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THE ORCHESTRA
AND MOTHER
NATURE
VICTORIA SYMPHONY
EDUCATION CONCERT 2015
Victoria Symphony
Education Programs are
underwritten in part by
a generous gift from
Beverly Unger
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STRATEGIES FOR LISTENING TO MUSIC: PREPARATION FOR THE SYMPHONY
VERSION ‘A’
“THE ORCHESTRA AND MOTHER NATURE”
One of our functions as music teachers is to educate children to be intelligent and
discriminating listeners, thereby developing their potential as the concert-goers and "classical
music" listeners of the future as well as enhancing their listening skills and various other
intelligences.
Listening to music should stimulate some reaction or response. An emotional response, or
how the music makes one feel, can be expressed through various media: movement, graphics/art,
speech (discussion, poetry, rhythm patterns). An intellectual response is usually expressed by
identifying, understanding, and even reproducing elements of music within a piece, e.g.,
rhythms, melody, dynamics, meter, tempo, timbre, form, etc. [The appreciation of the style of
the music in its historical context is an intellectual response, but I feel that this is of less value at
the elementary level where the knowledge of the different periods of history is unfortunately
limited, and especially if the other, more personal, “hands-on” approaches to music have not
been experienced first.]
Any listening lesson should have a particular focus – the students should be either listening
FOR something, probably with pencil and paper in hand to answer questions, or responding TO
something – ready to move, or play, etc. Movement exploration should consider Rudolph
Laban's definitions of different qualities of movement:
Very basically - Light and fast (flick, dab)
Strong and fast (jab, punch)
Light and slow (float, glide)
Strong and slow (press, wring)
---------------------------------------------PROGRAM
Overture, “The Wasps”
Spring from The Four Seasons
La Gazza Ladra Overture (cut)
The Moldau
Storm from Pastorale Symphony
Morning
Dance of the Little Swans from Swan Lake Suite
Jurassic Park Highlights
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 – 1958)
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
Gio Rossini
Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884)
Ludwig van Beethoven
Edvard Grieg
Peter Tchaikovsky
John Williams
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Overture to “THE WASPS”
Ralph (pronounced “Rafe”) Vaughan Willliams
This music was written as incidental music for the play “The Wasps” written by the ancient
Greek playwright Aristophanes. The play takes its title from the Chorus – a very important part
in ancient Greek drama. In this case it is a band of old men dressed up as wasps, whose caustic,
stinging language is meant to typify the sorts of Athenians of the time who were addicted to
suing to the letter of the law, and spent all their time in the law courts arguing, and living off the
profits of litigation.
This wonderful overture is an elaborate ABA form (with Introduction and Coda). It will be
considerably cut at the concert as in its original form it is almost 9 minutes long.
A SECTION. PROCESS:
 Play the introduction (up to 0:44, or stop earlier).
o What creature (of nature) might be represented here? (Bees, Mosquitoes, WASPS)
o How are the instruments played to get the effect of these buzzing insects? (Trills, muted
brass….)
o Demonstrate a trill if possible, on a wind or string instrument, or piano.
o How many “buzzes” are there in the introduction? (15-16; Some children may count
more – this doesn’t matter.)
 Teach the main themes:
Theme 1 appears at 0:47 with only the first part. It begins again with great conviction on full
orchestra at 0:55. (Very clever construction – each of the four phrases begins with the same
rhythm, three of them with the same pitches, the fourth reverses those pitches):
Notice the staccato notes – very jaunty, mischievous?
Then, Theme 2 at 1:08:
Theme 2 continues at 1:22:
Theme 2 is much more grand and stately – no staccato. Like a procession of important people in
sweeping robes? Two sides of the same character?
A very “buzzy” bridge follows at 1:41.
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Then Theme 1 again, (1:54 – nasty cut) followed by Theme 2 (2:07) which ends a little
differently and dissolves into the B section after a bridge (at 2:43) that is based on the first four
notes of Theme 3.
B SECTION. Theme 3 (at 3:06)
Teach and play the theme – up to 3:31:
 What is the difference in mood (and dynamics) between the sections? [A – faster, lighter;
B – slower, more thoughtful. Also, B is in a different meter – three slow beats to the bar
instead of four fast ones.]



Play recording and have students identify the themes by holding up 1 or 2 or 3 fingers,
and arms in a shape for the bridges.
