Variations on Balkan Themes Op.60

Amy Beach

A type of technically challenging and musically complex texture where one or both hands play several voices simultaneously.

Advanced Multiple Voices in One Hand

Chord tones played together that are not part of an accompaniment pattern.

Blocked Chords

Chords with alternate ordering of their tones where the root is placed either in the middle or at the top of the chord.

Chord Inversions

Additional lines added above or below the staff in order to place very high or very low notes that wouldn't normally fit on the staff.

Ledger Lines

A type of texture where a melody is supported by one or more voices with all the voices following the same or similar rhythm.

Homophony

Playing chords while simultaneously bringing out and phrasing one of the notes as a melody.

Chord Voicing

Notes whose lengths are equal to one-fourth the value of a whole note.

Quarter Notes

Indications instructing the player to play gradually louder (crescendo) or softer (diminuendo).

Crescendo and Diminuendo

An indication instructing the player to play loudly.

Forte

An indication instructing the player to play very softly; softer than piano.

Pianissimo

An Italian term meaning "delaying"; an indication instructing the player to decrease speed, often gradually.

Ritardando

Indications placed above or below notes instructing the player to hold those notes longer than their original notated length.

Fermatas

Notes whose lengths are equal to one half the value of a whole note.

Half Notes

Also called the damper pedal, it is the rightmost pedal on the piano and used to sustain notes by moving the dampers away from the strings.

Sustain Pedal

A blocked chord whose notes are played quickly in succession which gives the chord a harp-like sound.

Rolled Chords

Intervals and chords played in one hand that require significant stretching between at least two notes and where the outer intervals reach further than an octave.

Theme Op. 60

Amy Beach

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