Prelude 1: Listening to Music Today
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of the following is NOT true about live concerts?
a. The events have an element of unpredictability.
b. They encourage “partial listening.”
c. The performance is aurally stimulating.
d. The performance is visually stimulating.
2. Which of the following is NOT a good source of concert information?
a. city and college newspapers
b. websites of nearby venues
c. college music or fine arts departments
d. recently issued CDs
3. A good source to find out more about works to be performed at a concert is:
a. your music textbook. c. the Internet.
b. StudySpace. d. all of the answers shown here
4. What is the best way to prepare in advance to attend an opera?
a. practice speaking the language in which it will be performed
b. read an overview of the plot
c. buy a new outfit to wear
d. read biographies of the singers
5. If you arrive at a concert after the performance has begun, you should:
a. enter and crawl over people to find your seat.
b. enter and stand in the aisle until there is a break.
c. wait until there is a break in the music and then enter and quickly find your seat.
d. give up and go home.
6. During a concert, it is appropriate to leave your seat:
a. whenever you are bored.
b. during breaks in the works.
c. only at the end of the program.
d. only during intermission and at the end.
7. Which of the following is considered rude behavior at a concert?
a. turning your cell phone off c. talking to your companion
b. applauding after complete works d. jotting down notes on your program
8. At a symphony concert, the first individual to make a separate entrance is:
a. the conductor. c. the music director.
b. the soloist. d. the concertmaster.
9. The audience claps:
a. during the piece.
b. after complete works such as a symphony, a concerto, or a song cycle.
c. after well-performed solos.
d. between movements or songs.
10. All of the following are established concert traditions except:
a. performers wearing dark clothing.
b. question-and-answer sessions with the audience during the concert.
c. pianists performing from memory.
d. orchestras standing when the conductor enters.
11. The different sections of a symphony are called:
a. works. c. movements.
b. pieces. d. songs.
12. The French word encore means:
a. again. c. played twice.
b. more. d. repeat.
TRUE/FALSE
1. The act of “partial listening” is normal and appealing.
2. Listening to recorded music at home is just about the same experience as hearing it live.
3. For a concert featuring a large ensemble, front-row orchestra seats are the best location from which
to hear a balanced performance.
4. In general, you should plan to arrive at a concert at least twenty minutes before it is scheduled to
begin.
5. The concert program an usher hands you often has helpful notes about the pieces you will hear.
6. It is traditional for ensemble players to wear black—long dresses or black pants and tops for
women and tuxedos or tails for the men—to minimize visual distractions.
7. All tickets to concerts of symphonic music are very expensive.
8. It’s best to sit near the performers during a chamber music concert.
9. Before attending a concert of music that is new to you, you should prepare by doing some reading.
10. The concertmaster is the first-chair cellist.
11. The audience generally claps after complete works such as a symphony, a concerto, a sonata, or a
song cycle.
ESSAY
1. Discuss the differences between listening to recorded music at home and live music at a concert.
ANS:
Answers will vary.
PTS: 1 DIF: 1 REF: Essentials: p. 4
TOP: Concerts MSC: Conceptual
2. Discuss why doing some reading before you attend a concert of music new to you is a good idea.
ANS:
Answers will vary.
PTS: 1 DIF: 2 REF: Essentials: pp. 4–7
TOP: Concerts MSC: Applied