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20 0
Atlanta
9 -2 0
oun
10 C o n c e r t s f o r Y
g Pe o p l e
Symphony Orchestra
Jere Flint
conductor
Grieg: “Morning Mood" from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1
Copland: “Hoe-down” from Rodeo
Bizet: “Habanera” from Carmen
Bernstein: “Cool” from West Side Story
Handel: “Hornpipe” from Water Music Suite No. 2
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor; 1st movement
W
e say that melody is the “soul” of music – the part of music that affects our
feelings. Most of the music you hear today on the radio has words (lyrics),
but music doesn’t need words to make you feel happy or sad.
You can begin to understand why melodies make you feel a certain way if you know a
little bit about how they behave. Melodies move. They move up or down - or both up
and down. They move in smooth, curved lines or jagged, zigzag lines. They move from
note to note by small steps or by big jumps. If you connect the heads of the notes
(dots) on the page of music, you create a line. That’s why we call it a “melody line.”
Did you know that you sang melodies when you were a tiny baby? All human
beings “sing” before they talk. In fact, singing is practice for speaking language. Those
melodies didn’t have real words – just baby talk. And the melodies you sang were
your very own. Guess what? You were a composer!
Of course, the mark of a great composer is not only how good the melodic ideas are,
but also what he or she then does with those ideas – how the ideas are developed
into real melodies. Composers use several methods to turn those little melody ideas
(we call them motifs – pronounced moh-teefs) into longer melodies. Of course, the
easiest thing to do is just repeat the motif. Composers can do many more things,
The source of melodies is a
mystery even to those that
write them! Beethoven said
his melodies came to him
‘uninvited’. Where do melodies
come from?
though. They can add notes to the end of the motif. Or they can add notes to
decorate the motif. They can change the length of time each note lasts. They can
chop the motif into smaller pieces. They can even turn the motif upside down! There
are lots more ways of changing a motif. Can you think of some?
For the concert you will hear at Symphony Hall, we chose music that demonstrates
all the types of melodies we’ve mentioned. You’ll hear melodies that move in many
different ways, and, as a result, have many different moods. You’ll enjoy the concert
even more if you know the music and do some thinking ahead of time. We hope you
enjoy watching the DVD and doing the activities in this book before we see you at
Symphony Hall!
1-2
1-2
Instrument
Families of the Orchestra
Meet the
String
Woodwind
The four major instruments in the string
family, the violin, the viola, the cello
and the double bass, are built the same
way. The instruments are made of
many pieces of wood, which are glued
– never nailed – together. The body of
the instrument is hollow, thus becoming
a resonating box for the sound. Four
strings (sometimes five on the doublebass) made of animal gut, nylon, or steel
are wrapped around pegs at one end
of the instrument and attached to a
tailpiece at the other. They are stretched
tightly across a bridge to produce their
assigned pitches.
The three branches of the woodwind family
have different sources of sound. Vibrations
begin when air is blown across the top of an
instrument, across a single reed, or across
two reeds. Reeds are small pieces of cane.
A single reed is clamped to a mouthpiece at
the top of the instrument and vibrates against
the mouthpiece when air is blown between
the reed and the mouthpiece. Two reeds tied
together are commonly known as a double
reed. This double reed fits into a tube at the
top of the instrument and vibrates when air is
forced between the two reeds.
3-4
Brass
Percussion
Brass Family instruments produce their
unique sound by the player buzzing his/
her lips while blowing air through a cupor funnel-shaped mouthpiece. To produce
higher or lower pitches, the player adjusts
the opening between his/her lips. The
mouthpiece connects to a length of brass
tubing ending in a bell. The shorter the
tubing length, the smaller the instrument,
and the higher the sound; and the
longer the tubing length, the larger the
instrument, and the lower the sound.
The main instruments of the brass family
include the trumpet, horn, trombone
and tuba.
With a name that means, “the hitting of one
body against another,” instruments in the
percussion family are played by being struck,
shaken, or scraped. Percussion instruments
are classified as tuned or untuned. Tuned
instruments play specific pitches or notes,
just like the woodwind, brass and string
instruments. Untuned instruments produce a
sound with an indefinite pitch, like the sound
of a hand knocking on a door.
Keyboard
Keyboard instruments are often classified as
percussion instruments because they play a
rhythmic role in some music. However, most
keyboard instruments are not true members
of the percussion family because their
sound is not produced by the vibration of a
membrane or solid material.
Teacher’s Introduction
Guide to Audience Behavior
“The melody of a piece of music is the measure of the
imagination and creativity of the composer.”
Your students will learn many things by attending ASO Concerts for Young People. Not
the least of these is concert etiquette. Please review these guidelines thoroughly with
your students. This knowledge of the expectations in a formal concert situation will
increase their comfort in this new environment – and increase their enjoyment!
