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Ars Nova

1. Which of the following was a musical innovation of the 14th century?
A the advent of motets with upper voices in French and a lower voice in Latin
B the acceptance of duple meter
C the appearance of polyphonic conductus
D the imposition of rhythmic modes on a Gregorian tenor
2. The term Babylonian Captivity is sometimes used to refer to the existence of a Papal Court outside Rome in the 14th century. In what city did that court exist?
A Paris
B Toulouse
C Avignon
D Padua
3. The Roman de Fauvel contains 167 pieces including all of the following except:
A rondeaux
B clausulae
C ballades
D polyphonic motets
4. The subject of the selections in the Roman de Fauvel was:
A praise of the Virgin Mary
B stories of Crusaders
C corruption in the Church
D courtly love
5. Isorhythmic motets have two important elements: the set of melodic phrases called the color, and the pattern of rhythm called the talea.
A True
B False
6.In an isorhythmic motet the color and the talea had to be of the same length
A True
B False
7. Guillaume de Machaut at various times in his life pursued all of these professions except:
A poet
B secretary
C physician
D composer
8. In the Ars Nova the term "formes fixes" referred to all of the following secular works except:
A virelais
B rondeaux
C canons
D ballades
9. Machaut's Messe de Notre Dame was the first unified setting of the Mass in which all of the sections are related to each other. These sections are unified by:
Aa Gregorian tenor
Ball movements have the same tonal center
Call movements have a descending motive that appears repeatedly
Dall of the above
10. In the Messe de Notre Dame all of the following movements are set syllabically except the:
ACredo
BGloria
CAgnus Dei
11.In Italy, the term "Trecento" refers to the fourteenth century.
A True
B False
12. Laude were serious composition written in Italy and sung in processions of penitents.
A True
B False
13. The 14th century saw the first great literary works written in the vernacular. Among these are Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and Boccaccio's Decameron.
A True
B False
14. A 14th century Italian secular piece that is written in two equal voices at the unison supported by a slower instrumental part and in the character of a chase or a hunt is called a:
A caccia
B frottola
C contrafacta
D lauda
15. Fourteenth century madrigals differed from 16th century madrigals in that they were usually set in two voices and contained many stanzas all set to the same music.
A True
B False
16. In the Italian Trecento almost all the important musical positions in northern Italy were held by foreigners.
A True
B False
17. In a Landini cadence the soprano voice moves as follows: (the number 8 refers to the tonic)
A 678
B 768
C 658
D 728
18. Landini wrote no secular music, only sacred motets and Masses.
A True
B False
19. Musica ficta refers to:
Athe addition of accidentals to music
Bthe tritone
Ca change from triple to duple meter
Dmistakes in the score
20. Harmony in the 14th century was characterized by:
Asuspensions
Bparallel 2nds and 7ths
Ca scarcity of 3rds and 6ths
Dmany open 5ths
 

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