Multiple Choice Questions: Music, Visual Arts and Film Studies

ELECTRONICS – anything using an electronic/computer controlled/artificial sound source
Synthesizer, tape, etc.
**GRAB IT! (JacobTV)
Rhythm:
Duration of sounds/silences, music as a function of time, how short/long
BEAT – regular pulsation that divides music into equal portions of time
Tapping foot/bobbing head with the music.
The “ruler” that is used to measure a rhythm.
Tones in a musical work can last longer than a beat, or be a fraction of a beat.
METER – how we group beats together into smaller sections, creating strong/weak beats.
A fixed number of beats in a meter is called a MEASURE.
Duple meter – groups of two
Triple meter – groups of three
Quadruple meter – groups of four
Can create other meters by combining these basics (2+3=5, 3+2+2=7, etc)
Example of math in music.
Play examples to clap and conduct to (including conducting in wrong meter to demonstrate error)
**Let’s Spend the Night Together (Rolling Stones)
**If I Ain’t Got You (Alicia Keys)
**Washington Post March (Sousa)
**Take Five (Dave Brubeck)
Most music on radio is dance music, which will have a strong sense of beat
Same goes for classical music…
**Brandenburg Concerto No.6, first movement
Some classical music intentionally obscures the beat
**La Mer (Debussy)
Fast music in three is sometimes perceived in one
**”Let’s Go Fly a Kite” (Mary Poppins)
What meter is this in?
**All You Need Is Love (The Beatles)
ACCENTS are stressed notes in a melody or stressed beats in a meter
SYNCOPATION is when there is an accent in an unexpected place (“off the beat”)
TEMPO – how fast/slow the beat is. Pace of the music. Huge impact on musical expression.
(Difference between faster tempo and smaller rhythms, demonstrate)

Grave – very slow
Adagio – slow
Andante – med. slow
Moderato – medium pace
Allegro – fast
Vivace – very fast
Presto – very very fast
Accelerando – gradually speed up
Ritardando – gradually slow down
Rubato – “robbed time,” artistically changing tempo/stopping on an important beat
Notation: it exists
**Clair de Lune (Debussy)
Melody:
A sequence of tones to form a recognizable, single unit – “The Tune”
Descriptors –
Conjunct vs Disjunct
Legato vs Staccato
Phrases – small ideas within a melody
Cadences – ends of phrases
Sequence – repetition of a melodic idea at a different pitch level (higher or lower)
Lyrics – words to a melody
Word Painting – when the lyrics are literally reflected in the music
**Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Sinatra)
Notice word painting, sequence, etc.
Harmony:
How chords are constructed and used. The significance of tones played at the same time.
CHORD – three or more notes at once
PROGRESSION – a series of chords, usually related to the same key (but not always)
Consonance – chords that are stable and pleasing to the ear
Dissonance – chords that are unstable and usually sound rough to the ear
Dissonant chords can be RESOLVED to a consonant harmony (usually)
Tension/release – harmonic motion can create drama in a piece of music
Resolutions can be delayed (Tristan), altered, or false to create interest
TRIAD – chord with only three notes
Tertian harmony (most music) is based on tones that are three steps apart
ARPEGGIO – broken chord (played melodically)
**Prelude in E Minor (Frederick Chopin)
Harmonic motion creates the interest in the piece
**”Liebestod” from Tristan und Isolde (Wagner)
Chord resolution delayed for four hours (Stephen Fry video, Seattle Opera video, etc.)
Key/Tonality:
Hierarchy of a set of notes – some notes are more important than others
How do different notes relate to one another?
TONIC – “home note” to which all other notes in a key are drawn
Most basic hierarchical set of notes is a SCALE
MAJOR vs MINOR KEYS – changing a few notes can dramatically alter the sound of a key
Certain emotional or cultural associations are related to key and scale
CHROMATIC SCALE – all of the notes
Chroma means “color,” used to alter/color the main notes of a key
CHROMATICISM is when numerous alterations are made to a key
Creates more dissonance, thus more tension, thus more interest in a piece
Texture:
How different parts relate to one another? Background vs foreground, etc.
Several different categories, composers can mix and match however they please
MONOPHONIC – only one part, no matter how many people are playing it
**Ordo Virtuutum (Hildegard von Bingen) **Theme to Halo
POLYPHONIC – two or more lines in COUNTERPOINT, or more than one melodic line at once
How are they woven together? Is there IMITATION?
**Little Fugue in G Minor (Bach) (Rascher Quartet)
HOMOPHONIC – anything in between…
Melody w/ background
Unison rhythm with different tones in each part
Most music is homophonic…
**Ordinary People (John Legend) **Sonata No.3 for Violin and Piano (Grieg)
Everyone sing Row Row Row Your Boat in different textures
Form:
A “roadmap” or shape of a piece of music. How does one section relate to another?
How do we keep our place?
Helps to listen for CHANGES IN THE USE OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS!
What dictates form?
REPETITION – important information is usually repeated in a piece of music
CONTRAST – important for variety or interest
VARIATION – small changes to an existing element (what changed?)
Over the history of music, composers keep coming back to some standard forms and patterns
How a composer manipulates form is one of the BIG reasons they would be remembered
centuries later. Examples like Beethoven, Mahler, etc.
Use letters to denote different sections
BINARY FORM – AB – Two main, contrasting sections
TERNARY FORM – ABA – Three main sections, two of which are the same or similar
**”Dance of the Reed Pipes” from The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky)
Most basic form, many other forms are a riff on ternary form, such as…
POP SONG FORM – AABA – most jazz standards are in this form
**Nice Work If You Can Get It (Ella Fitzgerald)
SONATA FORM – Exposition/Development/Recapitulation
Standard form from the 1700s to today
**Symphony No.40 (Mozart), first movement
RONDO FORM – ABACADA etc – One repeated section with contrasting episodes in between
**Sonata for Saxophone, III (Maslanka)
Modern rock/pop song form is a riff on a rondo
**Taylor Swift video
How do we listen for form? Listen for REPETITION!!
Style:
Characteristic way of using the elements of music in combination, creating unique voices
within different genres.
Term can apply to historical periods, groups of composers, individual composers, countries, etc.
Even when certain techniques come in vogue, individual voices can still come through
(Mozart sounds different from Beethoven, Glass different from Adams, etc.)
Music (art in general) doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Consider…
The function of music/art in society?
Religious aspect?
Dramatic aspect?
Political/social aspect?
Relationship/trends in other arts

