texture / structure / form

• Polyphonic / contrapuntal 


  Texture consisting of 2 or more melodic lines which weave independently of each other (many sounds)
• Homophonic 


  Texture where all the parts move together rhythmically (same sounds)
• Accompanied


  One or more instruments / voices support the main melody
• Unaccompanied 


  The melody is not supported by any other instruments or voices
• Solo


  Single line / performer
• Unison / octave 


  2 or more parts performing the same named note at the same pitch or 8 notes apart
• Imitation


  Musical idea played by 1 instrument / voice and then repeated exactly the same way by another instrument / voice
• Harmony 


  2 or more parts performing different notes at the same time
• Chord 


  2 or more notes playing together
• Repetition


  A section repeated in exactly the same way by exactly the same instrument
• Ostinato / riff 


  A short musical pattern repeated many times
• Binary (AB) 


  A form where the music is made up of 2 different sections - A and B
• Ternary (ABA) 


  A form where the music is made up of 3 sections - A B A
• Rondo


  A form in music where the first section (A) comes back between contrasting sections - A B A C A D , etc
• Theme and variations 


  The theme is a melody that is then played about with (variations) to create something new
• Round


  Each part sings or plays the melody entering one after the other
• Canon


  Strict imitation where 1 part sings or plays the melody with another part entering shortly afterwards with exactly the same melody
• Verse and chorus 


  Popular form in many songs - the music of the verse is repeated (with different words) with a chorus, featuring different music, in between
• Middle 8 


  Modulating 8 bars connecting 2 related sections
• Strophic


  Music / song with a recurring verse and chorus
• Coda


  The concluding section at the end of a movement or section to give a final effect
• Cadenza


  A show off passage in a Concerto where the soloist performs a solo passage showing off how well they play the instrument
• Walking bass


  A moving bass line with notes of the same value. The usually move up in step
• Ground bass


  A theme repeated in the bass many times while the upper parts are varied
• Alberti bass


  Broken chords played in the left hand while right hand plays the melody. Usually only found on piano