Trill
Musical ornament consisting of the rapid alternation of two tones that are a whole or half step apart
Basso Continuo
Baroque accompaniment made up of a bass part usually played by two instruments;a keyboard plus a low melodic instrument. (Bassoon or Bass)
Aria
Song for solo voice with orchestral accompaniment. Usually expressing an emotional state through its outpouring of melody;found in operas, oratorios, and cantatas
Cantata
A composition in several movements for solo voice(s), instruments, and perhaps also chorus. Depending on the text, cantatas are categorized as secular or church cantatas
Diminution
Variation of a fugue subject in which the original time values of the subject are shortened.
Fugue
Polyphonic composition based on one main theme, or subject
Estampie
A medieval dance that is one of the earliest surviving forms of instrumental music
Drone
Long, sustained tone or tones accompanying a melody
Church Modes
Scales containing seven tones with an eighth tone duplicating the first an octave higher, but with patterns of whole and half steps different from major and minor scales
Gregorian Chant
Melodies set to sacred Latin texts, sung without accompaniment
Lute
Plucked string instrument shaped like half a pear;used in Renaissance and baroque music
Madrigal
Composition for several voices set to a short secular poem, combining homophonic and polyphonic textures and often using word paintings
Libretto
Text of an opera
Motet
Polyphonic choral work set to a sacred latin text other than that of the mass
Minuet and Trio
Compositional form in three parts; minuet(A), trio(B), minuet(A)
Organum
Medieval polyphony that consists of Gregorian chant and one or more additional melodic lines
Oratorio
Large-scale composition for chorus, vocal soloists, and orchestra. No opera setting, but based on biblical stories
Overture
short musical composition, purely orchestral, which opens an opera and set the overall dramatic mood
Pedal Point
Single tone, usually in the bass, which is held while the other voices produce a series of changing harmonies against it
Recitative
Vocal line in an opera, oratorio, or cantata that imitates the rhythms and pitch fluctuations of speech. (Leads an aria)
Rondeau
One of the main poetic and musical forms in fourteenth and fifteenth century France
Ritornello
A repeated section of music usually played by the full orchestra, or tutti
Rondo
A form featuring a main theme (A) that returns several times in alteration with other themes. (ABACADAE...)
Secco Recitative
Speech like melody that is sung by a solo voice accompanied by a basso continuo
Sonata
An instrumental composition in several movements for one to eight players
Terraced Dynamics
Abrupt alternation between loud and soft dynamic levels
Tutti
The full orchestra, or a large group of musicians contrasted with a smaller group(All play together)
Word Painting
Musical representation of specific poetic images
First person to create opera?
Claudio Monteverdi- "Orfeo
Chorale
human tune was sung to a german religious text. They had only one note to a syllable and moved in steady rhythm
Subject
The main theme of a fugue is a?
Augmentation
Original time values are lengthened
Mass
A polyphonic choral composition made up of five sections (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei)
Monophonic
The texture of Gregorian Chant
Humanism
Focused on human life and accomplishments
Mass Ordinary
Consists of texts that remain the same from day to day throughout the church year
Movement
Piece that sounds fairly complete and independent but is part of a larger composition
Who wrote the Messiah?
George Frederick Handel
Over 50 movements
The Messiah