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






2. Primary theme or subject that is developed.






3. Three notes played in the same amount of time as one or two beats.






4. Pertains to tone or tones.






5. 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.






6. The movement of chords in succession.






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






8. A piece of music written in triple time. Also an old French dance.






9. Arrangement of music for a combined number of instruments.






10. A form of music written for marching in two-step time. Originally the march was used for military processions.






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






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






13. A style of singing which is characterized by the easy and flowing tone of the composition.






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






15. A direction to play expressively.






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






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






18. Movement or passage that concludes the musical composition.






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






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






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






22. 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.






23. Time signature with three beats to the measure.






24. The period of music history which dates from the mid 1800's and lasted about sixty years. There was a strong regard for order and balance.






25. Refers to the tuning of an instrument.






26. A short or brief sonata.






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






28. A piece of music written in triple time. Also an old French dance.






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






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






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






32. An extended cantata on a sacred subject.






33. A form of Italian opera beginning at the end of the 19th century. The setting is contemporary to the composer's own time - and the characters are modeled after every day life.






34. A 19th century square dance written for 4 couples.






35. The manner in which tones are produced with regard to pitch.






36. A composition written for nine instruments.






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






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






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






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






41. A direction in sheet music indicating the tempo is to be very fast.






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






43. 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.






44. 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.






45. The period of music history which dates from the mid 1800's and lasted about sixty years. There was a strong regard for order and balance.






46. Pertaining to the sonata form - a fast movement in triple time.






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






48. A complex piece of music. Usually the first movement of the piece serving as the exposition - a development - or recapitulation.






49. A repeated phrase.






50. One or more vocalists performing without an accompaniment.