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CHAPTER 13 Putting Music into Words
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of these is part of the three planes of listening described by composer Aaron Copland?
a. the sensuous c. the musical
b. the expressive d. All answers shown here.
2. Which one of Aaron Copland’s planes of listening describes the music simply washing over the listener?
a. the sensuous c. the musical
b. the expressive d. the emotional
3. Aaron Copland’s level of listening in which the emotional power of the music is at the forefront and the listener is considering the
composer’s meaning is called the ________ plane.
a. sensuous c. musical
b. expressive d. symphonic
4. Melody, rhythm, harmony, texture, form, and timbre are collectively referred to as
a. the materials of music. c. the performing forces.
b. Aaron Copland’s planes of listening. d. the musical conversation.
5. What are some of the so-called big-picture concepts to consider when writing about music?
a. performing forces c. overall sound
b. historical period d. All answers shown here.
6. When describing the mood of a piece, one should respond
a. objectively. c. both objectively and subjectively.
b. subjectively. d. only based on one’s emotions.
7. What are some of the so-called finer details to consider when writing about music?
a. the main melody(ies) c. tempo and texture
b. rhythm and meter d. All answers shown here.
8. What are some strategies one can use to help frame one’s argument when writing about music?
a. compare two works c. argue against a genre or type
b. included an evaluative statement d. All answers shown here.
9. In discussing or writing about music, one should
a. achieve a balance between descriptive analysis and personal reaction.
b. only focus on descriptive analysis.
c. provide a blow-by-blow description of a work.
d. always react emotionally.
TRUE/FALSE
1. When writing about music, it is best to provide a blow-by-blow description of a work.
2. Defining the performing forces can help one determine the genre of a musical work.
3. The three planes of listening described by Aaron Copland are the sensuous, the expressive, and the musical.
4. Doing some research before one hears a work in performance will help one deal with the ideas of others as well as help shape one’s
own reactions.
5. Engaged listening takes both practice and time.
6. A comparison between the work one’s contemplating with a work that one knows well can be a helpful way to begin a writing
assignment about music.
7. Familiarizing oneself with the composer’s musical program (if there is one) will help one follow the progression of musical events.
8. One should NOT take notes during a performance and only rely on one’s memory to help recall the sequence and timing of musical
events.
9. One should present one’s own “voice” or “spin” while discussing or writing about music.
10. Listening to a work several times will give one a better chance to perceive individual musical elements.
ESSAY
1. Select a familiar work, either popular or classical, and compare it with an unfamiliar piece.
2. Select two familiar works, either popular or classical, and write an evaluative statement.
PRELUDE 2 Music as Commodity and Social Activity
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The history of Western music begins
a. when Europeans first began to sing.
b. when Europeans encountered the culture of China.
c. when Europeans developed musical notation.
d. after the fall of the Roman Empire.
2. Why was the art music of the Middle Ages predominantly religious?
a. There was little need for secular music at the time.
b. Secular states had little power.
c. The church patronized music extensively.
d. Composers were devoutly religious.
3. The two centers of power during the early Middle Ages were the church and
a. newly formed centralized governments led by kings.
b. diffuse courts headed by dukes.
c. barbarian tribes.
d. Arab tribes.
4. The Frankish emperor who encouraged education and the concept of a centralized government was
a. Charlemagne. c. Hildegard of Bingen.
b. Pope Gregory. d. Chaucer.
5. The late Middle Ages witnessed
a. the building of great cathedrals. c. the rise of the bourgeoisie.
b. the founding of universities. d. all of the answers shown here.
6. All of the following are major literary landmarks of the Middle Ages EXCEPT
a. Chanson de Roland. c. Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.
b. Dante’s Divine Comedy. d. Cervantes’s Don Quixote.
7. During the Middle Ages, the status of women
a. remained unchanged for nearly one thousand years.
b. steadily declined until late in the era, just before the Renaissance.
c. was raised through the concept of chivalry, which arose among knights and was idealized in music.
d. was much the same as it is today.
8. Which of the following does NOT represent the thinking of the Renaissance?
a. an exclusively religious orientation c. a questioning of blind faith
b. an interest in scientific inquiry d. a focus on humanity and life
9. Which historical event did NOT take place in the Renaissance?
a. the “discovery” of North and South America
b. the introduction of printing in the West
c. the writing of the Magna Carta
d. the Protestant Reformation
10. Artists associated with the Renaissance include
a. Michelangelo. c. Leonardo da Vinci.
b. all answers shown here. d. Botticelli.
11. Why is Renaissance painting considered to be more realistic than medieval painting?
a. Renaissance painters used more vivid colors.
b. The subjects of Renaissance paintings were often ordinary people doing ordinary tasks.
c. Renaissance painters explored perspective, which made it possible to depict visual depth.
d. Renaissance subjects were more consistently religious.
12. Which of the following institution(s) supported music in Renaissance society?
a. the church c. the aristocratic courts
b. the city and state d. all of the answers shown here.
13. Renaissance musicians could make their living in all of the following ways EXCEPT as
a. choirmasters, singers, and organists. c. music printers and publishers.
b. instrument builders or players. d. professional orchestral conductors.
14. Which cathedral became one of the first centers in which polyphony was notated and integrated into musical worship?
a. Westminster Abbey, London c. St. Patrick’s, New York
b. St. Mark’s, Venice d. Notre Dame, Paris
15. The “decoration” of plainchant with one or more simultaneous musical lines is called
a. monophony. c. secular.
b. organum. d. homophony.
16. Another term for language of the people is
a. sacred. c. organum.
b. vernacular. d. troubadours.
17. What was the formal language of the church and sacred music tradition during the Middle Ages?
a. French c. Spanish
b. Latin d. Italian
18. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, sacred musical genres were generally considered to be ensemble vocal music, usually
sung by a ________ group.
a. small c. mixed-gender
b. large d. large, male-only
19. Troubadours were associated with
a. southern France. c. Italy.
b. northern France. d. Germany.
20. Which performers of secular music were associated with northern France?
a. troubadours c. madrigals
b. trouvères d. monks
TRUE/FALSE
1. Despite the dominance of sacred music during the Middle Ages, secular music became important for entertainment and personal
expression.
2. Most of the surviving music from the early Middle Ages is secular.
3. The two centers of power in the Middle Ages were the feudal lord and the state.
4. Chivalry helped bring about the first flowering of secular music written in the vernacular.
5. The troubadours were essential to the spread of sacred music.
6. The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was a center for polyphony.
7. Although feudal society was male dominated, the status of women was raised by prevailing attitudes of chivalry and devotion to the
cult of the Virgin Mary.
8. The Renaissance was characterized by an increased awareness of the cultures of learned civilizations.
9. The Renaissance was an age of exploration.
10. Renaissance painters preferred symbolism to realism.
11. The Renaissance first came to flower in France.
12. The Renaissance saw the rise of amateur musicians and home music-making.
13. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, music was divided into two categories: sacred and religious.
14. Music notation was invented to further the goals of Christian worship.
15. Musicians had very little leeway in terms of performance during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
ESSAY
1. Compare the roles of the church and secular powers in medieval art and society.
2. Describe the ways in which Renaissance thought differed from that of the Middle Ages.
3. What were the various ways in which early musicians could make a living?
4. Why do modern performers have a great deal of leeway when performing works from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance?