In 2009-2010 we will explore melody in The Soul of Music. Melody is defined as a series
of musical tones perceived by the mind as an entity. The definition cannot capture in
words the true impact of melody on the mind and heart of the listener. Melody is the
element of music most closely connected with emotion. Why human beings attach
certain emotions to melodies with certain characteristics is hard to explain. Yet, we
can analyze melodies and catalog their attributes to come close to understanding the
mystery of melody. Human beings come to understand and love the arts through their
senses and their intellect. It makes sense to teach the arts by relating them through their
common elements.
To aid in your students’ understanding, we will compare the use of line (melody) in music
to the use of line in the visual arts and in dance. This year’s Atlanta Symphony
Orchestra Concert for Young People will illustrate just how important an
understanding of melody is to the enjoyment of music. The teacher’s guide to The Soul
of Music is organized around the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concert program your
students will hear at Symphony Hall. For each music selection on the program you will
find a copy of the student materials for that piece, and, on the facing page, strategies for
presenting the student material and extending the lesson. Each lesson is correlated with
the Georgia Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) and the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS).
Supplementary activities for integrating with visual art, language arts, social studies and
science appear in the back of the book.
Students will receive the maximum benefit from their concert experience if the abundant
connections between music and other parts of the curriculum are emphasized. The
materials in this guide will help you to make those connections. We urge you to share
these materials with all of your colleagues who teach the students attending the concert.
Share the teaching and multiply the results! Additional copies of the Teacher’s Guide
and DVD are available by emailing the ASO at youngpeoplesconcerts@woodruffcenter.org.
Alternately, you may download the print materials from www.atlantasymphony.org.
* These “modes of learning” correspond to some categories of Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences: Visual, musical,
kinesthetic, and interpersonal.
•Upon arriving inside the Galleria (lobby) of the Woodruff Arts Center,
everyone is expected to speak in a moderate tone of voice. It’s fine to talk,
but no yelling, please.
•Upon entering Symphony Hall it’s time to whisper only. Ushers will be seating
your class, and they need to be heard when they direct you to your seat. The
orchestra will be warming up on the stage. The musicians need to be able to
hear themselves, too.
•When the lights dim, all whispering should stop.
The concertmaster is about to
tune the orchestra and the conductor will be entering next.
•When the conductor enters the stage, everyone applauds.
No whistling or
stamping feet, please. Just polite applause is fine.
•Once the music begins, everyone should concentrate on the music.
Between
pieces of music, the conductor will speak. Listen carefully.
to avoid (things you didn’t think about!):
•Noisemakers
Velcro fasteners on wallets and purses
Beepers, cell phones and the alarm on your watch
Jingling jewelry
Any kind of electronic toy
•Show your appreciation for the music at the end of each piece by applauding.
Watch the conductor carefully to make sure the music has really ended.
Sometimes it seems like the end, then the music starts again. The conductor
usually puts her hands down by her sides when the piece is over.
•Avoid yelling on the way out of the hall or the Galleria. This is the moment when
your teacher and the ushers need your attention most. Watch and listen!
How To Use This Guide
The teacher’s guide to The Soul of Music is organized around the Atlanta Symphony
Orchestra concert your students will hear at Symphony Hall. For each music selection on
the program, you will find a copy of the student materials for that piece, and, on the facing
page, strategies for presenting the student material and extending the lesson. Each lesson is
correlated with the Georgia Quality Core Curriculum in Music and with the new
Georgia Performance Standards for grades 3-8. Integrated curriculum activities
for visual art, language arts, social studies, mathematics and science appear in the
Teacher’s Guide.
We believe that music is essential to a complete education. We further believe that music is
a necessary and equal part of the total school curriculum. We have produced these lessons
with those beliefs as our guiding principle. We hope you will take full advantage of this guide
and the other materials provided so that your students can in turn be knowledgeable and
eager participants in the wider culture of their city and their world.
Students will receive the maximum benefit from their concert experience if the abundant
connections between music and the other parts of the curriculum are emphasized. The
materials in this guide will help you to make those connections. We urge you to share these
materials with all of your colleagues who teach the students attending the concert. Share
the teaching and multiply the results! Additional copies of the Teacher’s Guide DVD and
CD are available by calling 404-733-4871. Or you may download the print materials from
www.atlantasymphony.org.
We welcome your comments and questions. After using these materials and attending
the concert, please take a moment to complete the evaluation form you will receive at
Symphony Hall. Staff assistance with these materials is available by calling the ASO
Learning Community at 404-733-4870.
LESSON OUTLINE
Each student lesson includes the following components:
• Background information about the music
• Background information about the composer
• Activities to do after viewing a section of the video or hearing the CD
The teacher pages provide:
• Further interesting background on the music and/or composer
• Strategies for presenting the student activities
• Correlation with Georgia Performance Standards
• Correlation with the Georgia Quality Core Curriculum in Music
• Resources, including websites, books and recordings for further study
RECOMMENDED SEQUENCE OF INSTRUCTION
(Note: These materials were designed for use in many different instructional settings. Whether you are a 3rd
grade classroom teacher, a middle school orchestra or general music teacher or a home-school instructor, the
lessons are designed so that anyone can teach them. Adaptations may be necessary. The important thing is that
students have an opportunity to explore all of the materials in preparation for the concert. Their enjoyment and
yours will be greatly enhanced.)
