A Music Lesson

Question: What does the C clef determine?

Answer: The C clef, or movable C clef, determines the position of middle C.

Question: How many musicians would the performance of a nonet require?

Answer: A nonet is a piece of music written for nine musicians, or a musical group made up of nine players.

Question: A "libretto" is:

Answer: Libretto is the term used for an opera’s "script." Most libretti are written by someone other than the composer, or adapted by the composer from an earlier work.

Question: In music, a caesura is:

Answer: In musical notation, a caesura is a symbol that indicates a complete pause in the playing. This pause can be as long (or as short) as the conductor desires.

Question: The madrigal is a type of chamber music written for what instrument?

Answer: The madrigal is a form of vocal music that originated in medieval Italy. It is usually written for multiple voices singing simultaneously.

Question: What does the bass clef set?

Answer: The bass, or F, clef sets the position of the F below middle C.

Question: In what key is a concert flute pitched?

Answer: The standard concert flute, pitched in C, has a range of a little more than three octaves and is about 26 inches (67 centimeters) long.

Question: What is another name for the treble clef?

Answer: The treble, or G, clef fixes the position of the G above middle C.