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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 chord progression that seems to lead to resolving itself on the final chord; but does not.






2. Arranging a piece of music for an orchestra. Also - the study of music.






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






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






5. A loose collection of instrumental compositions.






6. One who directs a group of performers. The conductor indicates the tempo - phrasing - dynamics - and style by gestures and facial expressions.






7. Male singers who were castrated to preserve their alto and soprano vocal range.






8. 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.






9. A symbol indicating that the note is to be diminished by one semitone.






10. Tones used to embellish the principal melodic tone.






11. A musical scale having five notes.For example: the five black keys of a keyboard make up a pentatonic scale.






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






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






14. The first tone of a scale also known as a keynote.






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






16. A whole note is equal to 2 half notes - 4 quarter notes - 8 eighth notes - etc.






17. A composition whose style is simple and idyllic; suggestive of rural scenes.






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






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






20. A repeating phrase that is played at the end of each verse in the song.






21. Short detached notes - as opposed to legato.






22. A dirge - hymn - or musical service for the repose of the dead.






23. Repetition of a single tone.






24. Word to indicate the movement or entire composition is to be played very slow and serious.






25. A short light musical drama.






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






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






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






29. The structure of a piece of music.






30. String instruments that are picked instead of bowed.






31. Pertaining to the fugue - the overlapping of the same theme or motif by two or more voices a few beats apart.






32. Creating variation pitch in a note by quickly alternating between notes.






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






34. An instruction in sheet music to play softly. Abbreviated by a 'p'.






35. Eight full tones above the key note where the scale begins and ends.






36. Movement in music where the characteristics are crisp and direct.






37. A short light musical drama.






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






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






40. A short piano piece - often improvisational and intimate in character.






41. A book of text containing the words of an opera.






42. A direction to play expressively.






43. The highest female voice.






44. A song of praise and glorification. Most often to honor God.






45. The retuning of a stringed instrument in order to play notes below the ordinary range of the instrument or to produce an usual tone color.






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






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






48. A short or brief sonata.






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






50. Singing in unison - texts in a free rhythm. Similar to the rhythm of speech.