Music Appreciation Chapter 11 Test Questions

Renaissance Dance

• The pavane was a stately, processional dance popular in the Renaissance.

Renaissance Instruments

• The lute was a prominent instrument in the Renaissance, known for its versatility and portability.

Musical Composition

• A Fantasia was a free and improvisational composition, often showcasing virtuosity and experimentation.
• A consort was a group of instruments playing together, usually in a specific combination.
• The Venetian school, led by composers like Andrea Gabrieli, introduced the polychoral style, involving multiple choirs singing or playing together.
• Imitative polyphony involves melodies imitating each other, creating a complex and interwoven texture. This works because each voice adds a new dimension, creating a sense of interplay and musical depth.

Musical Styles

• The Venetian polychoral style was employed by composers such as Andrea Gabrieli and Giovanni Gabrieli.
• Improvisation was a key component of compositions like fantasias and ricercars, allowing performers to embellish and interpret the music creatively.
• A consort was a group of instruments playing together, usually in a specific combination.

Renaissance Composers

• Claudio Monteverdi, a prominent composer who focused on the text rather than the music, emphasizing vocal expression and clarity.
• William Byrd, a renowned composer who contributed significantly to keyboard music, shaping the development of this genre.

Madrigals

• A madrigal is a secular vocal composition for several voices, renowned for its expressive and often evocative nature.
• Early madrigals were typically simpler and more homophonic, while later madrigals became more complex and polyphonic, embracing word painting and expressive techniques.
• Word painting, a technique used in madrigals, translates words into music, mirroring their meaning through musical gestures and vocal effects. For example, the word "falling" might be depicted through a descending melody line.