Always

MASS - A religious piece for a choir

Baroque

CONCERTO GROSSO - Music from the Baroque period, played by an orchestra and a group of soloists. Often includes a harpsichord. NOT the same as a concerto

TRIO SONATA - Music written for, and played by, four instruments: 1 harpsichord, 2 violins, 1 cello.

Baroque Onwards

ORATORIO - Similar to an opera but with a sacred text, so tells a religious story

OPERA - A musical drama, completely sung throughout, to tell a story. Including:

ARIA - A piece for a solo voice and an orchestra

CHORUS - A piece for the main chorus, or choir, with an orchestral accompaniment

ENSEMBLE - A piece for a group of soloists and the orchestra

RECITATIVE - A sung solo punctuated by chords

Classical Onwards

CONCERTO - Concertos are composed for an orchestra with one solo instrument. They usually have 3 movements, arranged fast-slow-fast. Developed from the concerto grosso, concertos were first used in the classical period. Famous composers of concertos include:

Classical        Mozart - Beethoven - Haydn

Romantic     Weber - Chopin - Brahms - Elgar

PIANO TRIO - A group made up of a piano, a violin and a cello

SONATA - A piece written for a solo instrument with a piano accompaniment eg. A violin sonata is played by a violin and a piano

STRING QUARTET - A group of 2 violins, 1 viola and 1 cello. Also a piece of music written for that group

SYMPHONY - Symphonies are usually formed using three movements, whilst in the 1940s, a fourth movement was added. The movements are usually ordered slow-fast-slow with the last movement often taking the form of a minuet It usually encompasses the whole orchestra, without solo instruments. Famous composers of symphonies include:

Johann Stamitz - J.S.Bach's two sons  - Schubert - Dvorak - Bruchner - Mahler - Mendelssohn - Brahms - Shostakovich - Berlioz

Renaissance

MADRIGAL - A secular piece (not sacred or religious) for a choir. Usually has "fa la la"s in it