MUSIC 120 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Gregorian Chant, Josquin Des Prez, Strophic Form
Gregorian Chant: monophonic sacred hymns.
Notre Dame Polyphony: (see notes on Perotin)
Renaissance madrigal: see Arcadelt
Renaissance motet: see Josquin, “Ave Maria . .”
SATB : high to low arrangement of singing voices (soprano, alto, tenor, bass): see Josquin:
same terminology applies to the instrumental “voices” in Bach fugues.
melodic contour (see “Tu se morta”)
chord (three or more notes sounded together)
a cappella
(voices only – no instruments)
monody (17th-century Italian vocal idioms for one vocalist with accompaniment: see aria &
recitative)
The Camerata (intellectual society who first imagined the forms of monody)
strophic form: wherein musical passages recycle throughout a vocal piece; lyrical content can
change)
stanza/strophe (see above)
timbre (tone color)
harmony (chords)
tempo (rate or speed of music)
texture(s)
monophony (one melodic part)
polyphony (two or more melodic parts sounding simultaneously)
homophony (chords and ONE prominent melody
word/text painting (see “Tu se morta,” “Dido’s Lament”)
melismatic/melisma (many notes sung per one syllable)
syllabic style singing (one note per syllable, as per MOST recitative)
recitative (vocal style that imitates speech patterns – like heightened speech.)
aria: Solo voice with orchestral support; emotional and tuneful.
(basso) continuo: ever-present “rhythm section” of Baroque orchestra playing supporting bass
line and chords.
