MUSI 1F10 Study Guide - Final Guide: Gregorian Chant, Organum, Figured Bass
Document Summary
Organum: early polyphony, adding a 2nd voice at the interval of a 4th or 5th. Motet: addition of text to previously text-less organum. Gregorian chant: monophonic, non-metric, latin text, free flowing. Modal: music that is based on modes (scales or sequences) other than major and minor. Syllabic: one note sung to each text syllable. Neumatic: small groups of up to 5 or 6 notes sung to a syllable. Melismatic: long groups of notes set to a single syllable of text. Mass proper: texts that vary according to the day. Mass ordinary: texts that stay the same for every mass. Cantus firmus: fixed, pre-existing melodies with very long notes, the structural basis for a polyphonic composition. French chanson: monophonic or polyphonic songs, set to either courtly or popular poetry. Italian + english madrigal: voiced, with or without instruments, set to a short, lyrical love poem. Word painting: music that reflects the meaning of text (e. g. harsh dissonance reflects death)
