Baroque Concepts and Definitions
Return To GCSE Resources	Many of the following concepts do not apply solely to Baroque music, but may also apply to many other styles and types.  You should be fully familiar with the following words and be able to apply them in your listening work.   A Tempo-Return to the original speed after getting faster or slower Accelerando-Gradually getting faster Accent-A stressed note, often the first beat in the bar Accompanied-Performing along with other players Alberti Bass-Left hand piano accompaniment consisting of a repeated broken chord pattern Alto-Low sounding female voice Anacrusis-An incomplete bar at the start of a piece.  Proper name for an up-beat Answer-The phrase following the opening phrase of a tune Arco-Playing a string instrument with the bow Aria-Song from an opera Arpeggio-Notes of a chord played separately Ascending-Going up Augmentation-Altering the timing of a melody by increasing (usually doubling) the time-values of its notes. Baritone-Male voice of a range between tenor and bass Bass-Low sounding male voice Beat/Pulse-Way of measuring time in music Binary-A movement of a work in two sections, the first modulating to another key and the second returning to the original key Cadenza-A display of instrumental virtuosity often inserted in a work.  Originally improvised by the soloist, but now usually written out Canon-A composition in which a melody played by one voice is repeated by one or more other instruments, eachbeginning before the previous performer has finished, so that there is overlapping Cantata-An extended choral work, with or without solo voices and usually with an orchestral accompaniment.  Usually performed in church usinga biblical text Chamber music-Instrumental music for 2,3,4 or more instruments, with each instrument having its own part Chorale-Unison hymn Chord-Three or more notes played together Chorus-Part of an opera or musical where there are a number of singers singing together.  The singers perform as a choir Chromatic-Music consisting of many semi-tones or a scale made up entirely of semi-tones Coda-A section occurring at the end of a movement to round it off Concerto-Normally a work for solo instrument(s) and orchestra The solo instrument contrasts and interacts with the orchestra.  Usually has three movements Contrapuntal-Description of a work written in counterpoint, ie the simultaneous combination of 2 or more parts each performing melodies of equal importance Counter Melody-A melody played or sung alongside another melody and which harmonises with it Crescendo-Gradually getting louder  Descending-Going down Development-Middle section in a sonata form movement where the main themes are developed and presented in different ways Diatonic-Music based on the notes of the scale Diminuendo-Gradually getting quieter Diminution-Altering the timing of a melody by decreasing (usually halving) the time values Double stopping-On a string instrument, the bow contacting 2 strings simultaneously, producing a two-part effect Ensemble-A group of players or singers Exposition-First section in sonata form, where the main themes are presented Fanfare-Flourish of notes, usually for brass as a proclamation or introduction Fugue-Contrapuntal composition for a given number of parts.  The parts, or 'voices' enter in turn imitating the previous one Ground bass-Pattern of notes in a bass part which in constantly repeated whilst the upper parts proceed and vary Harmony-Chords which fit with a melody Harpsichord-Keyboard instrument capable of one level of volume due to its note production of a feather plucking strings Homophonic-Music in which several simultaneous parts are combined, with only one part performing the melody, the other acting as accompaniment Imitation-Repetition of a phrase previously played by another instrument or voice Inversion-Musical phrase turned up-side-down Leaping-Jumps around with gaps between notes Legato-Smooth Major-Music based on the scale doh-ray-me-fah-soh la-tee-doh.  Usually sounds happy Mass-Large scale work for choir and orchestra of a religious character based on settings of Latin texts Minor-Music based on the scale la-tee-doh-ray-me-fah- soh-la.  usually sounds sad Minuet and Trio-Minuet:Dance in 3/4 time, repeated, followed by contrasting trio, before the return of the minuet.  ThusAABA Modulating-Music moving from one key to another Opera-Play set to music where everything is sung Ostinato-A group of notes which are repeated many times Overture-Music played by the orchestra before a musical or opera Pause-A note held longer than written Pedal -A note, most often in the bass, or at least below the melody, which is held whilst the melody is performed Phrase-Short fragment of melody Piano-Keyboard instruments capable of loud and soft notes Pizzicato-Plucking the strings of a string instrument Polyphonic-Music in which several simultaneous parts are combined contrapuntally Question-The opening phrase of a tune Rallentando-Gradually getting slower Recapitulation-Final section of a sonata form movement where the original themes return, but in the home key Recitative-Part of an opera that is sung to the natural rhythms of speech Register-Part of the compass of an instrument or voice having a distinctive tonal quality Relative major-A major key having the same key signature as a minor key, eg. A minor - C major Relative minor-A minor key having the same key signature as a major key, eg. C major - A minor Repetition-A melody or phrase appearing more than once Rondo-Instrumental piece in which one section recurs intermittently - ABACADA, etc. A= Rondo theme B= Episodes Sequence-Pattern of notes repeated higher or lower Solo-Alone Sonata Form-A musical structure in three sections; exposition, development, and recapitulation, usually based on two main themes Soprano-High sounding female voice Staccato-Notes played short and detached String Quartet-A chamber ensemble consisting of 2 violins, viola, and 'cello Suite-A piece of music consisting of a number of movements, usually dances Suspension-When a note from a chord is kept sounding whilst the rest of the chord has Changed, the prolonged note then sounding discordant  Symphony-A large scale work for orchestra, usually in 4 movements  Syncopation-Music in which the accent is not on the first beat of the bar Tenor-High sounding male voice Ternary-A movement in three sections, ABA. Theme-An important tune, sometimes repeated in a larger piece Theme and-A theme followed by a number of varied versions  Variationsof that tune Tonal-Music belonging to a major or minor key Trill-A musical ornament achieved by the rapid alteration of the written note with thenote above Unison-Music in which all the instruments play the same notes Variation-An altered version of an original theme Vocal/Choral-Music produced/written for the human voice Choral: music produced/written for a large group of singers, not all singing separate parts.