Music History 2 Terms
eighteenth-century period in philosophy and letters during which thinkers gave free rein to the pursuit of truth and the discovery of natural laws
ENLIGHTENMENT
a genre of opera featuring light, often domestic subjects, with tuneful melodies, comic situations, and happy endings
OPERA BUFFA
a three-part musical form in which the third section is a repeat of the first; hence ABA
TERNARY (ABA) FORM
a dramatic musical form that originated in the Classical period involving an exposition, development, and recapitulation, with optional introduction and coda
SONATA - ALLEGRO FORM
classical form with at least three statements of the refrain (A) and at least two contrasting sections (at least B and C); placement of the refrain creates symmetrical patterns such as ABACA, ABACABA, or even ABACADA
RONDO
mountain town in Austria, birthplace of Mozart
SALZBURG
group of Classical composers, including Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert, whose careers all unfolded in Vienna
VIENNESE SCHOOL
in sonata–allegro form, the return to the first theme and the tonic key following the development
RECAPITULATION
(Italian for “tail”) a final and concluding section of a musical composition
CODA
the last movement of a multimovement composition, which usually works to a climax and conclusion
FINALE
a genre of opera that originated in the eighteenth century, portraying everyday characters and situations, and using spoken dialogue and simple songs
COMIC OPERA
a pattern of accompaniment whereby, instead of having the pitches of a chord sound all together, the notes are played in succession to provide a continual stream of sound
ALBERTI BASS
the minor key in a pair of major and minor keys
RELATIVE MAJOR
a group of three notes inserted into the space of two
TRIPLETS
originally, “something sounded” on an instrument as opposed to something sung (a “cantata”); later, a multi-movement work for solo instrument, or instrument with keyboard accompaniment
SONATA
the twelve symphonies composed by Joseph Haydn for performance in London between 1791 and 1795; Haydn’s last twelve symphonies (Nos. 93–104)
LONDON SYMPHONIES
the original name for the piano
PIANOFORTE
the end of the development section, where the tonality often becomes stabilized on the dominant in preparation for the return of the tonic (and first theme) at the beginning of the recapitulation
the centermost portion of sonata–allegro form, in which the thematic material of the exposition is developed and extended, transformed, or reduced to its essence; often the most confrontational and unstable section of the movement
DEVELOPMENT
a standard instrumental ensemble for chamber music consisting of a single first and second violin, a viola, and a cello; also, the genre of music, usually in three or four movements, composed for this ensemble
STRING QUARTET
the richest and most influential among the German-speaking aristocrats of eighteenth-century Hungary, with extensive landholdings southeast of Vienna and a passionate interest in music; patrons of Haydn
ESTERHAZY FAMILY
an instrumental work for a small ensemble originally intended as a light entertainment in the evening
SERENADE
the opening, incomplete-sounding phrase of a melody; often followed by a consequent phrase that brings the melody to closure
ANTECEDENT PHRASES
the second phrase of a two-part melodic unit that brings a melody to a point of repose and closure
CONSEQUENT PHRASES
a one-movement (later three- or four-movement) orchestral work that originated in Italy in the seventeenth century
SINFONIA