1. Teacher preparation: Read all of the materials. Preview the 30-minute DVD.
2. Have students read the introduction in their booklet first.
3. View the DVD. You might show a section of the DVD each day over several days or you
may play it all in one day. Follow each DVD section with the reading and activities in the
student booklet. Each lesson should take no more than 15 minutes and (for grades 3-5)
provide good transition time between other subjects. If you teach middle school music
classes, an entire class might be devoted to the DVD and activities, or use the lessons as a
beginning or closing activity for several classes. The recorded selections on the CD may be
used after each section of the DVD. Several activities require additional opportunities to
hear the entire composition. You might also use the CD for casual listening any time.
4. The integrated curriculum activities in each subject area might be taught at the same
time you present the music activities or after the entire DVD and all music activities are
presented. You will probably see possibilities for incorporating these activities into other
subject lessons, creating stronger connections among the parts of the curriculum. Be sure
to share the integrated curriculum activities with the students’ other teachers.
5. Please send the student booklet home for parents to see. It includes a note to parents
regarding other concert opportunities for the whole family.
Curriculum Connections
There are many ways to integrate learning in
music with learning across the curriculum. The
most effective method organizes learning around
themes. The choice of theme will dictate the depth
and value of the integrated learning.
For music, the Georgia Quality Core Curriculum
(QCC) is the primary source for lesson standards.
Although there are no direct performance
standards listed for music in the GPS there
are ways to make authentic cross curriculum
connections to help students fulfill or exceed the
Georgia Performance Standards.
Melody is the element of music most closely
connected with emotion. Why human beings
attach certain emotions to melodies with certain
characteristics is hard to explain. It makes sense
to teach the arts by relating them through their
common elements. When the connections among
disciplines are this abundant and pervasive, the
theme is useful for meaningful learning in all areas.
Below, we’ve listed a few of the GPS strands that
may be explored through music. We hope you
make use of this valuable learning tool and consider
the following lesson ideas.
QCC Objectives 11, 12, 17
Visual Arts:
• Have students create an artwork capturing the
feelings conveyed in “Morning Mood.”
First have students discuss the feelings they
hear conveyed in the music. Then discuss how
one might transfer those feelings into a visual
form – through particular types of lines, colors,
shapes, objects.
• Have students create a non-representational
drawing using one of the melodic contours from
our musical examples as the artistic theme.
Have a class art exhibit, and compare the ways students used
these lines to create a visual artwork. It might be helpful to
discuss some visual possibilities before the students begin. They
might choose to use the same color or color family each time
they repeat a melodic line contour. The lines might overlay each
other, remain separate, be inverted, ornamented, extended,
etc. Ask students to make an educated guess to name each
composition represented.
SOCIAL STUDIES
GPS Strands: SS4H2, SS4H6, SS5H4, SS6G11, SS6H6
• By listening to “Morning Mood”, could someone who is blind
share the feelings sighted people have when watching a sunrise?
Ask students how someone who is deaf could share the feelings
expressed in this music? How do visual art and music convey
feelings without using words? While discussing the problems
those with disabilities might have in experiencing the arts, you
may wish to mention that music is printed in Braille for students
who are visually disabled. They can “see” the notation and
perform music from Braille notation themselves. Not only are
there famous musicians who are blind, there are also famous
musicians who are deaf. The most famous of these, Beethoven, is
featured in this concert.
• In the days of the Old West women were not given the
opportunity to choose the same careers as men. Make a list of
jobs that you believe excluded women in the 19th century. Has
that changed? Why?
• Tell students that Georges Bizet never visited Spain, but his
famous opera Carmen is set there. Bizet learned about Spanish
culture by reading books. Today, people have many more
resources available for learning about other places. Have students
make a list of as many resources as they can find on the music and
culture of Spain. Choose a topic such as famous people of Spain,
products from Spain, or information about Spain’s geography or
history. Have students write a report on what they have learned
about Spain and the resources they used.
• This activity works as well with the other composers and their
compositions. Do research on 18th century England (Handel), the
American West of the 19th century (Copland), Grieg’s Norway,
comparisons between the Classical and Romantic historical
periods (Beethoven), and New York of the 1950’s, including the
immigration of Puerto Ricans to that city (Bernstein).
• In Romeo and Juliet and in West Side Story, disagreements among
people result in violence. Use this fact as a prompt for writing
about the problem of violence in our society. Initiate a discussion
about possible interventions that young people might use today
to prevent violence among their peers. What are some personal
attributes that one can cultivate to avoid reacting violently to
disagreements?
• Jazz influences figure prominently in the West Side Story music.
