Transcript Periods of Music - Mallaig High School Music Dept

Periods of Music
• Aim of unit:
– To learn about the
periods of music required
for Higher Music
• Aim of lesson:
– To learn about the
Baroque Period
• By the end of the lesson
you should:
– Be able to describe
Baroque vocal music
Baroque
• Music written between c. 1600-1750
• Famous composers include Bach, Handel
and Vivaldi
• Development of new forms of music such
as opera, concerto, and oratorio
Baroque Period
• Originated in Italy
• Architecture – very
extravagant and
intricately detailed
• Art – heavily
influenced by
religion, theatrical
and dramatic in style
• Music – very
ordered, lively and
tuneful
Key Musical Features
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Oratorio
Cantata
Passion
Opera
Chorale
Concerto
Forms
– Suite
– Ternary
– Da Capo Aria
• Fugue
• Canon
• Chorale Prelude
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Polyphony
Harpsichord
Major/Minor
Long, flowing melodies
Imitation
Sequence
Dynamics
Ornaments
Opera
• A musical drama
featuring singing,
acting, set, costumes
and orchestral
accompaniment
• Operas are usually
written in a foreign
language such as
Italian or German
Oratorio
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A story from the Bible set to music
Features soloists, chorus and orchestra
Can include recitative, arias and duets
Is performed without acting or stage design
Can be in English or German
Recitative
• A type of vocal writing where the music
follows the rhythm of speech. It is used
in operas to move the story or plot on.
Aria
• A song with orchestral accompaniment
which is heard in opera
Cantata
• A small-scale oratorio
• Features soloists, chorus and orchestra
Passion
• An oratorio which is
based on the
‘Passion’, the
Crucifixion of
Christ.
• Text is in German
and features
chorales as well as
recitatives, arias and
choruses
video
Chorale
• A hymn tune sung in German
Female Voices
• Soprano – Highest female voice
• Mezzo-Soprano - A female singer whose
voice range lies between that of a
soprano and an alto
• Alto – Lowest female voice
Male Voices
• Counter Tenor - A male adult voice whose
range is higher than a tenor's
• Tenor - Highest male voice
• Baritone - A male voice whose range lies
between that of Bass and Tenor.
• Bass – Lowest male voice
2 videos
A Capella
• Unaccompanied singing
Melisma
Vocal music in which several
notes are sung to one syllable
Syllabic
Vocal music where each syllable
is given one note only
1. Tick one box from column A to identify the
voice and one box from column B to identify
the type of composition
Column A
Soprano
Column B
Recitative
Counter Tenor
Chorale
Baritone
Opera
Bass
Passion
2. Tick three boxes to describe
what you hear
Alto
Ground Bass
Melisma
Opera
Soprano
Oratorio
3. Tick one box to describe the type
of composition
Passion
Oratorio
Recitative
Opera
4. Tick three boxes to describe the
music
syllabic
a cappella
consort
homophonic
aria
chorale
Concerto
• A work for soloist and orchestra e.g.
solo violin and orchestra, solo piano and
orchestra etc
Concerto Grosso
• A type of concerto in which a group of
soloists (concertino) is combined and
contrasted with a larger group (ripieno).
video
Harpsichord
• Keyboard instrument
• Strings inside are
plucked when a key
is pressed
• No dynamics
video
Basso Continuo
• A bass line (basso continuo) played by
cello, bass, viola or bassoon. In addition
the harpsichord, organ or lute player was
expected to fill in harmonies built on that
bass line. Sometimes figures were written
under the bass line indicating the chords
the composer would like played. This was
called figured bass.
Chorale Prelude
• An extended composition for organ based on a
chorale melody. The melody can be treated in a
variety of ways, e.g. fugal style and variation
form.
video
Canon
• Strict imitation. After one part starts to play or
sing a melody, another part enters shortly
afterwards with exactly the same melody.
video
Fugue
• A contrapuntal piece based on a theme
(subject) announced in one voice part
alone, then imitated by other voices in
close succession.
video
Polyphony/Contrapuntal
• Texture which consists of two or more
melodic lines, possibly of equal importance and
which weave independently of each other.
Ternary Form
• A B A. - A form where
the first section is
always repeated at
the end.
Da Capo Aria
• An aria in Ternary
form (ABA) used in
opera and oratorio in
the 17th and 18th
centuries.
Suite
• A set of dances or a collection of pieces which
are part of a larger scale work.
Imitation
• Where the melody is
immediately copied
by another part. It
need not be an exact
copy.
Sequence
• A melodic phrase which is immediately
repeated at a higher or lower pitch.
Dynamics
• Forte:
Loud
• Mezzo-Forte: Quite Loud
• Mezzo-Piano:
Quite Soft
• Piano:
Soft
Crescendo
• To gradually become louder
Diminuendo
• To gradually become quieter
Ornaments
• Embellishments or decorations to the
melody
Trill
• Rapid and repeated movement between
two adjacent notes.
Turn
• Four notes which turn round the main note
with the note above, the main note, the note
below, and the main note again. An inverted
turn starts with the note below reversing the
process.
Mordent
• An ornament which sounds the main
note, the note above and then the main
note again. An inverted mordent sounds
the main note, the note below and then
the main note again.
Appoggiatura
• An ornament which sounds like a leaning
note
Acciaccatura
• An ornament which sounds like a
crushed note played very quickly on the
beat or just before it.
Obbligato
• A prominent solo
instrument part in a
piece of vocal music.
Countermelody
• A melody played against the main melody
Cadenza
• A passage of music
which allows soloists
to display their
technical ability in
singing or playing an
instrument.
• Most commonly
found in concerto
Tierce de Picardie
• The final chord of a piece of music in
the minor key is changed to major
• The light at the end of the tunnel
Suspension
• When a note from
one chord is held
over to the next
chord creating a
discord, and is then
resolved by moving
one step to make a
concord.
Coloratura
• Term for very high, florid vocal singing
involving scales, runs and ornaments
Homework
1 The group of the main body of strings in a Concerto Grosso…
2. Baroque composition for instrumental soloists and orchestra …
3. Bass line in early compositions up to and including the Baroque
period…
4. The solo group in a Concerto Grosso…
5. An Ornament: note itself, note above, note itself, note below…
6. Set of dances or pieces; on their own or part of larger work…
Write a short definition of these concepts
Try to do this without referring to your notes!
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Tierce de Picardie
Fugue
Obbligato
Suite
Concerto Grosso
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Da Capo Aria
Countertenor
Oratorio
Passion
Chorale Prelude