07:700:131 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Cantus Firmus, Romanesca, Ostinato
Document Summary
Ostinato refers to the new melodies that was developed in the baroque period that consisted of shorter periods of 8 measures and was abstract and neutral in tone. It was used in the bass range so that it could be heard easily. A technique where the composer uses pre-existing melody in a lower voice as a scaffold. Oldest in western music where organizing music is concerned where there are multiple simultaneous melodies. Composer created a second melody for a higher voice where the notes were the same as the lower voice melody except for beginning and end. A bass framework is a type of composition that is derived from the cantus firmus technique. It uses chord progression in place of cantus firmus. Examples: romanesca (most famous was for the lute in the 1500s), 12 bar blues. An organizational form for contrasting musical ideas. Usually consists of 3 structures, with the 4th one being optional.
