office hours:none; contact via email or before/after class
- average of 6 quizzes - 40%
- average of mid-terms and final exams - 40%
- in class presentation - 20%
- bonus -/+ - 2 points added to/subtracted from final grade for each conert critique submitted/not submitted(max +4/-3)
- the final will be cumulative
- concert critiques(3 min, 4 max) submitted via canvas
- concerts must be classical or at least jazz oriented
- 2 tardies = 1 absence
- pitch is the relative highness and lowness of a sound
- a sound that has a definite pitch is a tone
- the distance between two tones is an interval
- when tones are separated by the "ocatve" interval they sound the same but higher or lower
- range is the distance between the highest and lowest tone an instrument can play
- piano=soft
- forte=strong
- issimo=very
- mezzo=moderately
- tone color or timbre is the quality distinguishes two tones on different instruments
- timbre can be described as bright, dark, light, mellow, rich, etc.
- register is the portion of the total range in which a tone is played
- string instruments(orchaestra):cello, bass, violin, viola
- typically played with a bow
- string vocab terms:
- pizzicato: plucking the strings with your fingers
- double/triple/quadruple stop - drawing 2/3/4 notes at once by quickly drawing the bow
- vibrato - small pitch fluctuations creating a "throbbing, expressive tone"
- mute - allows the musician to muffle sound
- tremolo - rapidly repeating tones
- harmonics - high-picthed tones produced from lightly touching a string
- singing ranges(m/f) from highest to lowest:
- tenor/soprano
- baritone/mezzo soprano
- bass/alto(or contralto)
- flute family: flute, piccolo, maybe recorder
- clarinet family: clarinet, bass clarinet
- oboe family: oboe, english horn
- bassoon famiily: bassoon, contrabassoon
- a reed is a thin piece of cane vibrated by a stream of air
- single-reed: clarinet, double clarinet
- double-reed: english horn, bassoon, contrabassoon
- brass instruments from high to low register:
- trumpet, french horn, trombone, tuba
- others: cornet, baritone horn, euphonium
- percussion instruments: definite or indefinite pitch
- definite pitch: glockenspiel, timpani(kettledrums), xylophones, chimes
- indefinite pitch: kick drum, snare, gong, tambourine, cymbals
- keyboard instruments: piano, harpsichord, celesta, organ
- rhythm: ordered durations of sound and silence
- beat: a regular, recurrent pulsation that divides music into equal units of time
- downbeat: the first, or a stressed beat
- meter: the organization of beats into groups
- measure: a group containing a fixed number of beats
- upbeat: an unaccentuated pulse preceding the downbeat
- syncopation: the presence of an accent where one would not be expected
- tempo: the speed of a beat
- largo: very slow, broad
- grave: very slow, solemn
- adagio: slow
- andante: moderately slow, a walking pace
- moderato: moderate
- allegretto: moderately fast
- allegro: fast
- vivace: lively
- presto: very fast
- prestissimo: as fast as possible
- accelerando: becoming faster
- ritardando: becoming slower
- legato: a smooth connected style of melody
- staccato: a choppy disconnected style of melody
- phrase: a musical section that can be sung on one breath and ends at a full or partial rest
- cadence: the resting point at the end of a phrase
- sequence: the immediate repetition of a melodic pattern on a higher or lower pitch
- harmony: the way a chord is constructed or how they follow one another
- chord: a sequence of three or more tones played at once
- the simplest chord is a triad
- the 1, 3, 5 chord is the tonic chord
- cadence can also mean a chord progression that has a sense of conclusion
- key/tonality: a central tone around which a piece is based
- moudlation: changing from one key to another within a piece
- no matter how many changes are in a piece, there is usually one home or tonic key
- monophonic: having a single melodic line
- polyphonic: having multiple competing melodic lines
- counterpoint: combining multiple melodic lines into a cohesive whole
- imitation: the presentation of a melody by one instrument or voice that is immediately restated by another
- homophonic: contains one main melody accompanied by chords
- form: the organization of musical elements in time
- three-part/ABA form: involves a statement(a), departure(b), and a return(a)
- two-part/binary/AB form: involves a statement(a) and a counterstatement(b)
middle ages(450-1450)
- gregorian chant: melody set to latin text to be sang in church settings
- melisma: singing multiple tones on one syllable
- church modes: unfamiliar scales utilized in gregorian chants
- hildegard von bingen(1098-1179): female composer of chants who had visions, wrote poetry, theology, and much more
- drone: one or more long sustained tone or tones accompanying a melody
- troubadours/trouveres: secular poet-composer active in courts and towns in the 12th and 13th century
- organum: gregorian chant with an additonal line of melody
-leonin and perotin(mid 12th century): school of notre dame composers developed music with measured rhythm
- leonin and perotin's styles and the general changes in music was referred to as the new art(ars nova)
