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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 book of text containing the words of an opera.






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






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






4. Two or three melodic lines played at the same time.






5. To shift to another key.






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






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






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






9. A set of five musicians who perform a composition written for five parts.






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






11. A group singing in unison.






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






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






14. A melodic or - sometimes a harmonic idea presented in a musical form.






15. A short piano piece - often improvisational and intimate in character.






16. A set of seven musicians who perform a composition written for seven parts.






17. 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.






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






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






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






21. Eight full tones above the key note where the scale begins and ends.






22. Direction to performer to play a composition in a brisk - lively - and spirited manner.






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






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






25. The range of an instrumental or a vocal part.






26. The playing or singing the upper half of the vocal range. Also the highest voice in choral singing.






27. The first violin in an orchestra.






28. Repetition of a single tone.






29. The unit of musical rhythm.






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






31. A group singing in unison.






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






33. The playing or singing the upper half of the vocal range. Also the highest voice in choral singing.






34. A mild glissando between two notes for an expressive effect.






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






36. A separate section of a larger composition.






37. First developed in the 8th century - methods of writing music.






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






39. The distance in pitch between two notes.






40. A short piano piece - often improvisational and intimate in character.






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






42. A solo concert with or without accompaniment.






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






44. Three to four movement orchestral piece - generally in sonata form.






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






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






47. A short light musical drama.






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






49. The unit of musical rhythm.






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