Basics:
SOUND – vibrations in the air that are interpreted by the brain
PITCH – relative highness/lowness of a sound
A sound with a definite pitch (regular pulsations) is called a TONE
INTERVAL – distance between two tones
RANGE – distance between highest/lowest tones
Dynamics:
The relative loudness/softness of a pitch; “the volume”
Subtle changes in dynamics make music more expressive/communicative/interesting
Pianissimo – pp – very soft
Piano – p – soft
Mezzo-piano – mp – med. soft
Mezzo-forte – mf- med. loud
Forte – f – loud
Fortissimo – ff – very loud
Crescendo – gradually louder
Decrescendo – gradually softer
**Finale to Firebird Suite (Stravinsky), listening for dynamic contrast
Timbre:
TONE COLOR – quality that distinguishes one sound source from another
How do we tell the difference between a flute and a guitar?
Descriptors: bright, dark, clear, stuffy, mellow, rich, thin, edgy, airy, heavy, light..
HUMAN VOICE – most basic instrument, everyone can sing, earliest musical source
Fach – voice classification
Women
Soprano
Lyric coloratura (high&bright), Dramatic coloratura (high&dark), Dramatic, Lyric
Mezzo-soprano
Alto
Men
Tenor
Baritone
Bass
**La Boheme (Puccini), “Che gelida manina,” “Si, mi chiamano Mimi” (soprano, tenor)
**Candide (Bernstein), “I Am Easily Assimilated” (alto)
**Simple Gifts (Copland), Thomas Hampson, baritone
**Die Zauberflote (Mozart), “O Isis und Osiris,” Kurt Moll, bass
Instrument – any mechanism that produces music besides the human voice
Most try to imitate the voice
Different kinds of instruments have different characteristics and abilities (Idiomatic)
Orchestration refers to how a composer uses different instruments in a piece of music
STRING INSTRUMENTS – have strings, sometimes a bow, are plucked/bowed/strummed, etc.
Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass
Guitar, Mandolin, Sitar, etc.
**Kronos Quartet meets Big Bird
WOODWINDS – either originally made of wood or use a wooden cane reed to produce tones
Have keys, require air
Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Bassoon, Saxophone
Single Reed vs Double Reed vs Air Reed
**Syrinx (Debussy), GRAB IT! (JacobTV), Three Pieces (Stravinsky), Sorcerer’s Apprentice
(Dukas)
BRASS INSTRUMENTS – made of brass, use a cup mouthpiece with buzzing lips, valves/slides
Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba
**Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood with Empire Brass Quintet
PERCUSSION – anything struck with a stick, mallet, hand, etc.
Pitched: Timpani, Xylophone, Marimba, Chimes, etc.
Unpitched: Snare, Bass drum, Triangle, Tambourine, Cymbals, Gong, etc.
Literally 1000s of options, with numerous cultural variants
Imagination is only limit
Brake drum, steel drum, water percussion, etc.
**Divertimento (Yuyama), me and Dave Whitman
**Water Concerto (Tan Dun)
**Brian Blade Fellowship
KEYBOARDS – anything with a keyboard the performer controls
Piano, harpsichord, pipe organ, synthesizer, accordion, etc.
**Another One Rides the Bus (Weird Al)

