GCSE Music AQA Key Words - Structure

GCSE Music AQA Key Words - Structure

1. 12 Bar Blues

   • A style of blues with a 12-bar repeating chord progression using I,IV and V.

2. Anthem

   • Short choral piece, often performed in Protestant churches.

3. Arch Shape

   • Melody that finishes the same way it started: e,g, ABA or ABCBA.

4. Binary

   • Form of Music in two distinct sections - AB.

5. Break

   • A point where the Music stops, then begins again.

6. Cadenza

   • Section of a Concerto where the soloist can really show off.

7. Concerto

   • Piece for an Orchestra with a solist, in three movements.

8. Call and Response

   • A short melody (call), followed by an answering phrase (the response).

9. Chorus

   • Piece in an Opera, Oratorio or Cantata, sung by the chorus (choir).

10. Cyclic

    • Where a common theme runs throughout the movements, usually in a large-scale work.

11. Drum Fill

    • A short drum solo in between sections of a piece, usually in Pop music.

12. Ground Bass

    • A way of playing variations with a strong repeating bass part as the main theme.

13. Continuo/Basso Continuo

    • A continuous bass part in Baroque music, often played on a Harpsichord and Cello.

14. Intro

    • Introduces the music, usually found in Pop music.

15. Outro

    • Ending to a piece of music, usually found in Popular Music..

16. Leider

    • A Romantic song for one singer and a Piano. The lyrics are often in German.

17. Loop/Repeated

    • Section of music repeated over and over.

18. Minuet and Trio

    • Third movement of a Sonata or Symphony. Two sections in Ternary Form - the Minuet and the Trio are put together so the overall structure of the piece is Ternary too.

19. Popular Song Forms

    • Structure that uses, Intro, Verse, Chorus, Bridge and Outro.

20. Rondo

    • Start with one theme (A), then a new section (B), returning to the original theme (A) and so forth e.g. ABACADA

21. Scherzo (and Trio)

    • Lively third movement of a Symphony or Sonata. Wakes the audience up before the final movement.

22. Symphony

    • Long piece of music, in three or four movements, for a full orchestra.

23. Sonata

    • Piece of music in three or four movements for a soloist or duet. (Usually solosist accompanied by Piano).

24. 32 bar Song Form

    • Used in Pop Music, made up of four 8-bar sections. Sections 1, 2 & 4 use main theme and section 3 uses a contrasting theme.

25. Strophic

    • The music is the same in every verse, only the lyrics change.

26. Ternary

    • Piece in three sections. in ABA form. First and last section are much the same. The middle section (B) is a bit different and in a different but related key.

27. Theme and Variations

    • First a simple tune is played, after a short pause, you hear a variation on the tune and so forth.

28. Through Composed

    • The Music is different in every verse.

29. Trio

    • Second part of a piece in a Minuet or Scherzo or a piece for three players or three singers.

30. 16 Bar Blues

    • A 16-bar chord progression used in Blues. Much less comman than 12-bar.