MUSIC HISTORY 1 – Mr. Thompson
MID-TERM EXAM STUDY GUIDE
MEDIEVAL PERIOD
What is GREGORIAN CHANT?
Name a composer during this period.
What is the difference between POLYPHONIC music and
MONOPHONIC music?
What was the “love song” of this time?
What is the difference between syllabic singing and
melismatic singing ?
What was known as the artistic center for poets, actors,
musicians, etc. during this time?
What was the difference between a minstrel and a
troubadour?
Name a composer of ORGANUM.
What composer is credited with creating 4-part POLYPHONY?
Name 2 “hauts” medieval musical instruments.
Name 2 “bas” medieval musical instruments.
RENAISSANCE PERIOD
What does the word RENAISSANCE mean?
Where did this movement originate?
How does the art & music of this period differ from that of
the MEDIEVAL period?
Name a composer during this period.
Who was known as the “Michaelangelo” of music during this
period?
What movement during this time started the PROTESTANT
church?
What was the most popular music (genre) of this time?
Who was known as the “savior of church music” during this
period?
Name a visual artist of this time.
BAROQUE PERIOD
Where does this period get its name?
What makes the BAROQUE style unique?
What are 3 characteristics of BAROQUE music?
What was the definitive instrument of this period?
Name a BAROQUE composition utilizing RITORNELLO FORM.
What is a MOTET (4 criteria)?
Who was the first composer to write FULLY FUNCTIONAL
HARMONY?
Who composed the opera ORFEO?
What is a SONATA DE CHIESA?
What is a SONATA DE CAMERA?
What is the DIFFERENCE between the two?
What is the difference between a solo concerto and a
concerto grosso?
Who popularized the BAROQUE SONATA?
Who popularized the BAROQUE CONCERTO?
What instrument is featured as soloist in “The Seasons”?
Who were the two great figures of the LATE BAROQUE period?
For what group did BACH write/perform most of his SECULAR
music?
Who composed WATER MUSIC, and where does it get its name?
What language was the ORATORIO performed in?
There might also be an example of FIGURED BASS that you
must decipher correctly.
GLOSSARY – (terms give the definition)
PLAINSONG
LITURGICAL MASS
ORGANUM
SECULAR
BASSO CONTINUO
RECITATIVE
LIBRETTO
ARIA
VIRTUOSO
HUMANISM
CHANSON
IDIOMATIC MUSIC
CADENZA
FUGUE
CANTATA
GENRES – (be prepared to give an example of each)
GREGORIAN CHANT
OPERA
ORATORIO
SOLO CONCERTO
CONCERTO GROSSO
MOTET
DANCE SUITE
COMPOSERS – (be prepared to MATCH each composer with one of
their works and/or cite works by the following)
Hildegard Of Bingen
Josquin Desprez
Giovanni Gabrieli
Claudio Monteverdi
Antonio Vivaldi
George Frederic Handel
Johann Sebastian Bach
ESSAY – POSSIBLE essay questions to appear:

What was the “Age Of Cathedrals”? Why was it called
this? Where did this movement occur? What are
examples of structures from this period?

Discuss the changes that occurred in ART from the
Medieval period to the Renaissance. What were the
differences between the art from each of these
periods? Cite a visual artist of the time as an
example.

What was the COUNTER REFORMATION? Who started this
movement? What was the CATHOLIC REFORMATION? Who
initiated this movement? How did this affect the
music of the time and who “saved” it?

What was the RENIASSANCE movement? Where did it
originate? What does the word RENAISSANCE mean?
examples of RENAISSANCE music. Give examples of
RENAISSANCE art.

Give
Describe the ART of the BAROQUE period. Discuss the
origins of the word BAROQUE. What are the discerning
characteristics of BAROQUE music? Cite examples.

Discuss the music of the LATE BAROQUE period. Who
were the major musical figures from this period? What
were their contributions to music? Examine the
development of music and its forms during this time.

What was the life of a composer like during the
BAROQUE period? How did most of these composers
support themselves? What did it take for a composer
to gain fame and fortune? Discuss the lives of
BAROQUE composers and cite examples.
LISTENING EXAMPLES – remember that you will hear 5 (five)
examples of music. They will be either MEDIEVAL,
RENAISSANCE, or BAROQUE
QUESTIONS x 10 = 50
GLOSSARY x 5 = 25
GENRES x 5 = 25
COMPOSERS x 5 = 25
ESSAY x 1 = 50
LISTENING x 5 = 25
TOTAL = 200 points
Good luck!