Discover that the Coda (based on theme 1) begins at 3:31.
Questions could be asked about the instrumentation of the themes
o Also listen for the triangle – raise hands when it is heard. [Particularly
at 2:02, 2:07, 3:34, 3:40.]
o Tambourine and Cymbal are often used. Raise hands when each is
heard, or hold up a picture of the instrument.
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“SPRING” from The Four Seasons
(First section only)
Antonio Vivaldi
Vivaldi was one of the greatest composers of the Baroque period. He lived and composed in Italy
and taught at a girls’ school. Much of his music was written for those students as part of an
orchestra, or as soloists.
His famous work The Four Seasons comprises four concerti for violin. (A concerto is a piece
for a solo instrument and orchestra in which the solo instrument and its performer gets to show
off style and technique.) Each concerto is named after a season and has three movements.
The main theme of the first movement of the “Spring” concerto can be played on recorder. (See
below.) The key below is transposed from E to G major for ease of playing.
Vivaldi is supposed to have written poetry for each of the concerti in the Four Seasons, and each
poem is broken up into three parts, which correspond to the three movements of each concerto.
In addition, Vivaldi provided instructions such as "The barking dog" (in the second movement of
"Spring"), "Languor caused by the heat" (in the first movement of "Summer"), and "the
drunkards have fallen asleep" (in the second movement of "Autumn"). In “Spring”, we will hear
clearly the sound of various birds, a thunderstorm, soft breezes.
La Primavera
Giunt’ è la Primavera e festosetti
La Salutan gl’ Augei con lieto canto
E i fonti allo Spirar de’ Zeffiretti
Con dolce mormorio Scorrono intanto:
Vengon’ coprendo l’aer di nero amanto
E Lampi, e tuoni ad annuntiarla eletti
Indi tacendo questi, gl’Augelletti
Tornan’ di nuovo al lor canoro incanto
Spring
Springtime is upon us.
The birds celebrate her return with festive song,
And murmuring streams are softly caressed by
the breezes.
Thunderstorms, those heralds of Spring, roar,
Casting their dark mantle over heaven,
Then they die away to silence, and the birds
take up their charming songs once more.
 Teach the main melody on voice or recorder.
(Transposed)
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
Define, or discover the form as AABB.
o B begins at the up beat to measure 13 (at 0:13 – 0:28 on the recording). The
second A has two fewer notes at the end.
o This theme is rather like a fanfare – evocative of the entrance of Spring.
 After the opening “fanfare” there are various bird calls. Ask students if they can suggest
which birds make these calls or sounds.
 Give the title. Put up the words of the poem and make a skeleton “picture” of them: i.e.
list/draw the important events and sounds (bird calls, breezes, storm) they are describing.
 Distribute pieces of paper and crayons, pencils, or felt markers.
o Play the recording and ask students to draw any of these different events/sounds
when they think they are being portrayed in the music.
o Using several long sheets of paper on the floor (newsprint paper works well), with
six students per sheet, put each student in charge of one of the items. Use the
same graphic symbol each time, e.g., a trumpet, or a flower…. for the fanfare
melody above (or any part of it).
 Each student draws his/her item in the sequence on the long paper
whenever it appears in the music.
 Play the recording again, and follow the “scores” through. Move students around to
another “score” to see if they can follow another group’s interpretation.
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Overture to “LA GAZZA LADRA” (The Thieving Magpie)
Gioacchino Rossini
Very briefly, the story of the opera is about a magpie that steals some silver and the theft is
blamed on a servant girl who is sent to prison. Friends discover that it’s the magpie that is the
thief, and they recover the silver from its nest, thus saving the girl’s life.
The music is from the Overture (Opening) to the Opera. It is very long, and the performance on
the CD and at the concert is cut.
There are basically four sections, preceded by an introduction, connected by bridges and
followed by an ending called a “Coda” (Italian for “tail”). Perhaps do one section per lesson,
reviewing each taught section before proceeding to the next.
