Music Terminology Flashcards

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AA BB A CC DD

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Standard piano rag form.

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A B A form

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A form consisting of three sections, in which the third section is a repeat of the first.

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Arco

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Playing the strings of a stringed instrument with a bow.

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Ballet

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A story told through music and dancing, performed on a stage with costumes, sets, and lighting.

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Commission

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To hire and pay a composer to compose a piece of music. Musical works may be commissioned by individuals or groups, such as a school or symphony orchestra.

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Decrescendo (decresc.) or diminuendo (dim.)

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Gradually softer.

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Dynamics

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The volume (loudness or softness) of the sound.

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Exposition

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The first section of the sonata form, in which the themes are introduced.

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Fortissimo

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A dynamic marking, abbreviated "ff," that indicates the music is to be performed very loudly.

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Fugue

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A musical composition for a definite number of parts or voices, in which the subject is announced in one voice, and then imitated and developed in each of the parts.