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Music History
Music History Terms
40
Music
Undergraduate 2
09/29/2008

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Term
pitch/frequency
Definition
Relative highness or lowness of sound
Term
tone color
Definition
Quality of sound that distinguishes one instrument or voice from another.
Term
interval
Definition
"Distance" in pitch between any two tones
Term
triad
Definition
Most basic of chords, consisting of three alternate tones of the scale
Term
octave
Definition
Interval between two tones in which the higher tone has twice the frequency of the lower tone
Term
Pythagoras
Definition
"The harmony of spheres" He believed that the planets corresponded to musical notes.
Term
dynamics
Definition
Degrees of loudness or softness in music.
Term
pianissimo
piano
mezzo piano
mezzo forte
forte
fortissimo
Definition
pp - very soft
p - soft
mp - moderately soft
mf - moderately loud
f - loud
ff - very loud
Term
scale
Definition
Series of pitches arranged in order from high to low or low to high.
Term
tonic/keynote
Definition
Central tone of a melody or larger piece of music. If piece is in C major, C is keynote.
Term
half step/whole step
Definition
Smallest interval traditionally in western music. - Interval twice as large as half step.
Term
meter
Definition
Organization of beats into regular groups
Term
Rhythm
Definition
Ordered flow of music through time, the pattern of durations of notes and silences in music.
Term
beat/accent
Definition
Regular, recurrent pulsation that divides music into equal units of time.
Term
syncopation
Definition
Accenting of a note at an unexpected time, as between two beats or on a weak beat. Typical in Jazz.
Term
tempo
Definition
Basic pace of the music.
Term
largo
grave
adagio
andante
moderato
allegretto
allegro
vivace
presto
prestissimo
Definition
very slow, broad
very slow, solemn
slow
moderately slow, walking pace
moderate
moderately fast
fast
lively
very fast
as fast as possible
Term
melody
Definition
Series of single tones that add up to a recognizable whole.
Term
monophony
Definition
Single melodic line without accompaniment
Term
polyphony
Definition
Performance of two or more melodic lines of relatively equal interest at the same time.
Term
homophony
Definition
music in which one main melody is accompanied by chords.
Term
harmony
Definition
How chords are constructed and how they follow each other
Term
consonance
Definition
Tone combination that is stable and restful
Term
dissonance
Definition
Tone combination that is unstable and tense.
Term
plainchant
Definition
monophonic, free rather than measured rhythm.
Term
binary
Definition
composed of two parts or two pieces.
Term
ternary
Definition
composed of three parts of music
Term
estampie
Definition
medieval dance and musical form popular in Italy during the 13th and 14th century.
Term
organum
Definition
Medieval polyphony that consists of Gregorian chant and one or more additional melodic lines.
Term
melismatic
Definition
technique of changing pitch while a syllable is being sung.
Term
syllabic
Definition
each syllable of text is matched to a single note.
Term
Ars Nova
Definition
Music of the late middle ages that was composed with rhythm.
Term
Renaissance
Definition
cultural movement between the 14th and 17th century.
Term
word painting
Definition
Musical representation of specific poetic images.
Term
motet
Definition
Polyphonic choral work set to a sacred Latin text other than that of the mass.
Term
madrigal
Definition
Composition for several voices set to a short secular poem.
Term
chanson
Definition
Lyric driven songs usually polyphonic and secular.
Term
a cappella
Definition
Choral music without instrumental accompaniment.
Term
mass
Definition
Sacred choral composition made up of five sections: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei.
Term
seven families
Definition
Voices, strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, keyboard, electronic.
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