STRUCTURE:
Introduction: 0:00 – 1:24
0:00 – 0:14 Drum rolls
0:14 - 0:54
Marching tune
0:54 - 1:05 Drum rolls
1:05 – 1:24 Fanfare
Sect. I
1:24 – 1:43
1:43 – 1:50 Bridge
1:50 – 2:17 Repeat of Sect I tune
Sect. II
2:17 – 2:59
2:59 – 3:14 Bridge
Sect. III 3:14 – 3:30
3:30 – 3:39 Bridge
3:39 – 4:02 Repeat of Sect III tune
Sect IV
4:02 – 4:49
4:49 – 4:57 Bridge
Sect II rep 4:57 – 5:11
5:11 – End
Coda
PROCESS:
Begin with Section II. (2:17 – 2:59)
Teach the following movement pattern. Perform it four times in a row.
BEATS: 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 23456
MVMT: Stamp foot and
Flick hands up
raise arms
and lower arms
OPTIONAL: Discuss other ways of showing ascending and descending. [Perhaps with the whole
body rising up and lowering; or a single body part; etc…..]
Play from 2:17 – 2:34. Ask students if the music matches the music. (Or tell them it does!)
Perform the movement with the music.
Play from 2:17 to 3:00, explaining that Rossini is playing around with all sorts of variations of
up and down. Can they describe them? Can they move to them? – perhaps work in pairs, one
up, one down.
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Draw the ups and downs of the sounds on individual pieces of paper, or on the board, or on a
long piece of paper on the floor.
Section I (1:24 – 2:17)
Demonstrate the following quite fast beat arrangement, with two puppets, or just two hands:
Person A: 123456
123456
123456 123456 123456 1234
Person B:
123456
123456
56 1234!!
Ask which puppet/hand seems to have the most to say. Discover that after two calls and
responses, person A continues doing its 6 beats three times, tries even to do a fourth time but is
interrupted by person B after 4 beats.
Divide the class into two and have them perform the pattern, following the teacher’s lead.
Switch.
Put students into pairs, with lummi or rhythm sticks, to perform the arrangement as a
conversation. Allow person to show indignation at being excluded so long and so comes in on
the fifth beat of the eighth set of six.
Play from 1:24 – 1:43 (Section I). Discover the pattern already experienced above. Perform with
the music. Switch parts.
Play from 1:24 – 2:19. Discover that although it seems to start all over again after a little bridge
at 1:43, person A continues and continues, without giving person B a chance to respond.
The students should recognize the beginning of section II at 2:17. Dramatically, this could be
Person B becoming very indignant and Section II could be devoted entirely to movements
performed by person B.
Section III (3:14 – 4:02)
Explain that the piece we are listening to is from an opera called “The Thieving Magpie”. Talk
about the fascination bright, shiny things have for Magpies.
Teach the following speech pattern. Divide and conquer – Teacher asks questions, students
answer in rhythm; Switch parts. (Be aware how many “verys” there are.)
Adapt to movement – One student lures a “magpie” by waving something shiny; magpie tip-toes,
or hops, to see. The “magpie” needs to be far enough away from the lure so that the distance may
be covered in the time it takes for musical phrase to be performed.
The musical picture painting here is lovely: little bird-like steps, and the two bridges bird-like in
sound, especially because of the flute.
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Play from 3:14 – 4:01.
How many times do we hear this speech/movement pattern? [Four]
Is it continuous? [No, there is a little bridge between the first two times and the last two – at
3:30, and another leading to the next section, at3:54]
Perform the Magpie movement with the music, deciding what to do with the bridges. There
should probably be 4 “lurers” to one magpie.
Section IV (4:02 – 4:49)
Teach the following speech pattern: (It may be too difficult for very young children.)
Divide the class into two, or have students in pairs, and say it as a question and answer at least
twice – with some kind of movement or gesture and facial expression to indicate the meaning of
the words. Switch.
Distribute scarves or ribbons preferably of only two colours, one colour for the Q and the other
for the A, for students to manipulate while questioning and answering.
Play the recording from 3:54 to 4:57. Ask students to raise hands when they hear the above
rhythm that they have spoken and moved to. [At 4:02]
Play again and ask them to raise hands when the rhythm is replaced by something else. [At 4:49]
Ask if they noticed anything about the music with the repeated rhythm. [It gets louder –
Crescendo – and more instruments are added, and note the snare drum roll, the triangle, and
the piccolo.]
Play once again and ask how many times they hear the whole speech pattern. [Six]
Have a list of words on the board and ask students to decide which words describe this music.
