Music Genres PDF

Aria (a subgenre of monody or song) - lament aria - song for solo voice often played w larger ensemble - strongly metrical, very lyrical, often repeating fragments of text art song / Lied (for a variety of ensemble types) - short piece for voice and piano w poetic text ballet / bal...

Aria (a subgenre of monody or song) - lament aria - song for solo voice often played w larger ensemble - strongly metrical, very lyrical, often repeating fragments of text art song / Lied (for a variety of ensemble types) - short piece for voice and piano w poetic text ballet / ballet score - theatrical dance performance w storytelling elements - often accompanied by music cantata (can be sacred or secular) - musical composition intended to be sung (as opposed to a sonata, which was to be played by a musical instrument) - for voices w instrumental accompaniments chamber symphony (‘chamber’ anything) - compresses the symphonic 4 movement structure into one continuous form - music played by a small ensemble chant (Gregorian chant / plainchant / plainsong) - sung sacred texts character piece -> short expressive piece for piano, meant to evoke particular mood - nocturne (a subgenre of character piece) - lyrical piece inspired by the night, calm, introspective Concerto (solo concert) - composition for solo instrument accompanied by orchestra - typically in 3 movements (fast-slow-fast) concerto grosso - multi movement genre for 2 or more instrumental soloists and orchestra (including basso continuo) cycle (as in cycle of art songs) - collection of art songs published together as a set and sharing other unifying characteristics - ex: - similar patterns between the songs - they share musical motives that come up in all of them - poems by the same poet published together as a cycle of poems, etc double concerto (triple concerto, etc.) double ○ 2 solo instruments accompanied by an orchestra triple ○ 3 solo instruments accompanied by orchestra etc fantasia - single movement work for solo instrument - imaginative, formally innovative, virtuosic, and perhaps improvisatory character film score - music for a film - augments the movie experience by manipulating the viewer in 4 ways Mass / Mass movement - sacred choral music based on Roman Catholic mass liturgy motet - sacred choral music typically involving multiple voices - polyphonic texture music drama (as per Richard Wagner) - integrating music, text, and staging into one piece oratorio - large scale sacred vocal composition - combines: - orchestral music - choral passages - solo vocal performances opera (when and where invented?) - opera buffa - italian comic opera - funny plot, relatable characters - opera seria - Italian serious opera - dramatic, mythological, or historical themes piano trio - piano, violin, cello piano quintet - piano + string quartet - piano, 2 violins, viola, cello recitative (a subgenre of monody or song) - advances the plot or narrative through sung speech - free in rhythm, imitate natural flow of speech Requiem Mass (Mass of the Dead) - sacred musical composition, written to honour and pray for the dead Singspiel - German opera, w spoken dialogue - light hearted, folkloric sonata (i.e., solo sonata) 2 types ○ baroque sonata multi movement piece for solo instruments often in from of trio sonata ○ classical / romantic sonata Multi movement piece for solo instrument (usually piano) or solo instrument + piano accompaniment song cycle / cycle of art songs - series of art songs connected by common theme or narrative - designed to be performed tgt - sometimes accompanied by orchestra string quartet - 2 violins, viola, cello suite (of three varying types) -> pieces meant to be performed as a set; usually shorter pieces - Baroque dance suite - multi-movement collection of dances (the Baroque dance suite model); - multi movement genre for orchestra without any particular featured soiloists - dance suites - could be used for dancing or simply as concert works for listening enjoyment - suite - multi movement collection of dances symphonic poem (aka tone poem)  - single movement orchestral piece conveying story, theme, or image - usually programmatic “symphonic sketches” (not really a genre) - term used to refer to a collection of preliminary or short musical ideas - like a draft of a symphony symphony - large scale orchestra work - usually 4 movements - explores wide range of emotional and thematic content vocalise - Musical composition consisting of the singing melody w vowel sounds or nonsense syllables rather than text woodwind quintet - flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn