A LEVEL MUSIC TERMINOLOGY EXAM
2025. LATEST ACTUAL UPDATE EXAM
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTION
A cappella - CORRECT ANSWER-Italian for 'in church style'. A term that refers to
unaccompanied singing (as in NAM 26).
Accented passing note ->> CORRECT -->>dissonant note sounded on the beat and filling the
gap between two harmony notes. In NAM 22 the notes F and A in the right hand of bar 53 beat
4 are accented passing notes, clashing with the underlying C7 chord. See also Appoggiatura and
Passing note.
Acciaccatura - CORRECT ANSWER-An ornament printed as a small note with a slash through
its stem and flag (l» that is either played as short as possible, or is played with the main melodic
note and immediately released. It often forms a discord with a harmony note, as is the case with
the acciaccaturas in the second half of bar 15 in NAM 37.
Alberti bass - CORRECT ANSWER-An accompaniment pattern in which the notes of a chord
are repeatedly sounded in the order low, high, middle and high again. It is named after an obscure
Italian composer who was to the device. See NAM 22, bars 71-80 (left hand).
Anacrusis - CORRECT ANSWER-One or more weak-beat notes before the first strong beat of a
phrase, as in bar 5 of NAM 52 and bar 8 of NAM 53. Often called a 'pick-up' in jazz and pop
music.
Anticipation ->> CORRECT -->>note played immediately before the chord to which it belongs.
The anticipated note is often the tonic in a perfect cadence, as in bar 426 of NAM 1, where the
semiquaver G at the end
of the bar anticipates the tonic in the final chord of the movement.
Antiphony - CORRECT ANSWER-The alternation of different groups of instruments and/or
singers. There is a short antiphonal exchange between wind and strings in bars 47-49 of NAM
17; a longer example occurs between the two instrumental groups at the start of NAM 14.
,Appoggiatura ->> CORRECT -->>dissonant non-chord note, often approached by a leap, that
resolves by moving to
a chord note. It is like a suspension but without the preparation. Appoggiaturas are sometimes
written as small notes, like ornaments, as in bar 12 of NAM 37, where C~ in the vocal part
clashes with B in the accompaniment before resolving on the same note. Arco. An instruction
for string players to resume bowing after using some other technique, such as pizzicato, as seen
in NAM 3, bar 53.
Arco - CORRECT ANSWER-An instruction for string players to resume bowing after using
some other technique, such as pizzicato, as seen in NAM 4 (lower strings, bar 17).
Aria - CORRECT ANSWER-Italian for a song, but used mainly to describe an extended vocal
solo in opera and church music of the Baroque and Classical periods. The fourth movement of
NAM 28 is called an obbligato aria because it includes an obligatory instrumental solo which is
heard in counterpoint with the voice.
Articulation - CORRECT ANSWER-The degree of separation between notes. In NAM 23 the
slurs in the first piece indicate that it should be articulated smoothly (legato). Most of the notes
in the second piece are marked with staccato dots, indicating a detached style of articulation. At
the start of the third piece, the combination of slurs and staccato dots indicates mezzo staccato,
notes that should be only slightly detached.
Atonal - CORRECT ANSWER-Western music without a note that acts as a home pitch to which
all other notes are related. This means, in particular, that atonal music avoids major and minor
keys (and also modes). NAM 8 is atonal.
Augmentation ->> CORRECT -->>proportionate increase in the note-lengths of a melody. The
last bar of NAM 32 is an augmented version of the previous bar. The opposite of augmentation
is diminution.
Augmented 6th chord ->> CORRECT -->>chromatic chord based on the sixth degree of the
scale (the flattened sixth degree if the key is major) and the note an augmented 6th above it. The
chord also contains a major 3rd above the root and may include a perfect 5th or augmented 4th
above the root. An augmented 6th chord can be seen on the last beat of bar 80 in NAM 22 (left
hand), where the key is G minor and the augmented 6th is formed by the notes Eb and C#. The
chord resolves when the two notes forming the augmented 6th move outward by a semitone to
the dominant, as occurs on the first beat of bar 81 in the same piece.