Have students research the history and characteristics of jazz.
• George F. Handel was born in Germany, but decided to make
England his home. Ask students to list some things they would
need to do differently if they tried to live in various cultures
around the globe. Ask them to find out what someone has to
do to become a citizen of the U.S. and what problems new
emigrants experience.
LANGUAGE ARTS
GPS Strands: ELA4LSV2, ELA4R1, ELA5R1, ELA5LSV2, ELA6LSV2,
ELA7R1
• Ask students if they can name two current television
commercials that use classical music to sell products? (Cocoa
Puffs ----- and ----------) Ask why they think Carmen was chosen
as background music? Ask students to work in groups to write
the text for a new commercial using Carmen for background
music. Ask how they will chose a product for their commercials.
Allow students to read their commercials while portions of
Carmen play in the background.
Curriculum Connections
• Ask students to pretend they are musicians in the orchestra
that played Handel’s “Water Music” at King George’s Water
Festival. Ask them to write a journal entry about what it was
like to be there.
• A composer changes a melodic motif to give variety to a
composition. Though the motif is varied, it maintains its
essential character. Stimulate students’ imaginations about
motif variation by using the following dramatic techniques to
vary the sentence “I DO NOT HAVE A PURPLE COW.”
Assign individual students to read the sentence in each
of the following ways:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Loudly
Softly
In a fast tempo
In a slow tempo
Read sentence 3 times using a higher voice each time
(Sequence)
6. Three or more voices reading together
7. Read: “I do not have...I do not have... I do not!”
(Fragmentation)
8. Read the sentence backwards (Inversion)
9. Add extra words: “I do not have a pink or purple, red or
yellow cow!” (Expansion)
10. “I do not have a purple cow or horse or mule.”
(Extension)
SCIENCE
GPS Strands: S3CS2, S4CS2, S4P2, S5CS2, S6CS3, S8P2, S8P4
• Explore http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/spacecraft/music.html
on the net. Have students report on the purpose of the
Voyager project. Print out the list of musical examples
included on the Voyager I disk. Lead a discussion on why
each piece might have been chosen, and why only one
piece of music would not suffice for the purpose of the
Voyager project.
DANCE
GPS Strands: PE4.1, PE4.6, PE5.1, PE5.2, PE5.6, PE6.2, PE7.1
• Ask someone in the class to describe or volunteer to
demonstrate the type of dance movements that would
Allemande Left: The gentlemen turn left
to face their corners as the ladies turn right
to face their corners. Each gentleman takes
his corner lady’s left hand in his left hand and
walks completely around her in a counter
clockwise direction, to return to his home
position as she returns to her home position.
Circle: All dancers join hands, forma a circle
of eight, and walk either to the left or right, as
indicated by the caller.
Assign students to create a performance of the variations by
choosing a new sequence or combining variations.
Square Dance
Glossary
• Direct students to make a list of five questions they would
like to ask Beethoven in an interview. Working with a partner,
have them ask their questions. Tell the partners to answer
as Beethoven might have answered. Trade roles. If there is a
question that neither student can answer, instruct them to
look it up using the resources from the Teacher Guide.
Couple: A couple consists of a gentleman
and his lady partner. In a square set (see Set),
the ladies stand to the right of the gentlemen.
best illustrate the slow smooth curve of the melodic contour
in “Morning Mood.” Do the same with “Hoe-down,”
“Habanera” and “Cool.”
• Have students move across the room in a way that illustrates
music with a wide melodic range moving by large skips. Then
ask them to move across the room in a way that shows music
with a narrow melodic range moving by step. Have students
use a “tag-team” method. Groups stand on opposite ends of
the classroom. If a student moves illustrating a wide range with
skips, the person he tags must move back across illustrating
a narrow rang moving by steps. If you have access to a set of
melody bells or a keyboard, have a student play a “melody line”
that reflects the melodic characteristics
the moving student is demonstrating.
Head Couples: In a square set (see Set),
the head couples are couples numbered one
and three.
Honor: Gentlemen bow by inclining their
torso slightly forward, and ladies curtsey
by holding their skirt, placing their right toe
behind their left foot and taking a half knee
bend, inclining their torso slightly forward.
Partner: In a square set, partners stand side
by side, the ladies to the right of the gentlemen
(see Set).
Do-Si-Do: Two designated dancers walk
toward each other and pass right shoulders.
After passing each other one step, both
dancers side step to their right, passing back
to back, then walk backward to their original
positions.
Right and Left Grand: Partners face
each other, join right hands and pull by, passing
right shoulders. Each moves forward, around
the circle, men moving counter clockwise and
ladies moving clockwise. Each gives a left hand
to the next, passing left shoulders, a right to
the next, a left to the next, until all the dancers
meet their partners.
Elbow Swing: Dancers link right elbows
and dance around each other in a clockwise
direction.
Sashay: The sashay is a series of short, quick
sliding steps either to the right or to the left.
