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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. Music written for chorus and orchestra. Most often religious in nature.






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






3. Word to indicate that the movement or entire composition is to be played grandly.






4. Indicating speed.






5. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






11. Time signature with three beats to the measure.






12. A portion of the range of the instrument or voice.






13. Pertains to tone or tones.






14. A repeated phrase.






15. System of notes or tones based on and named after the key note.






16. 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.






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






18. A form of writing for vocals that is close to the manner of speech and is rhythmically free.






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






20. 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.






21. A loose collection of instrumental compositions.






22. The study of forms - history - science - and methods of music.






23. Group of singers in a chorus.






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






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






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






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






28. Music written for chorus and orchestra. Most often religious in nature.






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






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






31. 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.






32. An important characteristic of the Romantic period. It is a style where the strict tempo is temporarily abandoned for a more emotional tone.






33. Unmusical - without tone.






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






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






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






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






38. Music that is written and performed without regard to any specific key.






39. To repeat a previous part of a composition generally after other music has been played.






40. A direction to play lively and fast.






41. A drama where the words are sung instead of spoken.






42. Primary theme or subject that is developed.






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






44. Time signature with three beats to the measure.






45. An extended cantata on a sacred subject.






46. Short detached notes - as opposed to legato.






47. 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.






48. One of the two modes of the tonal system. The minor mode can be identified by the dark - melancholic mood.






49. To hold a tone or rest held beyond the written value at the discretion of the performer.






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