OR, have students supply a list of appropriate words. e.g.,
SAD
LIVELY
JOYOUS
EXCITING
DULL
DANCE-LIKE etc…..
Play this section and have students move according to the words that were decided upon as
describing the music. With or without scarves/ribbons.
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CONCLUSION
EITHER play the whole piece and discover the Introduction, the Bridges, and the Coda, OR,
explain that there is an Introduction, Bridges to link the sections, and a “tail piece”, or Coda to
end and then play the CD.
Notice in the Introduction that there are Snare Drum Rolls and a Marching Tune. Some of the
actors in the opera are soldiers, so there is a military feel to this part of the music.
Ask about the number of drum rolls and the echoes, especially between 0:28 – 0:33 and
0:49 – 0:53 and discover the echoes between 3:30 – 3:37 and 3:54 – 4:01.
Notice in the Coda that the triangle is prominent, and that the music gets faster, which is
called an accelerando.
FOLLOW UP
Because of its crisp and relentless beat, this whole piece would make a wonderful choreography
with balls and balloons. They could be passed; tossed, either to self, or partner, or around a
circle; bounced – self, partner, circle; At 3:14 the music is lighter and is perfect to experience
the preparation of the arm reaching back before the throw forward.
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“THE MOLDAU” from Ma Vlast (My Country)
Bedrich Smetana
This piece of music is a tone poem describing Czechoslovakia’s most famous river. It begins as
two tiny streams, which bubble along, then merge, becoming the river which is home to water
nymphs, flows past peasant dancers, castles, and nobles on a hunt, over rapids, and finally passes
under the St. Charles Bridge in the glorious city of Prague.
HOWEVER, don’t start with the title.
 Teach the main tune (transposed to easier key):
This tune could be said to be the “Spirit of the River”.
(It has a beautiful shape. The rhythm is slightly altered in different appearances; and although
first stated in the minor key, the melody appears sometimes in the major.)

Play the recording from the beginning up to 1:32 and have students raise hands when the
melody appears. [1:06]

Explain that the music is a description of a European river, the Moldau, and the countryside
it flows through and some of the people who live along it. If possible, show some pictures of
Czechoslovakia especially of the grand medieval buildings, and the Moldau itself.
Play the same section again up to about 1:10, and ask students to circle words from the
following list (add other words) to describe the music that comes before the melody.

SWIRLING
LIKE A MARCH
LIGHT
HESITANT
SLOW
SINUOUS
HEAVY
SPIKEY
FAST
FLOWING
SMOOTH
Etc…..
o OR, Have students draw shapes or patterns to describe the music up to 1:10. If
colours are available, ask which colours do they think would match the music.
[One would hope pastel shades, but there are no wrong answers, although the
teacher might want to ask a child why s/he chose a bright, loud colour like red or
orange, without suggesting that it is wrong.]


Explain that the Moldau River begins with two small streams or tributaries, and this music,
up to 1:10 represents them. Can they hear when the second joins the first? [Possibly at 0:14,
definitely at 0:26]
o What instruments are depicting the streams? [Flutes]
o Notice the harp “pings” at the beginning and the way other instruments enter (e.g.
violin pizzicatos) to accompany the flutes as the streams become larger, splashing
over pebbles, flowing onwards to become the big river.
At this point, if desired, distribute ribbons or scarves in colours of blue, white, silver and
allow students to move to the music, stopping when the melody enters.
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
Play the recording up to 2:52. Discover, or explain that the river tune above is only the
beginning of the big melody of this piece.

Play through the entire piece if the students are able to concentrate that long. If they are not,
adapt the suggestions that follow.
o Ask students to raise hands whenever they hear the above melody. How many
times does it appear? [4, counting the repeat at the beginning.]

Ask if they remember anything about the music that came in between the repeats of this
melody. [Other tunes; fanfare…..]

List, (in no particular order – but not the following order), the different scenes of the piece:
Royalty (2:53), Peasant Dancers (3:48), Water Nymphs (5:07), Rapids (8:20), City - the
Bridge (9:33).

Listen for the brilliant use of the triangle at various moments throughout the piece.

