Page 344 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained

342 GLOSSARY

or sharp the note anymore, or to Ornamentation Embellishment Requiem A piece written as a
override sharps or flats in the work’s of a note or chord with, for example, memorial; also specifically a setting
key signature. a trill or a short fragment such as a of a Catholic Requiem Mass, which
turn—the note above the main note, celebrates the dead.
Obbligato An accompaniment the main note, and the note below,
that is important (and therefore played in quick succession. Rhythm The pattern of relative
“obligatory”); often describes durations of and stresses on notes
a countermelody played by an Ostinato Repeated musical figure, in a piece, commonly organized in
instrument in an ensemble or a usually in the bass part, providing regular groups or measures.
Baroque keyboard accompaniment a foundation for harmonic and
written out in full rather than with melodic variation above. Romantic The cultural epoch
the standard figured bass notation. heralded in music by Beethoven,
Overture French for “opening”; which dominated the 19th century;
Octave The interval between one an instrumental introduction to characterized by the abandonment
pitch and another with double or an opera or ballet; presents some of traditional forms, inspiration by
half its frequency—for example, on of the main thematic material. extra-musical subjects, an increase
a piano, there is an octave between in the scale of composition, and use
high C and the next highest C note. Pianola A self-playing piano in of chromaticism.
which the keys are operated by air
Opera Drama in which all or most that is pumped through perforated Rondo Piece or movement of music
characters sing and in which music paper fed by a roller. based on a recurring theme with
is an important element; usually all interspersed material; follows a
dialogue is sung. Pitch The position of one sound form such as ABACADAE.
in relation to the range of tonal
Opera buffa Type of comic opera sounds—how high or low it is— Sarabande A slow court dance in
popular in the 18th century; which depends on the frequency triple time, popular in Europe from
opposite of opera seria. of sound waves per second (hertz). the 17th century.

Opéra comique An exclusively Plainsong Medieval church music Scale A series of notes that define
French type of opera that, despite also known as plainchant; consists a tune and, usually, the key of the
its name, is not always comic, nor of a unison, unaccompanied vocal piece. Different scales give music
particularly light; also includes line in free rhythm, like speech, a different feeling and “color.”
spoken dialogue. with no regular measure lengths.
Scherzo Lively dance piece (or
Opera seria Literally “serious Polyphony Meaning “many movement) in triple time.
opera,” the direct opposite of opera sounds,” this refers to a style of
buffa; characterized by heroic or composition in which all parts are Semitone Also known as a half
mythological plots and formality independent and of equal value. step or half tone; the smallest
in both music and action. musical interval between notes in
Program music Any music Western tonal music. There are
Operetta Italian for “little opera,” written to describe a nonmusical two semitones in a whole tone and
and sometimes known as “light theme, such as an event, 112 semitones in an octave. On a
opera”; a lighter 19th-century style landscape, or literary work. keyboard, a semitone is found
including spoken dialogue. where two keys are as close
Recitative Style of singing in together as possible—for example,
Oratorio A work for vocal soloists opera and oratorio closely related to E to F is a semitone. See also Tone.
and choir with instrumental the delivery of dramatic speech in
accompaniment; differs from an pitch and rhythm; often used for Serial music System of atonal
opera in that an oratorio is a dialogue and exposition of the plot composition developed in the 1920s
concert piece, not a drama. between arias and choruses. by Arnold Schoenberg and others,

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