- guillarme de machaut(1300-1377): composed examples of music with polyphony and a cadence(concrete resting point)
- guillarme de machaut's notre dame mass ordinary is one example of the ordinary's first polyphonic treatment
- mass ordinary: consists of texts that remain consistent throughout the church year; the five sung prayers are the kyrie, gloria, credo, sanctus, and agnus dei
- rondeau: one of the main poetic and musical forms in 14th/15th France, eight lines, each ending with either the syllable mis or the syllable mant; ABA form
renaissance(1450-1600)
- word painting: a musical description of specific words being said
- motet: a polyphonic choral work set to a sacred latin text other than the mass ordinary
- josquin desprez(1450-1521): a flemish(belgium) composer of masses, motets, and secular works, praised by the likes of martin luther
- a cappella: music with no instruments
- giovanni pierluigi da palestrina(1525-1594): a renaissance composer who composed for the catholic church
- madrigal: a secular poem musical piece to be sang by several solo voices containing homophonic and polyphonic texture
- thomas weelkes(1575-1623): an organist, church composer, and most notably, madrigalist; composed as vesta was descending
- john dowland(1563-1626): the leading english composer of lute songs
reviewing the same material^
the quiz is on friday
baroque period(1600-1750)
the time period of galileo and newton
two major composers: handel and bach
- affections: the general mood that a baroque piece would remain in and express
- dynamics are not gradual but are sudden
- terraced dyanmics: sudden alternations and changes between loud and soft
- clavichord: a keyboard instrument similar to a piano, able to make gradual dynamics within a narrow range
- basso continuo: a bass accompaniet typically played by at least two instruments, commonly a keyboard(harpsichord) and a low melodic instrument(cello, bassoon)
- figured bass: a bass part with numbers that indicate only basic chords and not how they should played
- movement: a piece that sounds complete but is part of a greater composition
- concerto grosso: a group of soloists contrasted with a larger group of players, the tutti(all or whole); most often 3 movements
- ritornello form: opens with a theme(ritornello[refrain]) by the tutti, which returns in different keys in fragments, and in orginality at the end of movement
- i skipped class today but we somehow went over the entire baroque period
revisited: 10/2/2025
fugue nonsense
- fugue: a polyphonic composition based on one main theme(subject); throughout, different voices imitate the subject
- answer: second presentation of the fugue's subject, typically in the dominant scale
- countersubject: the idea that frequently accompanies the subject
- episode: fugues' transitional section between presentations of the subject, which offers either new material or fragments of the subject or countersubject
- stretto: the subject is imitated before its completion(one voice chases the other)
- pedal/organ point: Single tone, usually in the bass, that is held while the other voices produce a series of changing harmonies against it
- prelude: a short piece often written to introduce an independent fugue
fugue end
opera
- opera: drama sung with orchaestral accompaniment
- librettist: dramatist of the opera who writes the libretto(text)
- aria: song for a solo voice with orchaestral accompaniment
- recitative: a vocal line imitating the rhythms and pitch fluctation of speech, usually used leading into an aria
- ensemble: a piece performed by 3 or more singers
- chorus: a group of singers performing together with usually more than one singer to a part
- prompter: a person who reminds singers of words or pitches and provides cues
- overture(prelude): a purely orchaestral composition commonly used to open an opera
- camerata(fellowship/society): a group of poets, nobles, and composers who met in florence ~1575; including galileo's father; prepared the way for the begininning of opera
- castrato: a male singer who had been castrated before puberty
- countertenor: a male who sings in a castrato range using certain vocal techniques
opera end
- claudio monteverdi(1567-1643): one of the most important early baroque composers; italian; composed orfeo(1607), the earliest operatic masterpiece
- henry purcell(c. 1659-1695): a highly acclaimed english composer; composed dido and aeneas(1689)
- basso ostinato(ground bass): a repeated musical idea in the bass
- cantata: a work for one or more [sung] voices with instrumental accompaniment; typically consisted of alterations between arias and recitatives
- barbara strozzi(1619-1677): venetian(italian); one of the best known 17th century woman composers; published more seecular music than any other composer of the period
- elisabeth jaqcquet de la guerre(1665-1729): french composer and harpsichordist; child prodigy; played for louis the xiv at age 5
- sonata: an instrumental composition of several movements to be played by 1-8 instruments
- trio sonata: contains 3 melodic lines yet 4 instrumentalists; 2 from basso continuo(one high one low),2 from the high melodic lines(flutes, violins, oboes)