Play the recording again, stopping during or after each new section and either ask which
programmatic features students think Smetana is describing, or point them out. List the order
on the board. Note the trumpet fanfare in the Royal section (which is really a hunting scene),
– and the crashing cymbals in the Rapids scene

On a long piece of paper have students create a pictorial view of the music. Or, have
students pick which scene they wish to draw on individual pieces of paper, and paste these
pictures on a river that has been drawn on a long piece of paper.

Have students dance/act out each scene. A final choreography could be arrived at.
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“STORM” from Symphony No. 6, “The Pastoral”
L. van Beethoven
Play the recording up to about 2:12 and ask the students what phenomenon of Nature they think
it might represent. There may be various answers but presumably one would be “a storm”.
Define it as representing a storm, and ask, how does a storm usually begin? Does the weather go
from a bright sunny day straight to thunder, lightning, pouring rain?
Usually it starts with a gathering of clouds and a spattering of raindrops. Ask how this is depicted
in the music. [Fast tremolos on the cellos and basses for the clouds, and short “dripping” notes
from the higher strings.]
OPTIONAL: A body percussion “Storm” may be created – starting with snapping fingers,
moving to light clapping, harder clapping, thigh slapping, stamping, and then fading in reverse.
Play up to 0:44 and ask students to raise hands when the storm really begins. [At 0:26].
What is the difference? [Cymbal crashes; Timpani rolls; blaring trumpets, screaming winds….]
There is a rhythmic figure that occurs several times that could be represented by the word
y!
/
STORM
The two syllables are one right after the other, “Storm” being accented and
lower in pitch, and “y” being higher and lighter.
Play from the beginning to 3:17. Ask students how many times this figure is heard. [Ten,
between 0:43 – 1:15; seven more between 2:06 – 2:22. There are also similar rhythms that are
slower between the syllables, and 2 that consist of only one note (“storm”). It doesn’t really
matter about the number – it is just important that the student is listening.]
At 1:28 there are two cries from the Oboe. Isolate this moment and ask what the students
imagine might be making that sound. [A lost animal? Bird?]
At 2:03 – 2:06 what do they imagine the high-pitched sound from the piccolo represents?
[Wind?]
Teach the following tune (top line – the other parts are for recorders if students are playing them.
The second version is at orchestra pitch and is more difficult to play for most recorders. The top
line could be played by soprano, but it is very high.)
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Play the whole recording, and ask students to raise hands when they hear this melody. [At 3:19]
It could be pointed out that it is a slow version of the rain drops heard at the very beginning of
the storm.
Ask students what often happens at the end of a rainstorm. [A rainbow appears.] This melody
could represent a rainbow, or, in a religious or spiritual frame of mind, it could be like a hymn of
thanks. Words could be put to the melody: “We’re glad the storm is o-ver……..”
Place several strips of paper (10 -12 feet) on the floor. Station 7- 10 students at intervals along
the paper, from left to right. The first student at the left end of each paper begins to draw what
the music represents at that moment. At a signal from the teacher, (when the music develops) the
second student takes over. The first student may continue improving his/her own section, or may
stop to listen. The teacher signals for successive students to take over at appropriate spots
(certainly the second or third student at 0:26 and the last one at 3:19) in the music.
When the murals are completed, follow through again, as a score. Then have students switch to
another score and see if they can follow the sequence of images.
This music is brilliantly depicted in Walt Disney’s “Fantasia I”. If you show it, please be sure to
teach the music first, so that the students have their own images in place before Disney’s.
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“MORNING” from Peer Gynt Suite
Edvard Grieg
Lesson 1
 Blow a series of bubbles and ask the students to describe what they see – we are looking
for words like light, round, gentle, quiet, smooth, and of course other words will be
suggested, including “pop”, which is quite valid and will be written down, but is not one
of the words we want to work with.
 Write all the suggested words on the board. Then circle the words with the character of the
italics above.
 Ask students if they can move (one arm, head, whole body…..) in the way of those words.
Maybe use a scarf.
 Play the recording of “Morning” up to about 0:55 and ask students if the words used to
describe the bubbles fits this music. (The word legato, (smooth), could be introduced
here.)
 Teach the melody of morning, either by singing or by repeated listening up to the end of
the first phrase (0:12).
o The melody is extremely simple and very cleverly constructed:
soh-mi-re-do-re-mi/soh mi re do re mi/soh mi soh lah mi lah/ soh mi re doh…
soh-mi-re-do-re-mi/soh mi re do re mi/soh mi soh lah mi lah/ lah so mi re…
 At the end of the second line, the oboe takes the tune higher and it begins
again on the flute in a higher key.
