Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for Music for Competitive examination

Artistic style that developed in Europe and Latin America during the 17th century and part of the 18th century. Represented the magnificence of the Absolute Monarchs and the Catholic Church as well as the power of the wealthy bourgeoisie.

Grandiosity, dynamism, and drama, equilibrium, symmetry, and rationalism.

Emphasis on motion and complexity. Curved, concave, and convex shapes. Shapes were created through light and color. Realism to heighten emotions and move or surprise the viewer. Theatrical backdrops. Churches were extravagantly decorated and represented the gateway to heaven. The decoration stimulates faith and piety.

Architecture

The desire to incorporate a sense of movement. Churches and palaces. Curved cornices and split/broken pediments....

Melody and Melodic Concepts

Melody: a succession of sounds, normally with different pitches and durations, that expresses a musical idea. They are structured in phrases (phrases are separated by cadences).

Motif, Phrase, Cadence, Theme

• Motif = word
• Phrase = grammatical sentence
• Cadence = pauses
• Theme = main idea

Ambitus (Range)

Ambitus: the range of pitches a melody covers, from the lowest to the highest note.

Melodic Motion

Melodic motion: the line or direction that the notes follow in a melody.

Interval

An interval is the gap between two notes.

• Melodic (horizontal): when the notes sound successively.
• Ascending: from a low note to a high note.
• Descending: from a high note to a low note.
• Harmonic (vertical): when two notes sound simultaneously.

Edge of hole