To sashay to the left, step sideward to the left
with the left foot, then close the right foot to
the left foot, shifting weight onto the right foot.
This movement is usually done four times by
an individual, a couple or several couples.
Set: Four couples comprise a set. Each
couple stands on the side of an imaginary
square whose dimensions are approximately
ten feet by ten feet. Each couple faces into
the center of the set. Couple One stands with
backs to the caller. Couple Two stands to the
right of Couple One. Couple Three stands
directly opposite Couple One. Couple Four
stands to the left of Couple One.
Star: The star can be done with two or more
facing dancers. When moving forward, the
inside hands should be joined in a palm star
position, with the hands touching at about eye
level, fingers up, the palm of one dancer’s hand
resting on the back of the hand of the dancer
standing in front of him. When gentlemen
only forma a star, they use the packsaddle
position, in which each man grasps the wrist of
the man in froth of him.
Edvard Grieg
(1843-1907)
Activity #1:
This is the melody from “Morning Mood.”
“Morning Mood” from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1
Have you ever watched the sun rise?
Where were you when you saw it?
If you’ve never seen a real sunrise,
you’ll be able to imagine a
sunrise as you listen
to this piece of music.
Gynt
Connect the note heads with your pencil, and notice how the line looks.
Which of these lines does your line resemble?
What kind of mood does the melody create peaceful or excited?
Activity #2:
Create a picture-strip story (like a comic strip) showing scenes of a
sunrise as it happens.
ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Edvard Grieg was born in 1843 in
Norway. When Edvard was six, he began
taking piano lessons from his mother, who
was a concert pianist. He studied the classical
music of Europe and began composing his own
music when he was nine. Grieg left Norway at age
fifteen to study at the Conservatory of Leipzig in
Germany. He used Norwegian themes and ideas in his compositions.
In 1876, Grieg worked with a famous Norwegian writer named Henrik Ibsen to
write music for the play, Peer Gynt. Later, he put nine of those compositions into
the Peer Gynt Suites I and II.
ABOUT THE MUSIC
In “Morning Mood,” the notes of the melody are like words in a poem. They
enable the composer to share the visual scene and his feeling about that scene.
As you listen, you can imagine the first hint of light that slowly increases in
color and brightness. You can “see” along with the composer how morning
begins. Is the sunrise completed before the composition is over? Listen for
musical clues!
Activity #3:
Compare the mood of this music
with the mood created in this
painting [Harnessing the Landscape
II by Kim Nelson] . What mood
does the painting have? What kind
of lines does the artist use (check
the list of line types in Activity #1).
Are the lines in the painting and the
melody line of the music the same or
different from each other?
Harnessing the Landscape II by Kim Nelson
5-6
Edvard Grieg
(1843-1907)
“Morning Mood” from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1
Resources: www.troldhaugen.com/biografi2.html
MORE ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Grieg’s music experienced a revival throughout the world following the 150th
anniversary of his birth in 1993. Grieg’s piano music was used extensively in piano
teaching during the first half of the twentieth century, and, as a result, many of his
melodies are very familiar. The celebration of his anniversary resulted in a teaching
program called “Grieg in the Schools,” popular around the world. In the summer,
as many as 4,000 people from around the world tour his home, Troldhaugen (The
Troll’s Hill), just south of his childhood home in Bergen, Norway.
MORE ABOUT THE MUSIC
The 23 pieces written for the play are “incidental music,” to be played between acts.
Later, Grieg set eight of the pieces in two suites. They do not follow the original
sequence of the play. “Morning Mood” is the first of four movements in Peer Gynt
Suite I. The others are “The Death of Ase,” “Anitra’s Dance,” and “In the Hall of the
Mountain King.”
Though “Morning Mood” evokes images of the Norwegian fjord and countryside,
the music was actually written to prepare the audience for Peer’s sojourn in North
Africa on the Moroccan coast. Although Grieg was an admirer of Ibsen, he did not
feel that Peer Gynt was a very good dramatic choice for a musical setting. For his
part, Ibsen was not entirely pleased with Grieg’s music for his play. Still, the play
opened successfully, and Grieg later put six of Ibsen’s poems to music.
Activity #1:
The notes of the melody create a slow curve (a curved line that changes direction
infrequently). The melody creates a peaceful, calm mood.
Activity #2:
If necessary, provide paper and markers for students to create their strip drawings.
A strip drawing works like a comic strip. Each scene is a separate drawing placed in a
sequence from left to right:
Activity #3:
The lines in Harnessing the Landscape II are also slow curves — see the outline of the
mountains. The composer and the artist used the same kind of line contour to create the
same mood.
