Nat5 - Baroque

• Scale


  It moves up the notes by steps
• Arpeggio


  An arpeggio moves in leaps ascending or descending patterns
• Ornament


  It decorates the main melody
• Trill


  Quick and continuous alternation between two notes most often the main note and note above. Often used at the ends of phrases or at cadence points.
• Repetition


  When a pattern of notes are repeated at exactly the same pitch
• Sequence


  When a pattern of notes are repeated at a higher or lower pitch with each repetition
• Perfect cadence


  When the section of music that finishes the music which sounds finished as it ends on chord 1 and is preceded by chord 5
• Imperfect cadence


  When the end of the piece finishes on chord 5
• Syllabic word setting


  When each syllable is set to only one note
• Melismatic word setting


  When a syllable can be set to more then one note
• Descant


  This is when a higher part is sung above the main melody
• Andante


  Walking pace
• Moderato


  Moderate speed
• Accelerando


  To speed up
• Ritardando


  To slow down
• Anacrusis


  When one or more notes are played/sung before the first beat of the bar
• Simple time


  When each beat can be divided into quavers (think cof-fee). It contains the following time signatures 2/4, 3/4, 4/4
• Compound time


  When each beat can be divided into triplets (think straw-bed-ry) and can use the following time signatures 6/8, 9/8, 12/8
• Dotted rhythm


  When a dot is added is added after a note which increases its value by half
• Arco


  Playing with the bow
• Pizzicato


  Plucking the stings
• Roll


  When the player plays quick, repeated notes on one pitch.
• Cannon


  When instruments or voices play/sing the EXACT SAME material in turn, overlapping.
• Imitation


  When SIMILAR material is played/sung, possibly at different pitches, or with slight differences.
• Homophonic


  Homophonic music is when all instruments/ voices move at the same time with the same rhythms, though possibly in harmony, i.e same rhythms at different pitches.
• Polyphonic music


  Polyphonic music has independent parts, using different rhythms and pitches, 'weaving' in and out of one another. It can also be described as contrapuntal.
• Ground bass


  A base line which is repeated all the way through a piece of music while the parts above it change.
• Binary form


  Binary form is for music written in two sections, which can be labelled 'A' and 'B'. Each A and B section is normally repeated, so it actually sounds like AABB
• Ternary form


  Music written for two sections 'A' and 'B' with section A being played again, giving a structure of ABA
• Rondo


  Rondo form has a recurring section 'A' with a different section in between each labelled 'B, 'C', 'D', etc. this gives a structure of ABACADA
• Chorus


  A chorus features a choir sining together. The word chorus can also be used for the name of the group singers, so chorus and choir are interchangeable.
• Aria


  An aria is for a solo singer (or very occasionally, a duet) and is expressive in nature.
• Concerto


  A piece written for an instrument accompanied by orchestra and is intended to show off what an instrument or a player can do