, Auxiliary note ->> CORRECT -->>non chord note that occurs between two harmony notes of
the same pitch. In bar 6 in NAM 22 the second semiquaver (C) is an upper auxiliary and the
fourth semiquaver (A) is a lower auxiliary. The harmony note is Bb in both cases.
Avant-garde ->> CORRECT -->>term referring to composers or works seen as breaking new
ground, such as the music of NAM 11.
Backbeat ->> CORRECT -->>term used in pop music to describe accenting normally weak beats
(e.g. beats 2 and 4 in 4/4 time). In bars 3-4 of NAM 51 the backbeats in the drum part are
marked with accents.
Balanced phrasing - CORRECT ANSWER-See Periodic phrasing.
Baroque ->> CORRECT -->>term referring to music written in styles typical of the period 1600-
1750, such as NAM 1, 15 and 21.
Bend - CORRECT ANSWER-See Pitch bend.
Binary form ->> CORRECT -->>two-part musical structure, usually with each section repeated,
as in the first piece in NAM 23. In longer binary forms the first section often ends in a related
key and the second modulates back (perhaps through other related keys) to the tonic. This can be
seen in the two dances of NAM 21, and in NAM 15, where the first sections end in the dominant
key (A major) and the second end in the tonic key (D major). Binary form is often represented
as II:A:III: B:II but there is not normally any contrast in mood or theme between its A and B
sections as there is in the ABA structure of ternary form. See also Rounded binary form.
Bitonality - CORRECT ANSWER-The use of two different keys at the same time, as in bars 4-6
of NAM 31, where the choir parts outline Eb major but the accompaniment outlines C major.
Blue note ->> CORRECT -->>term used in jazz and blues-based music for a note (usually the
third, fifth or seventh degree of a major scale) that is made more expressive by slightly
lowering its pitch. In the vocal part of NAM 52 the note Gq is the blue 3rd of E major and the
note Dq is the blue 7th.
2025. LATEST ACTUAL UPDATE EXAM
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTION
A cappella - CORRECT ANSWER-Italian for 'in church style'. A term that refers to
unaccompanied singing (as in NAM 26).
Accented passing note ->> CORRECT -->>dissonant note sounded on the beat and filling the
gap between two harmony notes. In NAM 22 the notes F and A in the right hand of bar 53 beat
4 are accented passing notes, clashing with the underlying C7 chord. See also Appoggiatura and
Passing note.
Acciaccatura - CORRECT ANSWER-An ornament printed as a small note with a slash through
its stem and flag (l» that is either played as short as possible, or is played with the main melodic
note and immediately released. It often forms a discord with a harmony note, as is the case with
the acciaccaturas in the second half of bar 15 in NAM 37.
Alberti bass - CORRECT ANSWER-An accompaniment pattern in which the notes of a chord
are repeatedly sounded in the order low, high, middle and high again. It is named after an obscure
Italian composer who was to the device. See NAM 22, bars 71-80 (left hand).
Anacrusis - CORRECT ANSWER-One or more weak-beat notes before the first strong beat of a
phrase, as in bar 5 of NAM 52 and bar 8 of NAM 53. Often called a 'pick-up' in jazz and pop
music.
Anticipation ->> CORRECT -->>note played immediately before the chord to which it belongs.
The anticipated note is often the tonic in a perfect cadence, as in bar 426 of NAM 1, where the
semiquaver G at the end
of the bar anticipates the tonic in the final chord of the movement.
Antiphony - CORRECT ANSWER-The alternation of different groups of instruments and/or
singers. There is a short antiphonal exchange between wind and strings in bars 47-49 of NAM
17; a longer example occurs between the two instrumental groups at the start of NAM 14.
