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Not Another Music Theory Quiz

Music Thoery, aka. the boon of every freshman music major, is so much fun! I hope this, my second music theory quiz, will prove at least as enjoyable as the first, yet less challenging.

A multiple-choice quiz by bmrsnr. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
bmrsnr

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
175,938

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Very Difficult

Avg Score
3 / 10

Plays
1625

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In a piece in the key of C Major, you encounter a chord spelled (from the bass up) G-C-E. What chord would you expect to follow? Hint

G-B-D or G-B-D-F

C-E-G

F-A-C

D-F-A

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Question 2 of 10

2. You are writing a Bach style chorale in the key of F# major and want to include the following chord: B-D-G. Which of these three notes would you double (to accomodate the four-voice style)? Hint

Any of the three may be doubled.

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Question 3 of 10

3. In the early 17th and 18th centuries, chords were abundant. This is mainly because chord inversion had not really been conceived. Which of these Baroque Composers/Theorists first conceived of chord inversion (and in the process saved freshman music theory students a lot of work)? Hint

J.P. Rameau

G.F. Handel

J.S. Bach

A. Scarlatti

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Question 4 of 10

4. The chord spelled (again from the bass up) Bb-D-E#-G# would most likely be found in which of the following keys? Hint

D Minor

Neither

Both

D Major

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Question 5 of 10

5. According to 19th Century German theorist Simon Sechter, the roots of all chords must be diatonic. Therefore, in the key of F Major, what, according to Sechter, must be the root of a German 6th Chord?

Answer: (One Word, give letter name of note)

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Question 6 of 10

6. The Phrygian cadence is a device employed in many baroque compositions. Which of the following progressions would result in a Phrygian cadence? Hint

iv6 to V in minor

vi to V in Major

IV6 to V in Major

VI to V in Minor

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which of the following types of non-chord tones would be considered an unprepared dissonance? Hint

Suspension

Passing Tone

Appoggiatura

Escape Tone

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Question 8 of 10

8. In a Classical solo concerto, what is the chord that would most likely be played by the orchestra immediately before the soloist's cadenza? Hint

1st Inversion Dominant triad

Root position Dominant 7th chord

Second inversion Tonic triad

Root position Subdominant triad

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Question 9 of 10

9. Consider the following progression: I - VI - IV - V7/V - V. What type of cadence ends this progression? Hint

Deceptive

Plagal

Authentic

Half

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Question 10 of 10

10. We'll end with an easy one. According to rules of partwriting and resolution associated with western music, when a dominant 7th chord resolves to tonic, the 7th of the dominant 7th chord must ALWAYS resolve to the third of the tonic chord regardless of voice.

True

False

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In a piece in the key of C Major, you encounter a chord spelled (from the bass up) G-C-E. What chord would you expect to follow?

Answer: G-B-D or G-B-D-F

Ah yes, the infamous Cadential 6-4. Why do we call it the cadential 6-4? Because it is most often found in Cadences. Therefore, you would expect the second inversion tonic triad to be followed by a dominant of some sort.

2. You are writing a Bach style chorale in the key of F# major and want to include the following chord: B-D-G. Which of these three notes would you double (to accomodate the four-voice style)?

Answer: B

The Neapolitan 6 chord is the exception to the rule when dealing with first inversion chords. The B makes the best choice as it is the only non-chromatic note of the chord.

Answer: J.P. Rameau

Rameau, known now possibly more for his work as a theorist than a composer, was the first to suggest that the chord E-G-C was the same as C-E-G with a different bass note.

4. The chord spelled (again from the bass up) Bb-D-E#-G# would most likely be found in which of the following keys?

Answer: D Major

Behold the enharmonic German 6th chord (referred to jestingly in some circles as the American 6th chord or the Belgian 6th chord). Why does this occur in Major and not in Minor? Simply because certain composers did not like the idea of having to resolve the F-natural to an F-Sharp.

The E-sharp to F-sharp makes the resolution more natural. In D minor, the F-natural is a ditonic note and therefore, the common tone can be kept.

Answer: G

According to Simon Sechter, the root of every augmented 6th chord is the supertonic. With the French 6th, the supertonic is a chord member. With the German and Italian 6ths, G, the supertonic note, is not a chord member and therefore must be implied.

6. The Phrygian cadence is a device employed in many baroque compositions. Which of the following progressions would result in a Phrygian cadence?

Answer: iv6 to V in minor

The Phrygian cadence occurs when the bass decends by half step, and an upper voice at a Major 6th ascends a major 2nd to expand the Major 6th to an octave. This happens when the first inversion subdominant chords resolves to a root position dominant chord in the minor mode.

7. Which of the following types of non-chord tones would be considered an unprepared dissonance?

Answer: Appoggiatura

The passing tone, escape tone, and suspension are all examples of prepared dissonances. Only the appogiatura is unprepared.

8. In a Classical solo concerto, what is the chord that would most likely be played by the orchestra immediately before the soloist's cadenza?

Answer: Second inversion Tonic triad

The term cadenza in Italian means cadence. The Soloist's "cadenza" then takes place directly after the cadential six-four chord and ends with the cadential dominant.

9. Consider the following progression: I - VI - IV - V7/V - V. What type of cadence ends this progression?

Answer: Half

The half cadence can be described as half of an authentuc cadence. It ends on V, not I.

Answer: True

I've learned that no matter how many times I tell my students to resolve their sevenths down, some of them will simply insist on resolving them up.. Oh well.

Source: Author bmrsnr

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ralzzz before going online.
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