Melody & Rhythm
Define "melody" and name two characteristics used to describe it.
Melody: a sequence of pitches perceived as a unit. Characteristics: range, movement, shape, phrase, cadence, etc.
What is a chord? What is an interval?
Chord: multiple pitches sounding together. Interval: distance between two pitches.
Approximately what years does the Middle Ages span? Name two major social or cultural institutions that shaped music then.
c. 476–1450. Centers: early Christian church, state/nobility; later: cathedrals, courts, cities.
Define cadence and climax in melodic structure.
Cadence: phrase ending. Climax: high point in melody (usually peak pitch).
What is the difference between "bas" and "haut" instruments in medieval terms?
Bas: soft (indoors) instruments (e.g., recorder, lute). Haut: loud (outdoors) instruments (e.g., shawm, trumpet).
What is the difference between conjunct and disjunct movement? Give an example of each.
Conjunct: stepwise motion (e.g., "Mary Had a Little Lamb"). Disjunct: leaps (e.g., many jazz melodies with leaps).
Define tonic and tonality. Why is the tonic called the "home base"?
Tonic: first scale degree; tonality: organization around tonic; called "home base" because melodies/harmony resolve there.
What is Gregorian chant? List two features that characterize it.
Gregorian chant: monophonic, nonmetric, uses church modes, sung in Latin.
What is a triad? How many pitches does it contain and how are they arranged relative to each other?
Triad: three-note chord (root, third, fifth).
Who were troubadours and where did they perform? What themes did their secular songs typically address?
Troubadours: poet-musicians in medieval courts (southern France) performing secular songs about chivalric love and idealized devotion.
Explain what a phrase and a cadence are in a melody. How do they help shape a musical line?
Phrase: a unit of musical meaning. Cadence: end of a phrase; can be inconclusive or final; marks breathing/closure.
Distinguish between consonance and dissonance. How do composers use dissonance in musical progression?
Consonance: stable, restful; dissonance: unstable, needs resolution. Used to create tension and release.
Name and define the three chant categories based on notes per syllable (syllabic, neumatic, melismatic). Give a short example of when a melismatic chant might be used.
Syllabic: one note per syllable. Neumatic: few notes per syllable. Melismatic: many notes per syllable (used in jubilatory or important liturgical words).
Define strophic and ternary form. Give one example (real or hypothetical) of a song in each form.
Strophic: same melody for each stanza (hymns, folk songs). Ternary: ABA form (e.g., many classical minuets or da capo arias).
Describe how instrumental music was typically created/performed during the Middle Ages (improvised or strictly notated?) and why.
Instrumental parts were often improvised or improvised with written chant-based frameworks; little standardized notation for instruments.
What is syncopation? Describe how it affects the listener’s perception of the beat.
Syncopation: accenting normally weak beats or offbeats, creating rhythmic surprise/tension.
Define monophony, homophony, and polyphony. Give a short musical example (vocal or instrumental) for each.
Monophony: single line (Gregorian chant). Homophony: melody + accompaniment (hymn with chordal accompaniment). Polyphony: independent simultaneous lines (Renaissance motet).
What is organum and where (which institution or city) was it especially developed?
Organum: early polyphony built on chant, developed at Notre Dame (Paris); used rhythmic modes with multiple voices.
What is an ostinato and how might it be used to create musical unity? Give an example instrument that often plays ostinatos.
Ostinato: short repeated pattern; creates foundation and unity. Example: bass line on organ or repeated pattern on lute/guitar.
Explain the responsorial performance practice. How does it structure the roles of soloist and chorus?
Responsorial: soloist sings a phrase, chorus answers; alternation structures the piece and highlights key lines.
Compare simple meter and compound meter. Provide one time signature example for each and explain how the beat subdivides.
Simple meter: beat divides in 2 (e.g., 4/44/4). Compound meter: beat divides in 3 (e.g., 6/8 where two main beats each divide into three).
What is counterpoint? Explain how counterpoint differs from simple polyphony and name one historical period associated with strict counterpoint rules.
Counterpoint: technique of combining independent melodic lines with voice-leading rules (e.g., Baroque fugue uses strict counterpoint).
Explain the difference between a motet and an organum. What is polytextual music?
Organum: polyphonic elaboration of chant (often sustained lower voice + florid upper). Motet: polyphonic, often with different texts in different voices (polytextual), sometimes secular and sacred blended.
Define sequence and motive. Explain how a composer might develop a motive using sequences.
Sequence: restatement of an idea at a different pitch. Motive: smallest melodic-rhythmic unit. Composer repeats the motive at different pitch levels to build a theme.
How did the Crusades and medieval contacts with other cultures influence medieval European music? Give two concrete examples (instrument types or theoretical ideas).
Cultural exchange brought instruments (e.g., lute from Middle East, percussion ideas) and theoretical ideas (new rhythmic devices, notation improvements).