DEFINITIONS
Conservatory: a school of music
Suite: a musical composition consisting of a number of short movements (sections)
unified by a central idea
Theme: a musical idea that returns in one form or another throughout a composition,
and around which the composition is built
EXPANDED LISTENING
For another example of a composition using a slow curve in the melodic contour,
listen to “The Swan” from Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns. After
they hear this example, ask students why they think Saint-Saëns chose this melodic
contour to depict the movement of a swan through the water. Ask if they can think
of other subjects for a musical composition using the slow curve melodic line?
ABOUT THE PLAY AND THE PLAYWRIGHT
As a writer, Ibsen was considered the dramatic innovator of his day. His plays are
historically important and are still performed. They include A Doll’s House, An Enemy
of the People, and Peer Gynt.
Peer Gynt (pronounced pare gint) is the story of a self-centered young man who
leaves those who love him (his mother, Ase, and his true love, Solvieg) and travels
the world looking for pleasure and adventure. His journey lasts for 50 years, and
takes him from Norway to North Africa and back again. He visits Morocco where
he watches a glorious sunrise and sees the exotic Anitra dance. He courts the
daughter of the King of the Trolls in his mountain palace. The Mountain King’s motto
is “Be true to thine own self-ish.”Regretful about his unruly life, at the last he returns
to his faithful love Solvieg.
The drama is a satire with Peer as an antihero who begins as an irresponsible youth
and degenerates into a self-seeking opportunist. Though the characters are lifted
from Norwegian folklore, they are meant to be symbolic of modern human behavior.
Aaron Copland
(1900-1990)
“Hoe-Down” from Rodeo
Have you ever been to a rodeo?
If you were to see a ballet called
Rodeo, what kind of story do you
think it would tell? Right!
A cowboy story!
Activity #1:
Can you already guess the shape of the “Hoe-Down” melody? Connect the note
heads of the melody line below and notice the shape. This is the melody from
“Hoe-Down:”
Copland
Which of the lines to the right does the shape of this melody
most closely match? What kind of mood does the piece
create - peaceful or excited?
ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Aaron Copland was born in 1900 in
Brooklyn, New York. He died at the age of
90. A late starter for such a great composer,
he began taking piano lessons from his older
sister, Laurine, when he was twelve. A year later, after much begging, he was allowed
to take lessons from a professional teacher. After attending his first concert, Copland
decided to become a composer. Aaron Copland is best remembered for creating a
truly American style of symphonic music. Copland’s use of jazz and folk tunes gives his
music its American sound.
ABOUT THE MUSIC
The story of the ballet Rodeo is set on a ranch in the Old West. A young cowgirl
tries to impress the other cowhands with her riding and roping skills. Unfortunately,
they don’t like having a girl compete with them and are rude to her. Later, at the
evening dance, she shows up wearing a pretty dress, and the cowboys ask her to
dance. She turns them down to dance with the only cowboy who was kind to her
during the contest. A hoe-down is a dance held to celebrate the end of the rodeo
or the round-up. It is filled with energy, fast dance steps, and the sound of fiddles
playing. Can you name a commercial that uses Copland’s “Hoe-Down?” Why do you
think the commercial designer used this music?
Activity #2:
Create your own hoedown dance to
match the music. You may choose from
the square dance steps listed on the
right or make up new ones of your own.
Do-si-do
allemande right and left
swing your partner
circle right and left
Activity #3:
Compare the mood of this music with the
mood created in this painting, Irregular Bands
of Color by Sol LeWitt (1929-2007).
What mood does the painting have?
What kind of lines does the artist use
(check the list of line types in Activity #1).
Are the lines in the painting and the
melody line of the music the same or
different from each other?
This artwork, formerly on display at the High Museum of Art, is
reproduced in this book with special permission. Please visit the High
Museum also located on the Woodruff Arts Center Campus.
7-8
Aaron Copland
(1900-1990)
“Hoe-Down” from Rodeo
Resources: The Music of Aaron Copland, Neil Butterworth; Our Singing Country: A Second
Volume of American Ballads and Folk Songs, John Lomax (includes Bonyparte, the square dance
tune quoted in “Hoe-Down”)
MORE ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Aaron Copland was born to a family of Russian-Jewish immigrants. His first music education
was through correspondence courses. After working hard for several years, he won a
scholarship to study in France.
When Copland was asked to compose his first ballet, Billy the Kid, he wasn’t sure that a
Jewish boy from Brooklyn could do the best job of writing music about the Wild West.
He felt better when he found out that William Bonney - Billy the Kid - was also born
in Brooklyn, New York. Four years later a new cowboy ballet by Copland, Rodeo, was
presented to the public.
Copland wrote sixty articles and essays on music and authored five books, including What
to Listen for in Music and Music and Imagination. Like the ASO’s own Maestro Robert Spano,
Copland was a popular member of the faculty at Tanglewood. In his fifties, he became
a conductor, conducting until he was 83. His numerous awards include a Pulitzer Prize,
an Academy Award for Best Musical Score, The Presidential Medal of Freedom, and 30
honorary university degrees.
