Music 120 - Music Appreciation » Fall 2022 » Midterm 2

Need help with your exam preparation?

Question #1
The concerto
A.   grew out of the lavish aristocratic weddings of the Renaissance.
B.   was a Renaissance genre that gained popularity in the Baroque era.
C.   was a new instrumental genre of the Baroque era featuring an instrumental soloist and orchestra.
D.   was a large-scale music drama with acting, scenery, and costumes.
Question #2
Which of the following describe William Billings’s contributions to American music history?
A.   cultivating a tradition of American psalmody
B.   contributing songs to the cause of independence from Great Britain
C.   All answers are correct.
D.   emphasizing the institutional importance of music
Question #3
Vivaldi wrote instrumental music that depicts a scene without the use of sung words, a genre called
A.   song.
B.   intentional music.
C.   program music or "sound story" 
D.   absolute music.
Question #4
The solo instrument featured in Vivaldi’s Spring concerto is the
A.   violin.
B.   harpsichord.
C.   double bass.
D.   cello.
Question #5
A highly structured contrapuntal form based on a single theme or subject is a
A.   toccata.
B.   da capo.
C.   fugue.
D.   prelude.
Question #6
The Classical concerto form has ______ movements.
A.   three
B.   six
C.   two
D.   five
Question #7
Which of the following describes a typical string quartet ensemble?
A.   violin, viola, cello, double bass
B.   one violin, one viola, two cellos
C.   two violins, one viola, one cello
D.   two violins, two cellos
Question #8
Which family of enormously wealthy Hungarian princes famous for their patronage of the arts did Haydn work for?
A.   St. Stephen
B.   Weidinger
C.   Esterházys
D.   Salieri
Question #9
W. A. Mozart was born in
A.   London, England.
B.   Halle, Germany.
C.   Salzburg, Austria.
D.   Venice, Italy.
Question #10
Music with no literary basis or story explicitly stated by the composer is referred to as
A.   thematic music.
B.   absolute music.
C.   incidental music.
D.   program music.
Question #11
A symphony
A.   is a work written for an orchestra.
B.   All answers are correct.
C.   was a new genre of the Classical era.
D.   is a multimovement work.
Question #12
________ form became a favorite resource for instrumental composers since the musical story it can tell is significantly more dynamic than other forms.
A.   Theme and variations
B.   Rondo
C.   Sonata-allegro
D.   Minuet-and-trio
Question #13
Which describes the instruments heard in this ensemble?
A.   two violins, one viola, one cello (string quartet)
B.   violin, viola, cello, double bass 
C.   saxophones
D.   flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon
Question #14
Why is Haydn’s Symphony No. 94 nicknamed “Surprise”?
A.   The theme in the fourth movement is based on a folksong.
B.   A sudden loud chord during the slow movement startled the dozing audience.
C.   The emperor played viola in the first performance.
D.   The main tune in the second movement is cut short by pauses.
Question #15
Which describes the overall dynamics in this variation?
A.   decrescendo from forte to piano
B.   crescendo from piano to forte
C.   alternating between fortissimo and piano
D.   pianissimo
Question #16
Which of the following occurs in the development section of sonata-allegro form?
A.   frequent modulations, wanders through several keys
B.   final cadence in the home key
C.   two opposing themes are “exposed”
D.   restatement of themes in the home key
Question #17
In the Classical-era concerto, the cadenza usually appears _______ of a movement.
A.   at the beginning
B.   near the end
C.   during the slow introduction
D.   during the development section
Question #18
Which describes the overall mood of the first movement of Beethoven’s Moonlight sonata?
A.   romantic, passionate
B.   whimsical, delightful
C.   dreamy, ethereal
D.   scherzo, dancelike
Question #19
Which describes the tempo of the first movement of Beethoven’s Moonlight sonata?
A.   presto
B.   adagio
C.   vivace
D.   allegro
Question #20
Which of the following applies to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony?
A.   All answers are correct.
B.   example of cyclical form.
C.   unified by a recurring motive.
D.   short-short-short-long motive appears in each movement.
Question #21
Which describes the opening motive of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5?
A.   rhythmic.
B.   All answers are correct.
C.   “fate knocking at the door”.
D.   short-short-short-long.
Question #22
The text of “Ode to Joy” by Friedrich von Schiller is an expression of
A.   universal brotherhood.
B.   beauties of nature.
C.   romantic love.
D.   power and greed.
Question #23
To whom did Beethoven originally dedicate his Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)?
A.   Wellington
B.   Napoleon
C.   Mozart
D.   Haydn
Question #24
Which of the following statements about Beethoven is(are) true?
A.   Beethoven’s music is considered “transitional” between the Classical era and the Romantic era.
B.   Beethoven worked carefully to balance tradition with innovation in his music.
C.   All answers are correct.
D.   Beethoven wrote in the Classical-era forms.
Question #25
Which describes a trouser role?
A.   the role of a teenage boy, sung by a mezzo-soprano
B.   the role of a teenage girl, dressing as a young man
C.   the role of a teenage boy, sung by a young tenor
D.     
Question #26
Mozart’s comic operas
A.   still speak strongly to modern audiences with messages of social unfairness and the rights of individuals.
B.   were not well received during his lifetime but are having a resurgence with modern audiences.
C.   drew from stories of antiquity featuring kings and heroes.
D.   focused on delighting audiences and avoided cultural or political messages.
Question #27
Which describes the singing style in this excerpt?
A.   patter-like syllabic singing; aria
B.   quick notes, delivered freely; recitative
C.   elegant duet; aria
D.   lyrical lines; aria
Question #28
The singers in this excerpt are accompanied by
A.   the brass section.
B.   the woodwind section playing pianissimo.
C.   piccolos
D.   piano and cello.
Question #29
The merchant class was critical to the rising success of the lighter opera buffa style in the Classical era.
A.   True
B.   False
Question #30
A musical setting of the Mass for the Dead is called
A.   a Requiem.
B.   the Mass Proper.
C.   the Ordinary.
D.   an oratorio.
Question #31
Mozart’s Requiem was the composer’s last work and was left incomplete.
A.   True
B.   False

Need help with your exam preparation?