 Play the melody up to about 0:55 while gently blowing bubbles, or having various students
blow them. (Obviously students are not to attempt to burst the bubbles).
 Discuss the instrumentation and construction of the tune: over a subdued accompaniment,
the tune is played by flute and oboe.
o Play up to 0:24 and ask students if they recognize the two instruments playing the
tune, then its repeat. [Flute, then Oboe.]
o Play again and ask how many (slow) beats each instrument gets to play. [8 each]
o Play from the beginning again, up to 0:50 and discover that the tune is repeated by
each instrument, a little higher, and the two instruments get to play for 8 beats
each again.
o Play from the beginning up to 1:03 and discover that although the instruments
keep on alternating, they play for a shorter number of beats: 2 beats each, then 1
beat each and 1 beat each again so the tune is only in fragments for the next 8
beats.
 The construction is:
Flute 8, Oboe 8, Flute 8, Oboe 8, Flute 2, Oboe 2, Flute 1, Oboe 1, Flute 1, Oboe 1.
o Have students “walk” their fingers (or elbows, or feet…) for these numbers of
beats, changing direction, or finger/hand at each change of number.
 Have students pick two partners but do not stand together. From a far place in the room
have student A walk gently to student B, either carrying an imaginary bubble very
carefully, or blowing bubbles gracefully. They should attempt to arrive at student B at the
end of the 0:12 where they hand over the bubble(s). During the second phrase, student B
walks in a delicate manner to student C and the bubble is exchanged at the end of the
second phrase (0:24). During the next phrase, C walks to A (or to a fourth student, D) and
hands over the bubble at 0:38. Continue exchanging the bubble(s) with the change of
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phrases. Where the phrase becomes fragmented (0:51 - 1:03) decide what to do with
these eight beats.
Lesson 2?
 Review the first section of the piece 1:03 with some kind of movement. Use of a ball
between pairs of students would be interesting – they could choreograph the structure of
the melody. Or use the bubble sequence as before.
 Play from the beginning up to about 1:25. Ask students what has happened to the music.
[It is higher, louder, different instruments – strings are playing the melody…..]
 Give the title of the piece: “Morning”. Ask students if they have ever seen a sunrise. If
possible, show some pieces of artwork depicting sunrise. Stress that it is a gradual
process, (the sun doesn’t just suddenly pop up!) often accompanied by bird song (the
“dawn chorus”).
o Do they think this is a calm morning sunrise, or a stormy, windy one?
 Listen to the whole piece. Have students draw pictures of a sunrise as they are listening if
they need something to do. However, the purpose here is to discover when they think the
sun actually rises. If they select the first “big” moment in the music, at 1:31, that would
be perfectly understandable, and valid, but there is more than half the piece still to come!
So maybe this could be just the first sunbeam – a shaft of light shooting into the sky
through the clouds?
o The next two “big” moments, or accents are at 1:42 and 1:45. Maybe more shafts
of light?
o There is another sense of climax at 1:55 which could well be the sunrise, but we
are still only half way through.
o At 2:06 and 2:09 are more accents – more shafts of light? Or perhaps the top of
the sun’s head peeking over the horizon? A golden glow in the sky?
o Similarly at 2:18 there is a sense of climax, as at 1:55, but we still have a long
way to go. Following this there are little flute calls which could be bird calls
heralding the sun (the dawn chorus).
o At 3:20 there is the definite sound of a bird trill on the clarinet and then several
times on the flute followed by the clarinet again, and again the flute several times.
o Something significant seems to be happening at 3:49……
o Personally, I think the sun gently rises at 4:21 to the end.
 It is a beautiful piece to choreograph with a hoop representing the sun (with orange/yellow
dressing on it) and ribbons for shafts of light, and dark cloth for the night sky……
 Using long pieces of paper, and markers, have groups of students draw several murals
depicting the progress of the sunrise according to the music – each student can be
responsible for a part of the music. The teacher calls when the next student should begin
his/her section. Students who have already done a section can continue to enhance their
section, but they shouldn’t add anything that belongs to the next section.
