Vocabulare study. Words in context

Exercise 1. Read the text paying close attention to the vocabulary referring to music.

There is a wide range of popular music (rock, folk, jazz, etc.) and classical music (symphonies or chamber music, operas, ballet music, etc.) As these different categories have various features in common, it is often difficult to draw a clear distinction between them.

The contemporary music scene is very diversified and the audience/following of pop and classical music is enormous. Music has become a multi-billion-dollar business worldwide, so that media and entertainment giants now control the international markets. Often a record company is organized as an entertainment conglomerate with a record music business and interests in TV (e.g. producing and distributing videos). In addition to many smaller labels, there are a few large companies.

Your musical talent may be discovered early. At six, for example, you may play the recorder, at ten the piano; you may sing in the school choir and later become the singer or the keyboard player in a band. The other musicians in the band may play the (solo/lead, rhythm or bass) guitar, the saxophone, the drums or other percussion instruments. Your musical style may be influenced by rock'n'roll, hard rock, jazz, disco, country, folk music etc.

Expensive equipment (amplifiers, loudspeakers, microphones etc.) is required to produce a good sound. You practise a lot, record your songs and send demo tapes to a record company in the hope of making a contract.

If your debut single or album is released and sells well, it may climb the charts. If you play jazz or pop music, you may have gigs in the concert halls around the country. Once you have made a name for yourself as a musician, you may tour Europe or the USA promoting your CD. Even when you are on tour you will have to rehearse constantly before performing at concerts attended by thousands of fans.

Pianists, violinists or cello virtuosos unable to reach the extremely high standards required of soloists may join a symphony orchestra, the most famous of which are the London Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra etc. Performances of works by great composers, e.g. an opus like Beethoven's Seventh Symphony in A major or Brahms' В minor piano concerto are particularly popular.

After attending a concert, a music critic may write about the sensitivity of the conductor's interpretation, about the brilliance of the brass, the precision of the wind, the clarity of the strings, the technique of the soloist, the acoustics of the concert hall and the applause with which the audience expressed its enthusiasm.

Exercise 1.1. List all the pop music styles mentioned in the text. Define each of them.

Exercise 1.2. Give definitions of the following musical forms:

1. symphony

2. oratorio

3. concerto

4. variation

5. rhapsody

6. sonata

7. sonatina

8. ballad

9. piece

10. aria

Exercise 1.3. Answer the questions:

1. What is a synonym of the word "audience"?

2. What is the difference between "a band" and "an orchestra"?

3. What is the difference between "a single" and "an album"?

4. What makes it possible for a single to climb the charts?

5. What is the difference between "a composer" and "a musician"?

6. What is the difference between "minor" and "major" in terms of music?

7. What is the difference between the brass, the wind, the strings and percussion instruments?

8. What may a music critic write after attending a concert?

Exercise 1.4. Transcribe the words below. Make sure you pronounce them correctly:

folk, jazz, chamber, ballet, media, giant, control, record, conglomerate, choir, keyboard, solo, rhythm, bass, percussion, debut, gig, pianist, violinist, virtuoso, opus, acoustics, concerto, applause.

Exercise 2. Divide the following instruments into the four groups:

1. string instruments

2. brass instruments

3. wood-wind instruments

4. percussion instruments

banjo bugle clarinet cymbals

drums flute guitar harp

oboe violin saxophone tambourine

horn trumpet mandolin cello

Exercise 3. Read the passages and then do the exercise.

CONCERTS AT THE GILMOUTH HIPPODROME

June 22^nd LAS PALOMAS This South American group

play the traditional tunes and

sing the popular folk songs

of Peru and Bolivia

June 30^th THE BAD BAD BOYS Punk music from one of the

new wave of punk bands

coming out of California

July 7^th RONNIE PARQUETTE One of the world's greatest

jazz musicians excites you

with the wonderful rhythms

of his saxophone

July 14^th "ELVIS LIVES" He looks like Elvis! He sings

like Elvis! Jimmy Wilkes

creates the great sound of

the great rock singer - Elvis

Presley

July 19^th AN EVENING OF The Vienna Orchestra play

CLASSICAL MUSIC some of your favourite tunes

- the timeless melodies of

Mozart, Strauss, Beethoven

July 22^nd JAMAICA INN This West Indian Band plays

reggae music that will make

you want to get up and dance.

Listen and dance to the great

reggae beat.

July 28^th "SIXTIES NIGHT" Pop music from the 1960s

played by Sam and the Band.

Remember the songs and

sounds of the pop greats -

the Beatles, the Beach Boys

and many many more.

Exercise 3.1. Match the names of the performers with the type of music they play.