MORE ABOUT THE MUSIC
The movements of Rodeo: Four Dance
Episodes, extracted from the ballet in
1943, are “Buckaroo,” “Corral Nocturne,”
“Saturday Night Waltz,” and “Hoe-Down.”
Copland quotes a number of familiar
western folk songs in Rodeo. In “HoeDown,” we hear excerpts from the square
dance tune Bonyparte and a few measures of
McLeod’s Reel played in folk fiddle style.
Activity #1: There are fast leaps and jumps in this melody that produce a
zig-zag line. The mood this melody line creates is very different from the smooth
peaceful movement of “Morning.” The excitement of the rodeo itself and the
frenetic activity on the dance floor are portrayed in “Hoe-Down.” The music
is very exciting.
Activity #2: Divide your class into groups of eight (four
couples) for the square dance. Chances are your physical
education teacher can introduce the class to some simple
square dance steps. Your school library should have a book and
maybe a recording on folk and square dancing. Refer to the
Square Dance Glossary for help.
Activity #3: The lines in Irregular Bands of Color
are also zig-zags - here the artist is playing with zigzag lines to create movement and excitement. The
composer and the artist used the same kind of line
contour to create the same mood.
EXPANDED LISTENING
Expanded Listening: For another example of a melody with a zig-zag
contour, listen to “Galop” from The Comedians by Kabalevsky. After they
hear this example, ask students why they think Kabalevsky chose this
melodic contour to depict tumbling clowns. Ask if they can think of other
subjects for a musical composition using the zig-zag melodic line?
ABOUT THE CHOREOGRAPHER
AND THE BALLET
Agnes de Mille was born in New York into a family of playwrights and movie
producers. She was the niece of movie mogul Cecil B. De Mille. In 1942, the
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo asked her to create a ballet for that company.
Her world-famous Rodeo was the result. She danced the lead role at the
Metropolitan Opera House in 1943, receiving 22 curtain calls. Her success led
Rodgers and Hammerstein to select her to create the dances for their musical
Oklahoma! Choreography for Carousel and Brigadoon followed. Ms. de Mille
received great acclaim for her work, including the Kennedy Center Honor, two
Tony Awards, an Emmy and 17 honorary degrees.
Georges Bizet
(1838-1875)
“Habanera” from Carmen
In an opera, the music tells the story. The music helps us to
understand the actions and feelings of the characters as the
story unfolds. The opera Carmen has some very
colorful and interesting characters.
ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Bizet
Georges Bizet could read both words and music by the
age of four. He entered the Paris Conservatory when
he was only nine. He wrote his first symphony at 17.
Though he earned many prizes in the Conservatory,
Bizet was not considered a great composer during his
lifetime. All through his career, Bizet began work on
operas that he never finished.
In 1872, when Bizet was 34, he began work on the opera
Carmen. Not all people liked the story, and the first
performance was not a success. Three months later,
Bizet died a discouraged man. He never knew that
Carmen was to become one of the most popular
operas ever written!
THE OPERA
Bizet filled the opera Carmen with the color and
sound of Spain. The amazing thing was that he
had never been to Spain. Everything he learned
about Spain and its music came from books in
the Paris Library.
9-10
One of the most popular compositions from
the opera is “Habanera.” This type of song and
dance are now associated with Spain, though they
came originally from Cuba. Carmen sings this song
in the opera.
Activity #1:
“Habanera” from Carmen has a new melodic line for us to see and hear. This melody
will be the easiest to sing of all the ones on our concert — because it was written to
be sung. The repeated rhythm will remind you that this is also a dance. Look at the
beginning notes of THEME A.
Connect the note heads and discover what the line looks like. Does it move up — or
down? Do the notes move by steps or leaps?
Now, place a check mark above the highest note
and the lowest note in the line. Notice how far
apart the notes are on the staff. (The staff is the
five lines on which the notes are written.) Count
the number of staff lines between the highest
and the lowest note. You are looking for the
vertical distance, not the horizontal distance. On
the staff, draw the highest and the lowest notes, one above the other.
Activity #2:
There are two themes (melodies) in “Habanera.”
The second theme, THEME B, looks like this:
Can you describe how the themes are different from each other? Look at each of
these characteristics of the two melodies:
• Melodic direction - up or down or both up and down
• Melodic motion - steps or leaps
• Melodic line - slow curve, zig-zag, straight line
• Melodic range - the distance between the highest and lowest notes
Georges Bizet
(1838-1875)
“Habanera” from Carmen
Resources: Random House Book of Opera Stories, Adele Geras, Ian Beck (Illustrators);
http://w3.rz-berlin.mpg.de/cmp/bizet.html (also good for other composer information)
More About the Composer
Georges Bizet fits the rather unfortunate stereotype of the struggling artist who is
unappreciated in his own time, but acclaimed after his death. After a brilliant start, Bizet was
largely unsuccessful in the musical world of his day. Three months after receiving mixed
reviews of his Carmen, he died of a heart attack at age 37. On the very night of his death,
there was a special performance of the work, and the critics proclaimed him a master! To
please Celestine Galli-Marie, who sang the lead role in the premiere, Bizet rewrote and
inserted special numbers according to her wishes. “Habanera” was one of those.
