Unit 3: The Baroque Unit Exam Study Guide
Multiple Choice 70 points essay/short answer 30 points
Name_____________________
Music History & Appreciation
1. Compare and contrast “Baroque” and “Baroque Era” connotations:
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2. What is the core Aesthetic of the Baroque era? Give examples from art,
drama and music. ___________________________________________________
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3. What are the Affections? ___________________________________________
4. Explain Unity of mood and how it is expressed _________________________
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5. What are terraced dynamics? ________________________________________
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6. What is basso continuo? ____________________________________________
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7. Compare/contrast the following terms from the renaissance to the baroque:
Meter –____________________________________________________________
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Texture- ___________________________________________________________
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8. Desrcribe a baroque orchestra: ______________________________________
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9. What types of orchestras existed in the baroque era? ____________________
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10. What is a “Movement”? : __________________________________________
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11. Describe the job of a baroque music director: __________________________
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Music History & Appreciation
Unit 3: The Baroque Unit Exam Study Guide
12. What is a “Prelude” ? _____________________________________________
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13. What is Opera? __________________________________________________
14. When/where did opera begin? ______________________________________
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15. Why does it work?________________________________________________
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16. What is needed for opera? _________________________________________
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17. What is a Libretto? _______________________________________________
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18. What is Opera Buffa? Opera Seria? __________________________________
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19. What does the vocal range of an opera singer tell us about his/her
character? _________________________________________________________
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20. What is an aria? __________________________________________________
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21. What is recitative? ________________________________________________
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22. What is the ensemble/chorus? ______________________________________
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23. What is a Prompter? ______________________________________________
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24. What is an overture?______________________________________________
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25. What is a prelude? _______________________________________________
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26. What is a sonata? ________________________________________________
27. What is a trio sonata? _____________________________________________
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28. Where is Johann Sebastian Bach from? _______________________________
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Music History & Appreciation
Unit 3: The Baroque Unit Exam Study Guide
29. What did J.S. Bach compose? _______________________________________
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30. What is Bach’s most famous work? __________________________________
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31. What is a baroque suite? __________________________________________
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32. What is a Chorale? ________________________________________________
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33. What is a Chorale Prelude? _________________________________________
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34. What is a cantata? _______________________________________________
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35. Why is the year 1750 important? ____________________________________
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36. Who is George Frideric Handel and why is he important? ________________
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37. Explain the series of events in Handel’s life that led to him composing the
“Messiah”? ________________________________________________________
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38. What is an Oratorio? ______________________________________________
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Music History & Appreciation
Unit 3: The Baroque Unit Exam Study Guide
Listening Portion – Pieces will be on the website
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 Movement 1: Allegro
39. What is a Concerto Grosso? ________________________________________
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40. Describe Ritornello form: __________________________________________
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41. What does “Ritornello” mean? _____________________________________
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42. What does “Tutti” mean? _________________________________________
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Bach: Organ Fugue in G minor (little fugue)
43. What is a Fugue? _________________________________________________
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44. What is a “Subject”? ______________________________________________
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45. What is a “Countersubject”? _______________________________________
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46. Fugues can be alternated in four ways:
i. Inversion – ____________________________________________________
ii. Retrograde – __________________________________________________
iii. Augmententation – _____________________________________________
iv. Diminution – __________________________________________________
Henry Purcell: Dido’s Lament from Dido and Aeneas
47. Where was Purcell from and why is he important? _____________________
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48. What compositional techniques did Purcell exemplify? __________________
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49. What is basso ostinato? ___________________________________________
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Music History & Appreciation
Unit 3: The Baroque Unit Exam Study Guide
Claudio Monteverdi: Tu se’ morta from Orfeo
50. What compositional technique is Monteverdi famous for that he uses in this
piece? _____________________________________________________________
Antonio Vivaldi: La Primavera (Spring) from The Four Seasons
51. Why is Vivalidi important? _________________________________________
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52. What is “Program Music”? _________________________________________
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George Frideric Handel: Ev’ry Valley Shall Be Exalted & Hallelujah Chorus from
Messiah
53. Where was this piece first performed? _______________________________
54. Describe the popularity of the event and what the proceeds were used for.
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55. How many parts is the Messiah in? How many movements does it contain?
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