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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. A musical form where the melody or tune is imitated by individual parts at regular intervals. The individual parts may enter at different measures and pitches. The tune may also be played at different speeds - backwards - or inverted.






2. A composition written for nine instruments.






3. Refers to the tuning of an instrument.






4. Initially an improvised cadence by a soloist; later becoming an elaborate and written out passage in an aria or concerto - featuring the skills of an instrumentalist or vocalist.






5. Elaborate polyphonic composition of the Boroque and Renaissance periods.






6. A set of seven musicians who perform a composition written for seven parts.






7. The keyboard of a stringed instrument.






8. The raising and lowering a pitch of an instrument to produce the correct tone of a note.






9. Suite of Baroque dances.






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






11. 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.






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






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






14. Three note chords consisting of a root - third - and fifth.






15. A single line of music played or sung. A musical sentence.






16. One of the two modes of the tonal system. Music written in major keys have a positive affirming character.






17. A successive transposition and repetition of a phrase at different pitches.






18. The intonation - pitch - and modulation of a composition expressing the meaning - feeling - or attitude of the music.






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






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






21. Ability to determine the pitch of a note as it relates to the notes that precede and follow it.






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






23. Word to indicate that the movement or entire composition is to be played smoothly.






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






25. A short or brief sonata.






26. 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.






27. A musical theme given to a particular idea or main character of an opera.






28. A quick 20th century dance written in double time.






29. The first violin in an orchestra.






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






31. A short piece originally preceded by a more substantial work - also an orchestral introduction to opera - however not lengthy enough to be considered an overture.






32. The flats and sharps at the beginning of each staff line indicating the key of music the piece is to be played.






33. To shift to another key.






34. The raising and lowering a pitch of an instrument to produce the correct tone of a note.






35. A string of chords played in succession.






36. A sequence of chords that brings an end to a phrase - either in the middle or the end of a composition.






37. When several strings are tuned to harmonically related pitches - all strings vibrate when only one of the strings is struck.






38. One of the two modes of the tonal system. Music written in major keys have a positive affirming character.






39. An important characteristic of the Romantic period. It is a style where the strict tempo is temporarily abandoned for a more emotional tone.






40. A hymn sung by the choir and congregation often in unison.






41. A musical style characterized as excessive - ornamental - and trivial.






42. Word to indicate that the movement or entire composition is to be played grandly.






43. One of the two modes of the tonal system. The minor mode can be identified by the dark - melancholic mood.






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






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






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






47. A style of male singing where by partial use of the vocal chords - the voice is able to reach the pitch of a female.






48. A short light musical drama.






49. Atonal and violent style used as a means of evoking heightened emotions and states of mind.






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