,Appoggiatura ->> CORRECT -->>dissonant non-chord note, often approached by a leap, that
resolves by moving to
a chord note. It is like a suspension but without the preparation. Appoggiaturas are sometimes
written as small notes, like ornaments, as in bar 12 of NAM 37, where C~ in the vocal part
clashes with B in the accompaniment before resolving on the same note. Arco. An instruction
for string players to resume bowing after using some other technique, such as pizzicato, as seen
in NAM 3, bar 53.
Arco - CORRECT ANSWER-An instruction for string players to resume bowing after using
some other technique, such as pizzicato, as seen in NAM 4 (lower strings, bar 17).
Aria - CORRECT ANSWER-Italian for a song, but used mainly to describe an extended vocal
solo in opera and church music of the Baroque and Classical periods. The fourth movement of
NAM 28 is called an obbligato aria because it includes an obligatory instrumental solo which is
heard in counterpoint with the voice.
Articulation - CORRECT ANSWER-The degree of separation between notes. In NAM 23 the
slurs in the first piece indicate that it should be articulated smoothly (legato). Most of the notes
in the second piece are marked with staccato dots, indicating a detached style of articulation. At
the start of the third piece, the combination of slurs and staccato dots indicates mezzo staccato,
notes that should be only slightly detached.
Atonal - CORRECT ANSWER-Western music without a note that acts as a home pitch to which
all other notes are related. This means, in particular, that atonal music avoids major and minor
keys (and also modes). NAM 8 is atonal.
Augmentation ->> CORRECT -->>proportionate increase in the note-lengths of a melody. The
last bar of NAM 32 is an augmented version of the previous bar. The opposite of augmentation
is diminution.
Augmented 6th chord ->> CORRECT -->>chromatic chord based on the sixth degree of the
scale (the flattened sixth degree if the key is major) and the note an augmented 6th above it. The
chord also contains a major 3rd above the root and may include a perfect 5th or augmented 4th
above the root. An augmented 6th chord can be seen on the last beat of bar 80 in NAM 22 (left
hand), where the key is G minor and the augmented 6th is formed by the notes Eb and C#. The
chord resolves when the two notes forming the augmented 6th move outward by a semitone to
the dominant, as occurs on the first beat of bar 81 in the same piece.
, Auxiliary note ->> CORRECT -->>non chord note that occurs between two harmony notes of
the same pitch. In bar 6 in NAM 22 the second semiquaver (C) is an upper auxiliary and the
fourth semiquaver (A) is a lower auxiliary. The harmony note is Bb in both cases.
Avant-garde ->> CORRECT -->>term referring to composers or works seen as breaking new
ground, such as the music of NAM 11.
Backbeat ->> CORRECT -->>term used in pop music to describe accenting normally weak beats
(e.g. beats 2 and 4 in 4/4 time). In bars 3-4 of NAM 51 the backbeats in the drum part are
marked with accents.
Balanced phrasing - CORRECT ANSWER-See Periodic phrasing.
Baroque ->> CORRECT -->>term referring to music written in styles typical of the period 1600-
1750, such as NAM 1, 15 and 21.
Bend - CORRECT ANSWER-See Pitch bend.
Binary form ->> CORRECT -->>two-part musical structure, usually with each section repeated,
as in the first piece in NAM 23. In longer binary forms the first section often ends in a related
key and the second modulates back (perhaps through other related keys) to the tonic. This can be
seen in the two dances of NAM 21, and in NAM 15, where the first sections end in the dominant
key (A major) and the second end in the tonic key (D major). Binary form is often represented
as II:A:III: B:II but there is not normally any contrast in mood or theme between its A and B
sections as there is in the ABA structure of ternary form. See also Rounded binary form.
Bitonality - CORRECT ANSWER-The use of two different keys at the same time, as in bars 4-6
of NAM 31, where the choir parts outline Eb major but the accompaniment outlines C major.
Blue note ->> CORRECT -->>term used in jazz and blues-based music for a note (usually the
third, fifth or seventh degree of a major scale) that is made more expressive by slightly
lowering its pitch. In the vocal part of NAM 52 the note Gq is the blue 3rd of E major and the
note Dq is the blue 7th.