- antonio vivaldi(1678-1741): venetian[italian], virtuoso violinist and composer; best known for his 450 concerti grossi and solo concertos
- trill: rapid alternation between two tones that are a whole and half step apart
- solo concerto: a piece for a single soloist and an orchaestra
- johann sebastian bach(1685-1750): german, not considered the greatest composer of his day; considered most eminent organist, harpsichordist, and improviser
- suite: a set of dance-inspired movements all in the same key but in different tempoes, meters, and characters
- french overture: a suite opening typically written in 2 parts; 1st: slow with dotted rhythm, dignified and grand; 2nd: quick and lighter in mood
- chorale: hymn tune sung to a religious text in german
- chorale prelude: a short composition based on the hymn tune that reminded the congregation of the melody
- cantata(german church): german religious text, sung in church
- oratorio: Large-scale composition for chorus, vocal soloists, and orchestra, usually set to a narrative text; no acting or scenery; many based on bible but not for service
- george frideric handel(1685-1759): german, violinist, harpsichordist, composer of italian operas, english oratorios, suites, organ concertos, and concerti grossi
- da capo aria: an aria written in A B A form
- da capo: means from the beginning; indicates a repition of the first section
- Messiah(1741): three-part english oratorio written by Handel about the life of Jesus
classical period(1750-1820)
classical orchaestra:
- strings: 1st violins, 2nd violins, violas, cellos, double basses
- woodwinds: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons
- brass: 2 french horns, 2 trumpets
- percussion: 2 timpani
end orchaestra
sonata form: a single movement; 3 main sectionns; exposition(presentation), development(alteration), recapitulation(return)
- exposition: establishes conflict between the tonic key and the new key; and between the first and second theme
- development: the most dramatic section of the movement; themes are broken into fragments(motives)
- recapitulation: first theme, bridge, second theme, concluding section; all in home key
- coda: a concluding section following recapitulation with further repetition or development of themes in the home key
end sonata form
- theme and variations form: provides a theme, repeats, and alters it
- countermelody: a melodic idea that accompanies a main theme
- minuet and trio/minuet form: often used in the third movement of a symphony; A B A form; triple meter(3/4); moderate tempo
- scherzo: a related form to the minuet; triple meter; faster tempo
- serenade: instrumental composition of light mood for evening entertainment
- rondo: features a tuneful theme(A) that returns throughout; commonly ABACABA or ABACA
- sonata-rondo: ABA-development-ABA
- symphony: an extended, ambitious composition typically lasting between 20 and 45 minutes; typically 4 movements
- classical concerto: a 3 movement work for an instrumental soloist and orchaestra
- cadenza: in the first and sometimes the last movement, towards the end of the movement the soloist basically just flexes on everyone
- chamber music: music designed for the intimate setting of a room rather than a public hall; performed by 2-9 musicians
- string quartet: most important form in chamber music; written for 2 violins, a viola, and a cello(composed by haydn during the summer while the full orchaestra was away)
joseph haydn(1732-1809): austrian composer of symphonies
- wrote 104 symphonies and 68 string quartets, many of which were given nicknames describing their qualities
wolfgang amadeus mozart(1756-1791): austrian composer of pretty much everything
- find mozart's 5 names for bonus points(johannes chrysostomus wolfgangus theophilus mozart)
- died penniless as a freelancer
the test will be on 99 to 198[this nigga is tweaking]
i was sick and missed class
midterm:
elements of music
know historical events from the era
i slept in and missed half the class
romantic period(1820-1900)
nationalism was expressed through music involving their national identities(folk songs, legends)
exoticisim: a trend involving composers drawing inspiration from foreign lands
chromatic harmony: uses chords containing tones not found in the prevailing major or minor scale
the ranges of pitches and dynamics, as well as the suddenness between their changes, were expanded
rubato: slight holding back or pressing forward of tempo to increase expressiveness
thematic transformation:When a melody returns in a later movement or section of a romantic work and its character is transformed by changes in dynamics, orchaestration or rhythm
programmatic: when music depicts something extra-musical
art song: setting of a poem for solo voice and piano
he taught pretty much nothing
i missed a lot
franz liszt(1811-1886): piano virtuoso, created the tone poem
tone poem: one movement programmatic work
viktor tchaikovsky(1840-1893): he wrote many symphonies and ballets, most notably the nutcracker
PRESENTATIONS BEGIN ON NOV 17
- i missed his spiel on dvorak
- johannes brahms is considered one of the first neoclassists
- neoclassicism: taking elements from the romantic period and using them in classical works
"so...lets look at things..."
