syncopated rhythms/cross rhythms, use of blue scales, 12 bar blues/walking bass, swing feel, rhythm section in instrumentation, asymetrical phrasing

Front 6

Name features of Minimalism.

Back 6

Drones, ostinato loops, phasing, note addition, layering, augmentation (extension of note length), gradual changes, diatonic harmony.

Front 7

What is imitation?

Back 7

2 or more lines of music performing the same melodic material, beginning at different times so as to overlap.

Front 8

What is polyphony/counterpoint?

Back 8

2 or more lines of music, each line moving independently of others (former describes Renaissance, latter describes Baroque).

Front 9

What is homophony?

Back 9

Any texture with 2 or more lines of music (in which 1 line of music is the principal line).

Front 10

When did Handel live?

Back 10

1685-1759.

Front 11

The Messiah is..

Back 11

an oratorio. (Large scale setting of biblical text for soloists/chorus/orchestra for concert performance). It was composed in 1741. "And the glory of the Lord" is a chorus from this oratorio.

Front 12

What is the instrumentation of "And the glory of the Lord"?

Back 12

SATB, violins I/II and viola, and the cello, double bass and chamber organ (basso continuo).

Front 13

How many motifs are there in "And the glory of the Lord" and what are they?

Back 13

Motif 1; "And the glory of the Lord"

Motif 2; "Shall be revealed"

Motif 3; "And all flesh shall see together"

Motif 4; "For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it"

Front 14

What is the tonality of "And the glory of the Lord"?

Back 14

Major (A major, later modulates to E major and B major). Creates a joyful mood.

Front 15

How are the motifs set out in "And the glory of the Lord"?

Back 15

Motif 1; broken chord, followed by ascending scale

Motif 2; descending scale motif repeated in a descending sequence

Motif 3; upward leap followed by a descending scale, repeated

Motif 4; a repeated note, with long note values

Front 16

What is the general texture of "And the glory of the Lord"?

Back 16

Melody dominated homophony, chordal homophony (emphasises sequences), imitative counterpoint and briefly monophony. There is also unison at the end.

Front 17

How would you describe the rhythm and metre of "And the glory of the Lord"? And how is the text set?

Back 17

Allegro tempo, triple metre (3/4), one-in-a-bar joyful/dance-like feel, enhanced by hemiola (2 groups of 3 beats articulated as 3 groups of 2).

The end has a general pause, followed by an adagio tempo and long note values, creating a dramatic coda. The text is set syllabic, typically, but is occasionally melismatic (multiple notes per syllable, e.g. 'shall be revealed').

Front 18

How would the melody and dynamics be described in "And the glory of the Lord"?

Back 18

The melody is typically conjunct and consists of melodic sequences (repeated motifs at progressively higher/lower pitches). The dynamics are terraced (sudden changes resulting from changes in instruments).

Front 19

How would you describe the harmony of "And the glory of the Lord"?

Back 19

The harmony is mainly diatonic. The key is defined by perfect cadences (V-I), except for at the end, where there is a plagal cadence. (IV-I) There are also use of pedal notes (held/repeated notes while the harmony changes; if in the higher part, it's inverted).

Front 20

When did Mozart live?

Back 20

1756-1791.

Front 21

Symphony No. 40 Mvt. 1 was composed in...

Back 21

1788. (note; symphony is a large-scale work for tutti orchestra, composed in 4 movements. The first is typically molto allegro and in sonata form.)

Front 22

What is the instrumentation of Symphony No. 40 Mvt. 1?

Back 22

Typical of a Classical orchestra (smaller than a modern-day symphony orchestra), there is a string section [violin I/II, viola, cello and double basses, with the double basses and cello doubling in octaves like the violins] and a woodwind section [flute, oboes, clarinets in Bb and bassoons, which all double the strings or play independent melody lines], as well as small brass sections [2 horns Bb/G, emphasising cadences/loud passages]. There are no timpani/trumpets.

Front 23

What is the structure of Symphony No. 40 Mvt. 1?

Back 23

Sonata form; an exposition (where principal themes are demonstrated), a development and a recapitulation section (where the themes from the exposition are repeated). There's also a coda. There is a first and second subject (first is in G minor, second in Bb major), and the development section modulates rapidly through F#m, Em, A and Gm. The phrasing is 2/4/8 bar phrases (balanced/periodic phrasing).

