The first beat of a complete measure, known as a downbeat, generally has the strongest accent. The meter is the fixed patterns of strong and weak beats, which creates the rhythm in the music. Rhythm and metre are often described separately; metre is the basic pulse of the beats and rhythm is the actual time values of notes.
When the music begins with an incomplete measure, or upbeat, this is called an anacrusis. This weak note anticipates the downbeat that will occur on the first note of the first complete measure. A deliberate shift of the musical accent to a weak beat is known as syncopation. Its is used to create a rhythmic surprise in the music, or a certain kning of rhythmic pattern, such as in ragtime. An ostinato is a short rhythmic or melodic pattern repeated for an extended period, commonly used in boogie pieces. Finally, a hemiola is a temporary shift of the metric accent, created by using two notes in the time of three or three notes in the time of two. This was a common technique in Baroque music.

Monophonic is a single line of unaccompanied melody, such as a soloist singing alone or a group of instruments, all playing the same notes at the same time.
Homophonic is a single line of melody supported by a harmonic accompaniment such as a singer with a piano accompaniment playing chords.
Polyphonic is a combination of two or more melodic lines, such as a piano piece where the right hand melody is then imitates by the left hand. This combination is also called counterpoint, or note against note.

Another musical concept is known as text setting, which describes the relationship between text and music. when there is one syllable or word per note, this is known as syllabic. If there are two or three notes per work/syllable, this is neumatic, and when the word is stretched out over many notes, this is knosn as melismatic.

a symphonic movement in sonata-allegro form with an exposition, development, and recapitulation is actually ABA1