Concerto

• What is a concerto?

  A piece for solo instrument and orchestra
• How many movements does a typical concerto have?

  Three movements
• What is the usual tempo of the first and third movements of a concerto?

  Usually fast
• What is the main purpose of a concerto?

  To showcase the solo player
• What is the proper Italian plural of concerto?

  Concetti
• What is a tutti section in a concerto?

  When the orchestra plays together
• Why must the composer be aware of texture and dynamics in a concerto?

  To ensure the soloist is heard
• What years did the Baroque period last?

  1600 to 1750
• Name two composers from the Baroque period.

  Corelli and Vivaldi
• What is a concerto grosso?

  A small group of soloists with orchestra
• What is the term for the group of soloists in a concerto grosso?

  Concertino
• What is the term for the accompanying orchestra in a concerto grosso?

  Ripieno
• What instruments dominated the Baroque orchestra?

  Strings
• What is the continuo in Baroque music?

  A combination of chordal part and bass line
• What does Basso continuo mean?

  Continuous bass line
• What is a characteristic sound of Baroque music?

  The distinctive sound of the harpsichord
• Which instruments are most likely included in a Baroque concerto?

  Violin, cello, harpsichord, recorder
• What is a mordant in Baroque music?

  A mini trill with one wiggle
• How were ornaments treated in Baroque music?

  Left to the performer to decide
• What is polyphonic texture?

  Independent melodies heard together
• What are terraced dynamics?

  Sudden changes between loud and soft
• What is melody dominated homophony?

  A texture with a main melody and accompaniment
• What is the term for repeating sections in Baroque music?

  Ritornello form
• What is a sequence in Baroque melodies?

  A motif repeated at different pitches
• What is the harmony like in Baroque music?

  Diatonic, based on primary chords
• How did composers in the Baroque period typically earn a living?

  Employed by nobility or the church
• What years did the Classical period last?

  1750 to 1810
• What was the size of the orchestra in the Classical period?

  Medium-sized
• What instruments comprised the orchestra in the Classical period?

  Strings and woodwinds
• What happened to the continuo after 1750?

  It died out quickly
• What were the popular solo instruments in Classical concertos?

  Piano and clarinet
• What is the typical structure of a Classical concerto's first movement?

  Often in sonata form
• What is the typical structure of a Classical concerto's third movement?

  Often in rondo form
• Name three composers from the Classical period.

  Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven
• What is the predominant texture in Classical concertos?

  Melody dominated homophony
• What is periodic phrasing in Classical music?

  Phrases of equal length in pairs
• How are ornaments treated in Classical music compared to Baroque music?

  Indicated by the composer in the score
• What is a cadenza in a Classical concerto?

  A solo improvisation section near the end
• How did composers' employment change by the end of the Classical period?

  They began working as freelance musicians
• When did the Romantic period start?

  About 1810