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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 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.






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






3. The movement of chords in succession.






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






5. Vocal composition written for three or more solo parts - usually without instrumental accompaniment.






6. Short detached notes - as opposed to legato.






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






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






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






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






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






12. A symbol in sheet music a direction to play energetically.






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






14. A musical composition that has a romantic or dreamy character with nocturnal associations.






15. Passage for the entire ensemble or orchestra without a soloist.






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






17. Word to indicate the movement or entire composition is to be played gracefully.






18. Curved line connecting notes to be sung or played as a phrase.






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






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






21. A set of six musicians who perform a composition written for six parts.






22. A solo concert with or without accompaniment.






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






24. Curved line connecting notes to be sung or played as a phrase.






25. In sheet music - a symbol at the beginning of the staff defining the pitch of the notes found in that particular staff.






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






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






28. The opening section of a piece of music or movement.






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






30. One of two or more parts in polyphonic music. Voice refers to instrumental parts as well as the singing voice.






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






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






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






34. One of two or more parts in polyphonic music. Voice refers to instrumental parts as well as the singing voice.






35. 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.






36. A scale consisting of only whole-tone notes. Such a scale consists of only 6 notes.






37. An extended cantata on a sacred subject.






38. A set of four musicians who perform a composition written for four parts.






39. Music of a particular form consisting of four movements. Each of the movements differ in tempo - rhythm - and melody; but are held together by subject and style.






40. 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.






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






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






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






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






45. Pertaining to the loudness or softness of a musical composition. Also the symbols in sheet music indicating volume.






46. Includes all twelve notes of an octave.






47. The highest female voice.






48. A line in a contrapuntal work performed by an individual voice or instrument.






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






50. Closing section of a movement.