Introduction? Y/N Yes — English Horn, by itself

*****EXPOSITION*****
First Theme: (0:30)
Moderato
Staccato
Trumpet solo
Violins in background
Dissonant (a little bit) – “blues” scale — major and minor scale at same time

Second Theme: (2:25)
Consonant
Legato
Tiny bit slower
Crescendo towards end
Strings and woodwinds featured

*****DEVELOPMENT***** (3:55)
What do you hear happening? Are there fragments of the first theme? The second? Key changes? Sequences? What else?
Faster compared to second theme
Louder (both themes)
Fragments of both themes being used

*****RECAPITULATION***** (5:47)
What differences, if any, do you hear from the Exposition?
No second theme (peculiar to this piece, not normal in most symphonies)
“Truncated” recapitulation

*****

Coda? Y/N Yes (6:22)
Spots of silence
Slowing down (ritardando)
Softer (decrescendo)
Gentle landing for the first movement
Lower-range instruments (bass clarinet, cellos, etc.)

Please answer the following to the best of your ability. You may use your notes and other resources from class. Copy/pasted responses from outside sources (ie. Wikipedia) on short answer questions will be marked as incorrect. Feel free to use recordings as needed.

I. General Musical Knowledge

1-14. Please group the following instruments into their correct families. (+1 each)

Saxophone Violin Synthesizer Trumpet Oboe Tuba Accordion Piano
Marimba Cello Triangle Flute DJ Turntable Snare Drum

STRINGS WOODWINDS BRASS KEYBOARDS PERCUSSION ELECTRONICS

15-20. Please place the following vocal fachs in order from HIGHEST to LOWEST.

Mezzo-Soprano Tenor Alto Soprano Bass Baritone

II. Studied Works

Stephen Sondheim: Sweeney Todd: “Epiphany” (link)

21. You will notice that during sections of this excerpt, instruments in the orchestra are used to double to Sweeney’s vocal line. This is a compositional technique known as ______
A. Colla parte
B. Modulation
C. Libretto
D. Auto-tuning

22. Sweeney Todd makes frequent use of a Greek chorus, which is _____
A. a kind of performance ensemble
B. an orchestration technique
C. a theatre technique in which extras comment on the action, usually with a moral lesson
D. those delicious grape-leaf things that have rice and meat in them

23. This number ends on an unresolved dissonance. A dissonant chord is one that is ________
A. stable and pleasing to the ear
B. unstable and grating, creating tension
C. played at a very loud dynamic level
D. very rude and disses you

24. A musical’s story/script is referred to as the ________
A. lyrics
B. book
C. ensemble
D. pop tart

25. “Epiphany” is the point in the show where Sweeney Todd snaps and decides to go on a massive killing spree rather than focus all of his attention on the Judge. Briefly describe how Sondheim communicates Sweeney’s state-of-mind through music. (+2)

William Grant Still: Symphony No.1, “Afro-American” (link)

26. The flourishing of African-American art that Still was a major figure in was the _________
A. minimalist movement
B. Harlem Renaissance
C. Tin-Pan Alley
D. interpretive dance

27. This is a two-part question. First, please label the three major sections of sonata form on the chart below (blank lines) (+1). Second, please describe the excerpt to the best of your ability using the same chart (+3).

