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






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






3. Refers to any great composer - conductor - or teacher of music.






4. Piece of instrumental music played between scenes in a play or opera.






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






6. 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.






7. Time in music history ranging from the middle of the 16th to the middle of the 17th centuries. Characterized by emotional - flowery music; written in strict form.






8. Music composed such that each note is used the same number of times.






9. Tone color - quality of sound that distinguishes one verse or instrument to another. It is determined by the harmonies of sound.






10. A lighthearted piece - written in several movements - usually as background music for a social function.






11. A symbol indicating the note is to be raised by one semitone.






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






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






14. A period in history dating from the 14th to 16th centuries. This period signified the rebirth of music - art - and literature.






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






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






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






18. 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.






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






20. A quick - improvisational - spirited piece of music.






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






22. To shift to another key.






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






24. 3 or 4 notes played simultaneously in harmony.






25. Pleasing combination of two or three tones played together in the background while a melody is being played. Harmony also refers to the study of chord progressions.






26. A musical composition written solely to improve technique. Often performed for artistic interest.






27. An extended cantata on a sacred subject.






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






29. A symbol in sheet music that returns a note to its original pitch after it has been augmented or diminished.






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






31. A numeric symbol in sheet music determining the number of beats to a measure.






32. The interval between two notes. Two whole tones and one semitone make up the distance between the two notes.






33. A song or hymn celebrating Christmas.






34. A large group of instrumentalists playing together.






35. Two or more voices or instruments playing the same note simultaneously.






36. The unit of measure where the beats on the lines of the staff are divided up into two - three - four beats to a measure.






37. A glissando or portamento. Also refers to the moving part of a trombone.






38. The principal note of a triad.






39. A harmonic given off by a note when it is played.






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






41. 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.






42. 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.






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






44. Short movement or interlude connecting the main parts of the composition.






45. The major and minor keys that share the same notes in that key.For example: A minor shares the same note as C major.






46. Short detached notes - as opposed to legato.






47. The frequency of a note determining how high or low it sounds.






48. Combining a number of individual but harmonizing melodies. Also known as counterpoint.






49. 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.






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