Site MapHelpFeedbackMultiple Choice Quiz
Multiple Choice Quiz
(See related pages)

1
Arias became the focal point of operas because
A)They could not stand apart from the story of the opera.
B)They are more expressive than recitative.
C)They were often in a symmetrically balanced form of ABAB.
D)They were sung by a choir.
2
Which of the following terms does not describe some aspect of a system for improvising an accompaniment?
A)Basso continuo.
B)Arioso.
C)Figured bass.
D)Ground bass.
3
Why were castrati used in Baroque music?
A)Because in some regions it was not appropriate for women to sing in public.
B)Because English musicians developed the castrati voice into a high art form.
C)Because heroic male roles could only be sung by tenors or basses.
D)Because women were not allowed to sing male roles.
4
The earliest surviving Italian opera is
A)Castrato.
B)Camerata.
C)Eurydice.
D)Dido and Aeneas.
5
The chorus music of an opera is more homophonic because
A)Choral singers were less experienced at singing more complex polyphonic music.
B)Composers did not want the singers to repeat important sections of words.
C)The members of the chorus had to dance and sing at the same time.
D)It is easier for the audience to understand the words when sung by a group.
6
Greek legends or Roman history were usually used as stories upon which to base a Baroque opera. Why?
A)Because there were copyright problems with contemporary literature.
B)Because composers preferred to set music to the Greek and Latin languages.
C)Because stories of contemporary life and events were not considered important enough for opera.
D)Because male heroes in ancient Greece and Rome were castrati.
7
Figured bass is
A)Played only by a keyboard instrument, such as the harpsichord or an organ.
B)Strict. It cannot be improvised.
C)Used only in Baroque music.
D)A type of musical shorthand that is written under or beside the bass line.
8
What is a libretto?
A)The text of an opera.
B)A Greek poet.
C)A type of theater music.
D)A combination of singing and speech.
9
Jean-Baptiste Lully headed the group that created and supported a distinctive style of French opera. Where was Lully born?
A)Italy.
B)France.
C)England.
D)Belgium.
10
Which of the following statements about monody is not true?
A)Monodic style was developed so that the words of plays could be clearly understood by audiences.
B)In monodic style a solo singer provides the predominant sound and is accompanied by basso continuo harmonies.
C)Ancient Greek actors were the first to sing in the monodic style.
D)Monodic texture is homophonic because it includes only a single prevailing melody with accompaniment.
11
Which of the following statements regarding recitative is not true?
A)The musical rhythms of recitative are flexible and are dictated by the natural inflection of words.
B)When vocal recitative is accompanied by basso continuo in addition to other instruments, it is called secco recitative.
C)Recitative is a combination of singing and speech that serves as dialogue in Baroque operas.
D)The tempo of recitative is slowed down or speeded according to the singer's interpretation of the text.
12
Who composed Dido and Aeneas?
A)Jean-Baptiste Lully.
B)Claudio Monteverdi.
C)Jacob Peri.
D)Henry Purcell.
13
Opera emerged in Italy around what time?
A)Around 1600.
B)Around 1450.
C)Around 1750.
D)Around 1500.
14
Camerata is Italian for
A)Opera.
B)Choral music.
C)Society of friends.
D)Society of musicians.





To learn more about the book this website supports, please visit its Information Center.
(c)2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
Any use is subject to the Terms of Use and Privacy Notice.
McGraw-Hill Higher Education is one of the many fine businesses of The McGraw-Hill Companies.


Experience Music!Online Learning Center

Home > Part 4 > Chapter 6 > Multiple Choice Quiz