Introduction (Y/N)

___________________

1st Theme:

2nd Theme:

______________

___________________

Coda (Y/N)

Bernard Herrmann: Psycho (link)

28. Since the characters can’t hear the music accompanying this scene, this is an example of _______
A. underscore
B. diegetic music
C. leitmotif
D. having hearing <link is hidden> they should go to the <link is hidden> />
29. Briefly explain why this scene is an example of synchronized scoring. (+2)

30. Which of the following options best describes the music during the attack?
A. Legato, piano, and dissonant
B. Staccato, forte, and consonant
C. Staccato, forte, and dissonant
D. Snap, crackle, pop (Rice Krispies!)

Georges Bizet: Carmen: “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” (link)

31. Carmen is an example of exoticism in music because _________
A. Carmen is a sensual, seductive character
B. it flopped at its premiere
C. Bizet was French, but the opera uses Spanish-influenced music and themes
D. Joe Exotic from Tiger King is in the opera

32. A featured song in an opera is called a(n) __________
A. aria
B. number
C. recitative
D. tap dance

33. This singer is a ________
A. soprano
B. alto
C. tenor
D. bass

34. You’ll notice that the background characters occasionally sing in this aria. They are called a(n)_____
A. libretto
B. ensemble
C. chorus
D. peanut gallery

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.2, “The Resurrection” (link)

35. Which of the following is an example of word painting from the excerpt?
A. The use of a choir with orchestra
B. The strong mental images it invites in the listener while “telling a story” with music
C. The words “I shall soar upwards” being sung with an ascending melody
D. Let’s paint a happy little tree

36. The way a composer matches words to music is called _________
A. orchestration
B. text setting
C. overture
D. aw, man, you’re making me read poetry!?

37. Which of the following is a common trope of Romantic music that is exemplified here?
A. A great reverence for logic, balance, and clarity
B. Valuing subtle changes in tone color and the idea of impermanence
C. Wrestling with big philosophical ideas, such as the nature of life and death
D. Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs, and what’s wrong with that?

38. Mahler’s Second Symphony tells the story of a person’s death, life, and afterlife. Owing to this extra-musical element, this work is an example of __________
A. absolute music
B. program music
C. an oratorio
D. an 80’s hair metal band

39. Mahler’s decision to use things such as a pipe organ, extra brass instruments, and a choir to get different colors in his symphony is an example of _____________
A. dissonant harmony
B. orchestration
C. syncopation
D. Diet Coke

Franz Schubert: Erlkönig (link)

40. This work, for solo voice and piano, is an example of ____________
A. a symphony
B. a musical
C. an art song
D. the disaffected angst of Generation X

41. The Erlkönig poem contains four separate characters (Father, Son, Erlking, and Narrator). How does Schubert highlight their differences through music? (+2)

42. Which of the following best describes the tempo of this excerpt?
A. Grave
B. Adagio
C. Allegro
D. That flame-thrower guitar guy from Mad Max: Fury Road

43. The vocal fach heard is a(n)___________
A. Soprano
B. Alto
C. Tenor
D. Bass

44. What is the texture of this excerpt?
A. Monophonic
B. Homophonic
C. Polyphonic
D. Electrophonic

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No.9 (link)

45. A source of inspiration to us today, Beethoven’s ______ didn’t stop him from composing some of the most important music ever written.
A. deafness
B. blindness
C. diabetes
D. ants-in-the-pants

46. What is the Heiligenstadt Testament?
A. Beethoven’s last will and testament addressed to his brothers
B. A letter describing the difficulties of his life
C. A successful attempt by Beethoven to talk himself out of suicide because of his art
D. All of the above

47. The form of this movement, where a main theme is altered in each repetition, is known as _______.
A. Sonata form
B. Rondo
C. Theme and Variations
D. Octagon

48. In setting Schiller’s “Ode to Joy,” Beethoven embraced which of the following ideals of the Enlightenment?
A. The well-reasoned brotherhood of all mankind
B. Nihilistic rage
C. Awe before nature
D. Two-for-one margaritas!

III. Analysis of New Excerpt

Answer the following questions about the score to King Kong (1933) by Max Steiner. (link)

49. Give an example of how this scene uses synchronized scoring. (+2)

50. This scene uses diegetic music.
A. True
B. False