Front 24

How are the melodies constructed in Symphony No. 40 Mvt. 1?

Back 24

The first subject is a repeating semitone quaver-quaver-crotchet motif which is followed by an upward leap of a 6th and a sequential scalic descent. The second subject includes 2 descending chromatic scales answered by cadence motifs (3 repeated crotchets, typically). Most of the melodies are antecedent/consequent (question/answer).

Front 25

What is the texture of Symphony No. 40 Mvt. 1?

Back 25

The texture is mainly melody dominated homophony (later chordal homophony that emphasises important cadences). There's also frequent doubling ('unison') between instruments, like the 2 violins in octaves.

Front 26

How would the dynamics in Symphony No. 40 Mvt. 1 be described?

Back 26

There is use of terraced dynamics, similar to "And the glory of the Lord". There's also gradual changes to the dynamics through crescendos and diminuendos.

Front 27

How would you describe the rhythm, metre and tempo of Symphony No. 40 Mvt. 1?

Back 27

The tempo is molto allegro; the metre is 4/4. These are typical of the 1st movement of a Classical symphony. In the 1st subject/throughout the movement, a quaver-quaver crotchet is repeated, often as an anacrusis (upbeat). The second subject uses longer note values. Most of the rhythms are on-beat.

Front 28

How would you describe the harmony of Symphony No. 40 Mvt. 1?

Back 28

Chords I-V are the most common. Regular cadences (particularly perfect cadences) reinforce the key and periodic/balanced phrasing. Chords I-V are alternated to end sections of music. To prepare for new sections of music, (dominant) pedal notes are used. The harmony is typically consonant (but occasionally chromatic/dissonant, especially when modulating).

Front 29

When did Chopin live?

Back 29

1810-1849.

Front 30

Chopin's Prelude No. 15 in Db (Raindrop Prelude) was composed in...

Back 30

1839.

Front 31

What is the instrumentation for Prelude no. 15 in Db (Raindrop Prelude)?

Back 31

Solo piano.

Front 32

What is the structure of Prelude no. 15 in Db (Raindrop Prelude)?

Back 32

Ternary form; an A section (in Db major, b.1-26), followed by a B section (in C# minor/enharmonic minor, b.27-75) and returning to the A section (b.76-89, with codetta from b.82).

Front 33

How are the melodies constructed in Prelude no. 15 in Db (Raindrop Prelude)?

Back 33

The A section's melody is played in the right hand; a recurring 3 note motif incorporating the notes of the tonic chord (2nd position), followed by a conjunct ascending melody and repeating. The melody is being played with a sense of rubato (increasing/decreasing tempo briefly for expression) and in cantabile (lyrical style). In the B section, the left hand plays the melody.

Front 34

What is the texture of Prelude no. 15 in Db (Raindrop Prelude)?

Back 34

Mainly homophonic (apart from 2 bars at the end which are monophonic). B section is mostly chordal homophony.

Front 35

How would the dynamics in Prelude no. 15 in Db (Raindrop Prelude) be described?

Back 35

The dynamics range from pp to ff. Several diminuendos/crescendoes are used. The A section is a lot quieter than the B section, since the B section builds up to ff twice, whereas the A section stays in p.

Front 36

How would you describe the rhythm, metre and tempo of Prelude no. 15 in Db (Raindrop Prelude)?

Back 36

The metre is 4/4. Tempo marking is sostenuto (slow tempo/legato playing). Several dotted rhythms and quavers are used (the quavers representing the 'raindrops'). The phrasing is periodic (4 or 8 bar phrases). Rubato tempo (tempo may be altered for expression).

Front 37

How would you describe the harmony of Prelude no. 15 in Db (Raindrop Prelude)?

Back 37

Mainly diatonic/consonant harmony (occasional chromatic harmony, e.g. b.4 in the septuplet). Sections A and B end with imperfect cadences (any chord -> V), while the codetta finishes with a perfect cadence. Both sections have a dominant pedal note (Ab/G#) consistently played, possibly replicating the constant fall of raindrops.

Front 38

When did Schoenberg live?