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DANCE OF THE LITTLE SWANS from Swan Lake
P. Tchaikowsky
(This recording is obviously one made at a performance of the ballet as one can hear the sound of
the toe shoes at the beginning.)
Play the first 30 seconds of the recording. Ask if students have heard the music before – it is the
dance of four little swans
The following ti-ti figure is constant throughout the piece, mostly on the bassoon, played in a
short, detached fashion, called staccato.
Over the top of the ti-ti figure is a persistent rhythm that occurs many times:
Which is elongated into a longer phrase and developed throughout.
Teach the first rhythms (swans and cygnets) then play the recording again. Ask students to count,
or guess, how many times the “[x] Four little swans” rhythm occurs. (The teacher can point
them out, or mouth them as a guide.) [Sixteen – eight plus eight later]
Then play again and ask how many times the cygnets rhythm occurs [Eight – this is a lovely
balance.]
Where does the cygnets rhythm happen? [In between the two swans.]
The form can thus be described as: Intro Swans Cygnets Swans Coda.
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How many notes [8 – there are actually 9 ti’s, but the 9th one is the beginning of the main
theme.] or beats [4] in the introduction?
Talk about the instruments – mostly reeds for the swans, strings for the cygnets, back to reeds for
the swans and a mixture for the coda.
Notice that the staccato sound of the Bassoons in the introduction is reflected in several of the
syllables of “Four lit-tle swans…..” whereas the Coda is very smooth, or, legato as the swans
glide away. Perhaps they have learnt to swim like swans?
My words are just suggestions. Feel free to change them. Extra words could be invented for the
rhythms without words.
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Higlights from JURASSIC PARK
John Williams
Very much a part of Mother Nature eons ago, dinosaurs is the theme here. Students may not have
seen Jurassic Park (in fact, it is quite horrifying in parts), but most will know the term “Jurassic”
and will relate to the music as being very descriptive of dinosaurs, at least the large ones.
Give the title of the piece and explain that it is about dinosaurs. (Various Dinosaur discussions
or projects could be integrated with the listening to this piece.)
Have students close their eyes and listen to the recording from 0:40 – 1:13. Ask them what
dinosaur the music makes them think of. There will be various answers – none will be wrong –
the child is entitled to imagine whatever the music wakens in him/her. However, I feel there is a
grandeur and grace that would apply to the long-necked herbivores like Brontosaurus.
Then, without discussion, play from 3:03 – 3:33 and ask if this is the same dinosaur. If not, what
kind of dinosaur does this music suggest?
Play both again to allow further reflection and discuss the students’ choices. They could try
drawing their choices as each theme plays.
Unfortunately, this piece does not include any fast music that would typify the raptors, but
discussion could be had as to what kind of music would be good to represent the smaller, faster
dinosaurs. Some classrooms may be able to invent some music, either from instruments, or
“found” sounds.
Teach the following four notes vocally, then on the body. (The first four notes of the recording):
Play from the beginning of the recording to 0:30.
How many times is the melody played? [Three]
What instrument is playing it? [Horn. Maybe it’s a call to something…..?]
What happens to it the third time? [At the end more instruments join in……]
Perform the body percussion with the recording
Teach the following tune.
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Point out that there is something that it is almost totally built on:
- short short long, with the accent on the last note/syllable.
What word from the subject we are discussing would fit this rhythm? [Di-no-saur]
Play from the beginning up to 1:13.
How many times do we hear the tune? [Twice]
How is the second time different? [It is higher]
The number of times the rhythm of “di-no-saur” is played could be counted.
Play from the beginning up to about 1:30.
Ask students to raise hands when they hear something different at 1:15 – this may be difficult
for many children to identify as the rhythm (“di-no-saur”) is part of it. Show the difference by
playing and or teaching the following theme II.
What is another difference between this theme and theme I? [It is faster.]
The number of times this faster rhythm of “di-no-saur” is played could be counted.
To experience the difference between the speed of the two themes, they could be put together as
follows, or with sol-fa syllables, or with body percussion.
The recording (which is cut) plays two different sections – as reflected in the two different
dinosaurs imagined at the beginning. Draw two different dinosaurs one as “A” the other as “B”.
“A” contains theme I and theme II in the following order: I, II, I, II. “B” (at 2:46) is basically
one theme in which the brass and percussion figure prominently.
So the form is Intro A
B