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Trivia: Musical Terms

Subject : trivia
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. The highest female voice.






2. A composition written for a solo instrument. The soloist plays the melody while the orchestra plays the accompaniment.






3. A short light musical drama.






4. Includes all twelve notes of an octave.






5. A period in history during the 18th and early 19th centuries where the focus shifted from the neoclassical style to an emotional - expressive - and imaginative style.






6. A composition written for three voices and instruments performed by three people






7. A piece of music played at the end of a recital responding to the audiences enthusiastic reaction to the performance - shown by continuous applause.






8. Two or three melodic lines played at the same time.






9. An instrumental lament with praise for the dead.






10. Short detached notes - as opposed to legato.






11. A combination of two or more staves on which all the notes are vertically aligned and performed simultaneously in differing registers and instruments.






12. Written for 2 to 10 solo parts featuring one instrument to a part. Each part bears the same importance.






13. Pertaining to the loudness or softness of a musical composition. Also the symbols in sheet music indicating volume.






14. A tempo having slow movement; restful at ease.






15. Singing or chanting in unison without strict rhythm. Collected during the Reign of Pope Gregory VIII for psalms and other other parts of the church service.






16. In sheet music - an instruction to repeat the beginning of the piece before stopping on the final chord.






17. A symbol in sheet music a direction to play energetically.






18. The period of music history which dates from the mid 1700's to mid 1800's. The music was spare and emotionally reserved - especially when compared to Romantic and Boroque music.






19. The piece of cane in wind instruments. The players cause vibrations by blowing through it in order to produce sound.






20. The technique of altering the tone color of a single note or musical line by changing from one instrument to another in the middle of a note or line.






21. A symbol indicating to play loud.






22. A piece of music written for two vocalists or instrumentalists.






23. A group singing in unison.






24. The first section of a movement written in sonata form - introducing the melodies and themes.






25. Originally an improvised cadence by a soloist. Later it became a written out passage to display performance skills of an instrumentalist or performer.






26. Successive notes of a key or mode either ascending or descending.






27. Slow and stately dance music written in triple time.






28. Dull - monotonous tone such as a humming or buzzing sound. Also a bass note held under a melody.






29. To hold a tone or rest held beyond the written value at the discretion of the performer.






30. Convenient method of numbering a composer's works where a number follows the word 'opus'.For example - Opus 28 - No. 4.






31. A curve over notes to indicate that a phrase is to be played legato.






32. The element of music pertaining to time - played as a grouping of notes into accented and unaccented beats.






33. Rapid alternation between notes that are a half tone or whole tone apart.






34. Harsh - discordant - and lack of harmony. Also a chord that sounds incomplete until it resolves itself on a harmonious chord.






35. Vocal composition written for three or more solo parts - usually without instrumental accompaniment.






36. 3 or 4 notes played simultaneously in harmony.






37. A short and simple melody performed by a soloist that is part of a larger piece.






38. Two notes that differ in name only. The notes occupy the same position.For example: C sharp and D flat.






39. A composition based on previous work. A common technique used in Medieval and Renaissance music.






40. A person with notable technical skill in the performance of music.






41. Made up of five horizontal parallel lines and the spaces between them on which musical notation is written.






42. A rhythmic succession of musical tones - a melody for instruments and voices.






43. Where the musical themes and melodies are developed - written in sonata form.






44. Music that is easy to listen to and understand.






45. The opening section of a piece of music or movement.






46. A solo concert with or without accompaniment.






47. A dance written in triple time - where the accent falls on the first beat of each measure.






48. The playing or singing the upper half of the vocal range. Also the highest voice in choral singing.






49. First developed in the 8th century - methods of writing music.






50. The performance of either all instruments of an orchestra or voices in a chorus.