Bebop
complex jazz style developed in the 1940s
cool jazz
substyle of bebop, unemotional performance with lush harmonies. (Miles Davis)
Impressionism
French movement developed by visual artists who favored vague, blurry lines intended to capture an impression of the subject
Ragtime
created by blacks, highly sycopated melodies; contributed to early jazz styles
Song Cycle
group of songs that are unified musically through their texts
Syncopation
deliberate upsetting of the meter through temporary shifting of the accent to a weak beat or offbeat
Verismo
operatic “realism” a style popular in Italy in the 1890s, which tried to bring naturalism in the lyric theater
Rubato
“borrowed time” the performer hesitates here or hurries there, common in romantic music
Salon
gathering of musicians, artists, and intellectuals who share similar interests and tastes, hosted by a wealthy aristocrat
Blue Note
a slight drop of pitch on the third, fifth, or seventh tone of the scale. blues or jazz usually
Lied
German for “song”, associated with the solo art song of the nineteenth century, usually accompanied by piano
Leitmotif
“leading motive” or basic recurring theme, representing a person, object, or idea, commonly used in Wagner’s opera
Absolute Music
music that has no literary, dramatic, or pictorial program
Program Music
instrumental music endowed with literary or pictorial associations, popular in 19th century
Big Band (also called swing)
commonly a large jazz ensemble but also coined to describe Louis Armstrong’s style
New Orleans Jazz
characterized by multiple improvisations in an ensemble
Musical Quotation
Is the practice of directly quoting another work in a new composition
12-bar-blues
musical structure based on repeated harmonic rhythmic patterns that is twelve measures long
Strophic Form
the same music is repeated in every stanza
Through-Composed
song structure composed from beginning to end, without repetitions of large sections
Idee Fixe
recurring musical idea that links different movements of a work
Hector Berlioz
19th century French composer who was far ahead of his time and one of the most original composers.
Miles Davis
1940s&50s; black jazz musician invented bebop, rejecting white expectations for black music; challenged traditions, spontaneous, FREE; inspired challenging of authority and encouraged people to stand up for civil rights
Bille Holiday
Was an American jazz singer, songwriter, and actress. Nicknamed “Lady Day” by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo.
Duke Ellington
An American composer, pianist, and bandleader of jazz orchestras. He was born in Washington D.C. and gained a national profile through his orchestra’s appearances at the Cotton Club. Referred his music to “American music” rather than a genre such as “jazz”.
Scott Joplin
Was an African-American composer and pianist. Joplin achieved fame for his ragtime compositions and was dubbed the “King of Ragtime Writers”. He wrote 44 original ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas.
Frederic Chopin
Was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the romantic era, who wrote primarily for the solo piano. A child prodigy, he completed his musical education and composed many of his works in Warsaw before leaving Poland, aged 20, less than a month before the November 1830 uprising.
Bedrich Smetana
• Bohemian composer (Czech)
• Symphonic cycle “My Country” honoring his native country:
o The high castle
o The maldau
o From bohemia’s meadows and forests
• Symphonic cycle “My Country” honoring his native country:
o The high castle
o The maldau
o From bohemia’s meadows and forests
Harlem Renaissance
a literary, artistic, and sociological movement that highlighted African American intellectual life in the 1920s and 30s. the most important literary figure associated was Langston Hughes
Louis Armstrong
Orchestration
the technique of setting music for instruments in various combinations
Thematic transformation
musical expansion of a theme by varying its melodic outline, harmony, or rhythm
William Grant Still
Schubert: Elfking
Genre: Leid
Melody: Wide-Ranging, each character winds in a different range
Rhythm/Meter: almost constant triplets in the piano; duple meter
Harmony: shifts from minor to major
Form: Through-Composed
Expression: fast with urgency
Performing forces: solo voice and piano
Melody: Wide-Ranging, each character winds in a different range
Rhythm/Meter: almost constant triplets in the piano; duple meter
Harmony: shifts from minor to major
Form: Through-Composed
Expression: fast with urgency
Performing forces: solo voice and piano
Chopin:Mazura in B-Flat Minior, Op. 24, No 4
Genre: Mazurka for Solo piano
Melody: Chromatic lines, wide-ranging, disjunct
Rhythm/Meter: moderate triple meter
Harmony: shifts between major and minor
Texture: Largely Homophonic
Form: Long Coda
Expression: Much Rubato
Melody: Chromatic lines, wide-ranging, disjunct
Rhythm/Meter: moderate triple meter
Harmony: shifts between major and minor
Texture: Largely Homophonic
Form: Long Coda
Expression: Much Rubato
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, IV
Genre: Program symphony with 5 movements
Melody: two main march themes
Rhythm/Meter: duple-Meter
Harmony: minor
Form: Sonata like
Expression: diabolical mood
Timbre: Prominent timpani
Melody: two main march themes
Rhythm/Meter: duple-Meter
Harmony: minor
Form: Sonata like
Expression: diabolical mood
Timbre: Prominent timpani
Smentana: The Moldau
Genre: Symphonic poem
Melody: wide ranging river theme
Rhythm: 6/8 –> Duple Meter –> 6/8
Harmony: shifts between major and minor
Expression: depicts scenes along the river Moldau
Timbre: Varied instruments for each scene
Melody: wide ranging river theme
Rhythm: 6/8 –> Duple Meter –> 6/8
Harmony: shifts between major and minor
Expression: depicts scenes along the river Moldau
Timbre: Varied instruments for each scene
Brahms: Symphony No.3 in F Major, III
Genre: Symphony
Melody: Lyrical, melancholic
Rhythm: moderate triple meter
harmony: alternates minor and major keys
Form: Three Part Structure
Expression: Arched dynamics and subtle rubato
Timbre: woodwinds featured in middle section
Melody: Lyrical, melancholic
Rhythm: moderate triple meter
harmony: alternates minor and major keys
Form: Three Part Structure
Expression: Arched dynamics and subtle rubato
Timbre: woodwinds featured in middle section
Debussy: Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun”
Genre: Symphonic Poem
Melody: lyrical, sinuous
Rhythm/Meter: free-flowing
Texture: Homophonic, light and airy
Form: Lose A-B-A Structure
Expression: sensual
Timbre: Rich Colors
Performing Forces: HARPS
Melody: lyrical, sinuous
Rhythm/Meter: free-flowing
Texture: Homophonic, light and airy
Form: Lose A-B-A Structure
Expression: sensual
Timbre: Rich Colors
Performing Forces: HARPS
Which African American had their first symphony to be performed by a major American orchestra
William Grant Still
Who is a gifted jazz pianist and unrivaled orchestrator
Duke Ellington
Who is known as “Birth of the Cool Jazz”?
Miles Davis
Who is known as “King of Ragtime
” Scott Joplin
Who is known as Lady Day
Billie Holiday
Who is known worldwide for “My Country”
Composed of 6 symphonic poems. Bedrich Smentana
Who is one of the greats of New Orleans jazz trumpet player and singer
Louis Armstrong
Who is widely considered one of the most influential musician of the 20th century and creates the term cool jazz
Miles Davis
Whose works include 4 epic ballades, the thoroughly Romantic Sonatas in B-flat minor and B minor, and 2 piano concertos and his piano music technique is transformed into poetry
Frederic Chopin
Who was coined the name “idee fixe”
Hector Berlioz
Who won the coveted Prix de Rome and composed the Symphonie fantastique
Hector Berlioz