romantic era quiz on monday>
nov 14 is the 20th century quiz
- bizet writes operas!
- giuseppe verdi(1813-1901): ridiculously popular opera guy
giacomo puccini(1858-1924): italian; created many loved operas; la boheme, madame butterfly
richard wagner(1813-1883): incredibly influential german opera composers; invented the leitmotif(short musical theme associated with a thought, idea, or person)
- absolute music: music that isn't about anything but is strictly musical
- postlude: the section at the end of an art song that sums up its mood, played by the piano or orchestra, without the voice
- strophic form: vocal form in which the same music is repeated for each stanza of a poem
- through composed form: vocal form in which there is new music for each stanza of a poem
- song cycle: group of songs organized by a common theme or storyline
- franz schubert(1797-1828): austrian; earliest master of romantic art song, was neither virtuoso nor conductor; erlking
- robert schumann(1810-1856): german; deeply biographical; wanted to be a virtuosic piano player
- clara schumann(1819-1896): german; leading concert pianist; one of the first well known female composers; stopped composing after husband died
- frederic chopin(1810-1849): polish; composed almost solely for piano
- nocturne: night piece, a slow intimate composition for piano
- etude: a piece composed to help a performer master a specific technique
- franz liszt(1811-1886): hungarian; virtuosic pianist; invented tone poem; my goat; basically the first rock star; abandoned traveling piano to become court conductor in weimar
- tone poem: one movement programmatic work
felix mendelssohn(1809-1847): german; rekindled interest in bach; composed symphonies, sonatas, and concertos before teenage years
fanny mendelssohn hansel(1805-1847): felix's older sister; composed over 450 works
- concert overture: independent composition for orchestra in one movement, usually in sonata form, often found in the romantic period
- incidental music: music to be played before and during a play
hector berlioz(1803-1869): french; composed unconventional, passionate pieces
- idee fixe: a single melody used in multiple movements to represent a recurring idea
viktor tchaikovsky(1840-1893): he wrote many symphonies and ballets, most notably the nutcracker
antonin dvorak(1841-1904): czech nationalistic composer; rarely known until brahms gave him the put on
johannes brahms(1833-1897): german composer heavily influenced by earlier classical works
georges bizet(1838-1875): french opera composer; known for carmen; features exoticism and sensual themes
giuseppe verdi(1813-1901): italian; opera composer with poltical themes and sometimes controverisal topics
giacomo puccini(1858-1924): italian; created many loved operas; la boheme, madame butterfly
richard wagner(1813-1883): incredibly influential german opera composers; invented the leitmotif(short musical theme associated with a thought, idea, or person)
20th century period(1900-1945)
igor stravinsky(1882-1977): important russian composer of the 20th century
impressionism: focusing on vague ideas, moods, and atmospheres rather than the accuracy of a picture
claude debussy(1862-1918):french impressionist composer linked the romantic period with the 20th century
arnold schoenberg(1874-1951): a viennan composer who heavily utilized atonality; together with berg and webern comprise the second viennan school
quiz is up to pg. 369/ poeme electronique