FORMS AND STYLES OF MUSIC
A capella- Choral music without instrumental accompaniment
Aria- Song for solo voice with orchestral accompaniment, expressing an emotional state through its outpouring of
melody; found in operas, oratorios and cantatas.
Art son g- Setting of a poem for solo voice and piano, translating the poem's mood and imagery into music, common
in the romantic period.
Ballad- a song with sentimental text usually in a moderate, or slow tempo.
Ba roque- Period in European music history from 1600-1750. Highly embellished and ornamented style.
Cantata- Composition in several movements, usually written for chorus, one or more vocal soloists, and orchestra.
They usually include several chorals.
Chamber music- Music employing a small group of musicians , with one player to a part.
Chance (aleatory)- composed by random selection of pitches and rhythms developed in SO's by John Cage
Chora le- Hymn tune song to a German religious text, usually including long notes and fermatas. Concert
overture- Independent composition for orchestra in I movement found in romantic period. ConcertoExtended composition for instrumental soloist and orchestra, usually in 3 mvts: fast, slow, fast Concerto
grosso- Composition for several instrumental soloists and small orchestra; late Baroque Countermelodymelodic idea that accompanies a main theme.
Counterpoint- technique of combining 2 or more melodic lines into a meaningful whole.
Development- 2"d section of a sonata-fom1 mvt., themes are developed and move through several keys.
Embellishments- Ornamental tones, improvised or written in the music by signs and symbols in small print.
Etude- In French, study; a piece designed to help a performer master specific technical difficulties.
Exposition-!" section of a sonata-form movement.
Exoticism- Use of melodies, rhythms, or instruments that suggest foreign lands, (romantic period).
Fugue- polyphonic composition based on a subject, and containing a lot of counterpoint.
Gregorian chant- Melodies set to sacred Latin texts, sung without accompaniment.
Homophonic texture- music in w hich I main melody is accompanied by chords.
Impressionism- Musical style which stresses tone color, atmosphere, and fluidity, typical of Debussy.
In terval- "Distance" between two notes.
Librettist- Dramatist who writes libretto Libretto- text of an opera
Minuet- triple meter, moderate tempo, often the 3'd mvt.of classical symphonies, and string quartets.
Modulation- shift from one key to another within the same piece.
Motive- Fragment of a theme, or short musical idea developed in a composition.
Movement-(mvt.) a portion of a composition comprehended under the same general measure of time.
Musical- Ameri can theater using a dramatic script, acting, singing, dancing, and scenery.
Nocturne- In French, night piece; a compositions, usually slow, lyrical, and intimate in character.
Opera- Drama that is sung to orchestral accompa niment, usually a large-scale work with a huge cast.
Oratorio- Large composition for chorus, vocal soloists, and orchestra, no scenery or costu mes (biblical).
Ostinato- Motive, phrase or pattern that is repeated persistently.
Overture- Short musical composition, purely orchestral, which serves as the opening for an opera.
Polonaise- (Polish)Composition in triple meter with a stately character, often for piano solo.
Polyphonic textu re- Performance of 2 or more melodic lines of relatively equal interest at the same time.
Postlude- Concluding section, or piece.
Prelude- Short piece to play at the beginning of a ceremony.
Recapitulation- 3rd section of a sonata-form movement, in which in which the exposition returns. RondoCompositional form featuring a main theme (A), that returns over and over. (march-like) Scherzo-(joke)
Form in 3 parts (ABA) sometimes the 3'd movement of classical works, fast tri ple meter. SerenadeInstrumental composition, light in mood, usually meant for evening entertainment.
Sonata- In the Baroque, instrumental piece in several movements or 1-8 players.
-Characteristic way of using melody, rhythm, tone, color, dynamics, harmony, texture, and forn1. Suite- A set
of baroque dance-inspired movements, all in the same key, but differ in tempo, and character. Symphony- Orchestral
compositi on, usually in 4 mvts, lasting 20-45 minutes, exploiting the expanded range of tone color and dynamics of
the orchestra.
Theme- Melody which serves as the starting point for an extended piece of music.
Theme and variati ons- form in which the theme is repeated over and over, and changed somehow each time
Trio- middle section, orB section of a piece; common in marches.