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Test your basic knowledge |
Trivia: Musical Terms
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Subject
:
trivia
Instructions:
Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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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 composition written solely to improve technique. Often performed for artistic interest.
Etude
Movement
Waltz
Staccato
2. A piece of music written in triple time. Also an old French dance.
Da Capo
Whole-tone scale
Courante
Romantic
3. A complex piece of music. Usually the first movement of the piece serving as the exposition - a development - or recapitulation.
Sonata form
Ricercar
Grave
Gavotte
4. String instruments that are picked instead of bowed.
Tone
Pitch
Refrain
Pizzicato
5. A symbol indicating that the note is to be diminished by one semitone.
Opus
Conductor
Modulation
Flat
6. A composition whose style is simple and idyllic; suggestive of rural scenes.
Staccato
Tonic
Musette
Pastoral
7. A style of male singing where by partial use of the vocal chords - the voice is able to reach the pitch of a female.
Orchestra
Triple time
Falsetto
Quadrille
8. 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.
Piano
Twelve-tone music
Canon
Treble
9. A scale consisting of only whole-tone notes. Such a scale consists of only 6 notes.
Fugue
Tonic
Sonatina
Whole-tone scale
10. The playing or singing the upper half of the vocal range. Also the highest voice in choral singing.
Soprano
Elegy
Treble
Expressionism
11. 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.
Coda
Glee
Prelude
Form
12. The range of an instrumental or a vocal part.
Recital
Song cycle
Tessitura
Presto
13. Word to indicate the movement or entire composition is to be played gracefully.
Timbre
Musette
Grazioso
Libretto
14. One who directs a group of performers. The conductor indicates the tempo - phrasing - dynamics - and style by gestures and facial expressions.
Concerto
Song cycle
Conductor
Serenade
15. A group of 4 instruments - two violins - a viola - and cello.
Renaissance
Rubato
Castrato
String Quartet
16. The first violin in an orchestra.
Chord progression
Pitch
Canon
Concert master
17. The expression the performer brings when playing his instrument.
Consonance
Interpretation
Classical
Slur
18. Piece of instrumental music played between scenes in a play or opera.
Interlude
Verismo
Unison
A cappella
19. A whole note is equal to 2 half notes - 4 quarter notes - 8 eighth notes - etc.
Root
Whole note
Musicology
Pitch
20. A symbol indicating that the note is to be diminished by one semitone.
Flat
Expressionism
Beat
Scordatura
21. A short piano piece - often improvisational and intimate in character.
Tonal
Impromptu
Chorale
Chorus
22. A rhythmic succession of musical tones - a melody for instruments and voices.
Movement
Tune
Coda
Fifth
23. A string of chords played in succession.
Piano
Chord progression
Symphony
Major
24. Group of singers in a chorus.
Maestro
Fifth
Choir
Elegy
25. Eight full tones above the key note where the scale begins and ends.
Pizzicato
Choir
Octave
Sharp
26. Pertaining to the loudness or softness of a musical composition. Also the symbols in sheet music indicating volume.
Dynamics
Vibrato
Sonatina
Ricercar
27. A short light musical drama.
Quartet
Sonatina
Operetta
Castrato
28. Primary theme or subject that is developed.
Mezzo
Virtuoso
Motif
Timbre
29. Atonal and violent style used as a means of evoking heightened emotions and states of mind.
Scordatura
Chord progression
Interpretation
Expressionism
30. A quick 20th century dance written in double time.
Nonet
Sonatina
Rigaudon
Gregorian Chant
31. The raising and lowering a pitch of an instrument to produce the correct tone of a note.
Tuning
Natural
Tune
Chromatic scale
32. The structure of a piece of music.
Presto
Staff
Forte
Form
33. The flats and sharps at the beginning of each staff line indicating the key of music the piece is to be played.
Glissando
Key signature
Consonance
Tonic
34. Sliding between two notes.
Madrigal
Trill
Cavatina
Glissando
35. A direction in sheet music indicating the tempo is to be very fast.
Relative major and minor
Development
Presto
Relative major and minor
36. Music that is easy to listen to and understand.
Ensemble
Chord
Operetta
Accessible
37. The keyboard of a stringed instrument.
Clavier
Orchestra
Tuning
Operetta
38. Suite of Baroque dances.
Rhythm
Refrain
Tune
Partita
39. A successive transposition and repetition of a phrase at different pitches.
Key signature
Tempo
Castrato
Sequence
40. The principal note of a triad.
Tessitura
Oratorio
Root
Courante
41. A composition written for nine instruments.
Nonet
Opera
Parody
Chorale
42. Word to indicate the movement or entire composition is to be played very slow and serious.
Grave
Encore
Introduction
Recital
43. A song of praise and glorification. Most often to honor God.
Hymn
Legato
Partita
Octet
44. 3 or 4 notes played simultaneously in harmony.
Cantabile
Atonal
Chord
Ornaments
45. A canon where the melody is sung in two or more voices. After the first voice begins - the next voice starts singing after a couple of measures are played in the preceding voice. All parts repeat continuously.
Atonal
Cadence
Round
Glee
46. Combination of two or more keys being played at the same time.
Medley
Polytonality
Temperament
Trill
47. Male singers who were castrated to preserve their alto and soprano vocal range.
Castrato
Carol
Slide
Nonet
48. A musical form where the principal theme is repeated several times. The rondo was often used for the final movements of classical sonata form works.
Septet
Rondo
Chorus
Nonet
49. A drama where the words are sung instead of spoken.
Classical
Opera
Chord progression
Oratorio
50. A mild glissando between two notes for an expressive effect.
Portamento
Tonal
Reed
Trio