1. The Bad Bad Boys a) pop music

2. Jimmy Wilkes b) jazz

3. Jamaica Inn c) punk music

4. Las Palomas d) classical music

5. Sam and the Band e) rock

6. The Vienna Orchestra f) reggae

7. Ronnie Parquette g) folk music

Exercise 4. Doing the exercise below you'll come across some more new words referring to the topic studied. Look them up and use in the sentences of your own.

4.1. Put each of the following words and phrases in its correct place in the passage below.

musicians audience bows string conductor

instruments score keys baton bow concert hall

While the _________________ _____________ was filling up and the ______________________ were taking their seats, the ___________________ were tuning their _______________________ . The famous _______________ entered. He gave the audience a low ____________ , picked up his _________ , looked briefly at the _________________ which lay open in front of him, and raised his hands. The pianist placed his fingers ready over the ______________ of the piano. The _______________________ section of the orchestra (violinists, cellist etc.) brought their ________________ up, ready to play. The concert was about to begin.

4.2. Instructions as above.

group vocalist live stage number one

fans concert lyrics top ten recording studio

After the Beatles, the Rolling Stones have probably been the most successful ________________________ in Britain. Most of their records have gone into the ___________ _____________and they've had many at ______________ _______ . But their records have usually been made in a ___________ and I always wanted to hear them ______________ at a _______________ . I wanted to see them perform on __________________ in front of thousands of excited ___________________ . And I did, at Earls Court in 1983. It was great. And Mick Jagger, the ___________ , sang all the old favourits. I couldn't hear the ______________________ very well because of the noise, but somehow it didn't matter.

Exercise 5. Which is the odd man out?

1. Which is not a string instrument:

a) cello b) flute c) lute d) mandolin

2. Which is not a brass instrument:

a) bassoon b) cornet c) trombone d) trumpet

3. Which is not a wood-wind instrument:

a) bassoon b) oboe c) piccolo d) triangle

4. Which is not a percussion instrument:

a) chimes b) kettle-drums c) tom-tom d) whistle

5. Which is not a kind of voice:

a) bass b) baritone c) contralto d) recitative

6. Which is not a group of musicians:

a) duet b) orchestra c) quintet d) polyphony

7. Which is not a kind of vocal music:

a) ballad b) aria c) symphony d) carol

Exercise 6. Fill in the gaps with suitable words:

1. Just as the violinist began to play, one of the ___________________ of his violin broke.

2. She never learnt the piano but she can play by _______________ .

3. The audience gave the soloist an enthusiastic ________________________ when he entered.

4. Although I play the violin quite well, I still can't read _________________ .

5. They sometimes play together in a _______________________ .

6. She ought to take up _____________________ with a voice like that.

7. The next _____________________ on the programme will be a sonata by Beethoven.

8. When the artist opened his violin case, he found that someone had stolen his ________________ .

9. In the orchestra the oboe and the bassoon are two of the _______________ instruments.

10. Which ____________________ do you propose to play this piece in?

11. The piano is badly out of ______________________ , I'm afraid.

12. I don't think I know the song, but if you ___________________ the tune I may be able to recognize it.

13. The _______________________________ in the concert hall were very poor, and it was necessary to amplify the voices of the performers.

Exercise 7. Choose the right answer:

1. Mozart composed music when he was still a child. He had a great _______ for it.

ability force gift skill

2. I’m going to play a piece ______ “The Fall”.

denominated entitled labelled nicknamed

3. Schubert did not complete one of his symphonies, so it will always be ______.

defective deficient unfinished unready

4. She sat at the piano and began to play a patriotic _______.

music note sound tune

Exercise 8. Match the two parts of the sentences:

She still gets very nervous …	for reggae bands.
Lots of girls want to go out with Ann’s brother because …	posters of Freddie Mercury and Leonardo di Caprio.
They are doing about …	about the performing in public.
The club is a popular venue …	a keen sensual delight and pleasure.
Classical music gives the listeners …	30 gigs on their European tour.
Anna’s bedroom was covered in…	he’s in band.

Exercise 9. Fill in the blanks with a suitable word:

1. My friend plays the trumpet in a jazz ______.

2. Freddie Mercury was one of the most popular _____ singers.

3. He is one of the most well known young _____.

4. They are doing about 20 _____ on their European tour.

5. The club is a popular ______ for reggae bands.

6. Do you know the _____ to the song?

7. He is working on the _______ of an old piece of music for the piano.

8. She likes the exciting _______ of African drum music.

9. It is very difficult to read _______.

10. Have you been to E. Obraztsova’s ______.

Exercise 10. Read and translate the text. Choose a synonymous expression for each expression in bold.