Back 38

1874-1951.

Front 39

Arnold Schoenberg's Peripetie was composed in...

Back 39

1909.

Front 40

What is the instrumentation of Peripetie?

Back 40

Late-romantic symphony, extended with tutti wind and brass sections + non-standard orchestral instruments. They play short overlapping melodic lines in succession, with the full pitch ranges of the instruments in use.

Front 41

What is the structure of Peripetie?

Back 41

(Free) Rondo form (A, B, A1, C, A2), with the A sections being heavily modified whenever returned. Predominantly short and irregular length phrases.

Front 42

How are the melodies constructed in Peripetie?

Back 42

Disjunct and chromatic melody with large pitch range. Fragmented, quickly passing from 1 instrument to another (Klangfarbenmelodie, or tone colour melody). The principal melody is called the hauptstimme; the secondary voice is the nebenstimme.

Front 43

What is the texture of Peripetie?

Back 43

Mainly contrapuntal with bits of monophony/homophony. In section A2, motifs pile up on one another, playing in counterpoint/canon as tutti orchestra plays.

Front 44

How would you describe the dynamics of Peripetie?

Back 44

Ranges from ppp to fff. Sudden loud bursts achieved by fp, sf or accent markings. B section is quiet, A2 uses large crescendoes/diminuendos + major dynamic contrast (clarinets play phrase ppp following an fff phrase).

Front 45

How would you describe the rhythm, metre and tempo of Peripetie?

Back 45

The metre is 3/4. Little sense of metre, with tempo alternating between sehr rasch (very quick) and etwas ruhiger (somewhat calmer). Several complex rhythmic patterns such as cross-rhythms/syncopations are formed from combinations of tuplet/demi-semi-quaver passages.

Front 46

How would you describe the harmony of Peripetie?

Back 46

Extremely dissonant, chromatic intervals. Based around hexachords/complement of the hexachords (hexachord = 6 pitches, semitone between 3rd and 4th, while complement = 6 notes not used in hexachord)

Front 47

Leonard Bernstein lived from..

Back 47

1918-1990.

Front 48

Bernstein's 'Something's Coming' was composed in..

Back 48

1957.

Front 49

What is the instrumentation of Something's Coming?

Back 49

Jazz orchestra of 30; standard woodwind (flute/oboe/clarinet/bassoon)+ additional (cor anglais/saxophone/bass clarinet/piccolo) + brass (horns/trumpet/trombone) + strings (all but viola).

Front 50

What is the structure of Something's Coming?

Back 50

A, B, B1, A1. (A1 and B1 are the same, but altered text). Also an intro and outro. The intro is quiet and syncopated; b.21 starts a loud strident theme in 2/4, and b.73 indicates a lyrical/slow-moving theme.

Front 51

How are the melodies constructed in Something's Coming?

Back 51

The melody's text setting is syllabic and is based on riffs (short motifs) repeated in the piece. It uses blue notes, conjunct movement and tritone (aug. 4th); the latter 2 reflect conflict in the musical. Word painting is used (features of music reflects the words). Narrow range of melody (no more than a 6th), divided into 2 bar phrases. Altered in 'around the corner'.

Front 52

What is the texture of Something's Coming?

Back 52

Melody dominated homophony (the melody is accompanied by syncopated motifs). There is also use of unison as some of the instruments double in octaves.

Front 53

How would you describe the dynamics of Something's Coming?

Back 53

The theme starts pp and gradually gets louder (crescendoes), eventually reaching ff before dying out at the end again. The instruments are played softer in order for the vocalist to remain audible.

Front 54

How would you describe the rhythm, metre and tempo of Something's Coming?

Back 54

The tempo is 178bpm, the metre is 3/4 (later 2/4 and back to 3/4). Cross rhythms are used throughout. The accompaniment is formed from an off-beat bass line, constantly 'pushing' a push rhythm forward.

Front 55

How would you describe the harmony of Something's Coming?

Back 55

Jazz-influenced, using blue notes and other chromatic notes. Extended chords (7/9/11ths) used + tritones [augmented 4ths]. Last note of melody is flattened 7th, creating incompleteness (as if something's coming). Written in D major, but modulates to C major and bitonal effect (2 keys simultaneous) is created later on.