Lingo Limbo
Elements
Where in the world?
Genres & Styles
Which Era?
100

Unpleasant, lack of harmony, combining notes which clash to produce Tension

Dissonance

100

The speed of the beat; fast or slow

Tempo

100

Traditional instruments used for dancing include the Castanets & Flamenco guitar.

Spain

100

The music of America in the 1920’s-40’s, which grew out of Blues & Negro Spirituals, originated in New Orleans, characterized by syncopation and improvisation, popular with artists like Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis & Ella Fitzgerald

Jazz

100

Expresses personal feelings & Emotions,

Wide range of dynamics and tempos

Complex harmonies, chromaticism

Deep/ Emotional

Romantic

'Age of the Virtuoso'

200

A style of Plucking instead of Bowing performed on String instruments

Pizzicato

200

The way in which a note is attacked; crisp/detached, smooth/connected, stressed/accented, held etc.

Staccato, Legato etc.

Articulation

200

The Dun-Dun or Talking Drum mimics a human voice humming.

Nigeria

200

A type of improvised song which originated in the British West Indies, usually based on political satire and current events. Slinger Francisco, ‘the Mighty Sparrow’, received an honorary doctorate for his genius and creativity in this genre.

Calypso

200

Clarity, Balance, Form & restraint,

Texture mostly Homophonic,

Standard ensembles: String Quartets, Orchestras

Elegant

Classical

'Age of Enlightenment'

300

A point of rest or resolution in music, like a comma or a fullstop 

Cadence

300

The tone color or characteristic sound quality; brass vs. woodwinds, vocal vs. instrumental etc.

Timbre

300

Famous for Salsa, La Bomba and home of Reggaeton

Puerto Rico

300

Dramatic acting and singing, usually with both extremely high and low voices, staging and costumes

Plot is comical, based on everyday life

Opera Buffa 

300

Experimental, breaking traditional rules, new/different

New techniques: Atonal, Polyrhythmic, Aleatory 'chance music'

Electronic Instruments, Synthesizers etc.

Weird


Modern 

'Age of Rebellion'

400

A combination of music and dance, popular during the Romantic period. Eg. The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky

Ballet

400

How the layers of sound interact in a piece; a single melodic line (monophonic), competing melodic lines (polyphonic), melody plus accompaniment (homophonic) etc.

Texture

400

Traditional & Pop music, Everyone has Two birthdays, Girls make Fancy Chocolate

South Korea

400

Leading genre of the Classical Period; Instrumental work for orchestra, usually in four movements, each several minutes long

Symphony

400

followed the 'golden age of acappella music'

Highly stylized & decorated with ornaments,

Texture is mostly Polyphonic,

Organs & Harpsichords 

Fancy, Impressive

Baroque

'Age of Absolutism'

500

The first movement of String Quartets, Concertos & Symphonies (like Mozart’s Symphony #40) make use of this classic format;   Exposition - ______________ - Recapitulation

Development

500

Regular division of the beat into groups; usually in 2’s, 3’s or 4’s

Meter

500

A barrier and bridge between Asia & Europe

Dominant religion: Islam  

Oil wrestling custom

Turkey

500

Music written to tell stories or depict descriptive ideas (as opposed to Absolute music eg. not connected to any specific, extra-musical ideas)

Program Music

500

Church Modes, Temperaments

Strict, No mixing of genres (secular vs. sacred), Limited role of instruments

Mostly Monophonic

Holy



Medieval

Dark Ages  'Age of Torture?'