Music 101 Listening Exam Questions
and Answers
Alleluia, O virga mediatrix - Answer-Composer: Hildegard of Bingen
Genre: Plainchant
Era: Medieval
Musical Elements: Monophonic, Range of 9 notes, Conjunct with few leaps, Shifts
between melismatic and neumatic
What Makes it Stand Out: The Composer is a Woman
Puis qu-en oubli - Answer-Composer: Machaut
Genre: Polyphonic chanson, 3 voices
Era: Medieval
Musical Elements: Low range, 2 short sections of music, Open/Hollow Cadences, etc.
What Makes it Stand Out: 3 part polyrhythmic texture
Pope Marcellus Mass, Gloria - Answer-Composer: Palestrina
Genre: Mass; Gloria, from a setting of the Ordinary
Era: Renaissance
Musical Elements: Monophonic Chant Opening, Changes in Density and Texture, text is
set syllabically, Full, Consonant Harmony
What Makes it Stand Out: Frequent Textural Changes, reduction of voices
Three Dances - Answer-Composer: Susato
Genre: Ronde in Duple meter
Era: Renaissance
Musical Elements: Binary Form, Lively, quick-paced, Shawm and ancient instruments,
Loud Solo Instruments
What Makes it Stand Out: Older instruments
Fair Phyllis - Answer-Composer: Farmer
Genre: English Madrigal, 4 voices
Era: Renaissance
Musical Elements: 6 lines with 10 or 11 syllables each, polyphonic with varied textures.
Lighthearted English text
What Makes it Stand Out: Word Painting
Dido and Aeneas, Act III, Dido's Lament - Answer-Composer: Purcell
Genre: Opera, English
Era: Baroque
Musical Elements: Free-Flowing Recitative, Descending Chromatic line, Aria, Emotional
and Slow moving
What Makes it Stand Out: Aria
and Answers
Alleluia, O virga mediatrix - Answer-Composer: Hildegard of Bingen
Genre: Plainchant
Era: Medieval
Musical Elements: Monophonic, Range of 9 notes, Conjunct with few leaps, Shifts
between melismatic and neumatic
What Makes it Stand Out: The Composer is a Woman
Puis qu-en oubli - Answer-Composer: Machaut
Genre: Polyphonic chanson, 3 voices
Era: Medieval
Musical Elements: Low range, 2 short sections of music, Open/Hollow Cadences, etc.
What Makes it Stand Out: 3 part polyrhythmic texture
Pope Marcellus Mass, Gloria - Answer-Composer: Palestrina
Genre: Mass; Gloria, from a setting of the Ordinary
Era: Renaissance
Musical Elements: Monophonic Chant Opening, Changes in Density and Texture, text is
set syllabically, Full, Consonant Harmony
What Makes it Stand Out: Frequent Textural Changes, reduction of voices
Three Dances - Answer-Composer: Susato
Genre: Ronde in Duple meter
Era: Renaissance
Musical Elements: Binary Form, Lively, quick-paced, Shawm and ancient instruments,
Loud Solo Instruments
What Makes it Stand Out: Older instruments
Fair Phyllis - Answer-Composer: Farmer
Genre: English Madrigal, 4 voices
Era: Renaissance
Musical Elements: 6 lines with 10 or 11 syllables each, polyphonic with varied textures.
Lighthearted English text
What Makes it Stand Out: Word Painting
Dido and Aeneas, Act III, Dido's Lament - Answer-Composer: Purcell
Genre: Opera, English
Era: Baroque
Musical Elements: Free-Flowing Recitative, Descending Chromatic line, Aria, Emotional
and Slow moving
What Makes it Stand Out: Aria