More About the OPERA
Bizet based Carmen on the novella by Prosper Merimee. Habanera literally means “from
Avana.” This rhythmically swaying musical dance form evolved, by way of Buenos Aires,
into the tango. Eventually, it found its way to New Orleans, where, mixing with African and
European traditions, it became an ingredient of ragtime.
The story of Carmen is a story of love, violence and unhappiness. The opera Carmen is set
in Seville, Spain. Carmen is a beautiful girl who works in a factory in Seville. During a break
from the work at the factory, Carmen flirts with a group of soldiers outside by singing the
song “Habanera.” She sings, “...love knows no laws.” One of the soldiers, Don Jose, ignores
her. That leads Carmen to throw a flower to him to catch his attention. After she and
the other women return to work in the factory, Carmen gets in a fight with one of the
women, and Don Jose arrests her. She escapes, and he deserts the army to follow her into
the mountains where she has joined a gang of smugglers. When he discovers that she is in
love with a bullfighter named Escamillo, Jose is so jealous he considers taking Escamillo’s life.
Instead, as the last act ends, he stabs Carmen. The opera ends with Don Jose singing
“Je t’ aime” (I love you) to the dying Carmen, and then he confesses to his crime.
Activity #1:
Theme A moves downward by steps. The first note
of the theme is the highest note. The last note in the
excerpt is the lowest note. (The first two measures
move in the smallest steps possible in our scale
system Ð half steps.) The highest and lowest notes
are four staff lines apart (an interval of a minor 7th).
Students should draw the notes this way:
Activity #2:
• Melodic direction - While Theme A moves
downward by steps, Theme B moves back and
forth, up and down
• Melodic motion - Theme A moves by steps,
but Theme B moves by small steps and leaps.
• Melodic contour - Theme A is a long diagonal line downward. Theme B moves
in an undulating motion, back and forth, up and down - very much like the slow
curve in “Morning Mood.”
• Melodic range - The two excerpts have almost the same range. Theme B is four
spaces apart - an interval of a Major 7th.
DEFINITIONS
Opera: musical work that includes
all the elements of a play, but the
dialogue is sung.
Steps: notes in a melodic line
moving from a line to an adjacent
space or vice versa.
Leaps: notes in a melodic line moving
in larger intervals than a step.
EXPANDED LISTENING
Listen to “Toreador Song” or
the Overture from the opera
Carmen. Ask students to listen
for the characteristics of each
melody and compare them with
“Habanera.”
Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
(1918-1990)
Activity #1:
Look at the melody line of “Cool” from West Side Story shown below. Connect the note
heads to discover the shape of the melody line.
“Cool” from West Side Story
Do you believe a story written over 300 years ago could
still be interesting today?
Leonard Bernstein was the composer of West Side Story, a Broadway musical
that combines dance, drama, and music to tell a very old story. The plot is based on
Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare (1564-1616). Bernstein moved the story
from Verona, Italy, to New York City. Instead of feuding families, our characters are
rival gangs. Bernstein’s music brings the story into the present.
ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Born in 1918, Leonard Bernstein
was a gifted American composer
and conductor. He composed both
symphonic music and Broadway shows.
Bernstein was a great pianist and a
popular soloist. With his orchestra,
the New York Philharmonic, he had a
successful television program. He used
the program to teach young people
about music. He was a poet, a teacher,
and a political spokesperson. He died in
1990, just weeks before his good friend
Aaron Copland died.
ABOUT THE MUSIC
West Side Story was produced in 1957 for the Broadway stage. It was later made into
a movie that won ten Academy Awards. The story involves two rival gangs, the Jets,
with Italian and Irish members, and the Sharks, whose members are Puerto Rican.
Each gang wants to be the most important group in the neighborhood. The sister of
one gang member falls in love with the former member of the rival gang. As the result
of each gang’s prejudice, a fight erupts. As always, violence leads to terrible loss and
unhappiness. The music uses modern and jazz styles, as well as musical themes that
reflect Irish, Italian, and Puerto Rican cultures.
11-12
11
Does the melody move up – or down – or both up and down?
Do the notes move by steps or leaps?
Place a check mark above the highest note and the lowest note
in the line. Notice how far apart the notes are on the staff.
Count the number of staff lines between the highest and the
lowest note. You are looking for the vertical distance, not the horizontal distance. On the
staff draw the highest and the lowest notes, one above the other.
Listen to “Cool” and trace the melody each time you hear it played. The melody is heard
once, and then repeated at a higher pitch. That’s called a sequence.
Look back at the melodies of “Morning Mood” and “Hoe-down”. Circle the highest note
and the lowest note in each example. Now compare all four pieces you have studied. The
distance between the highest and lowest notes of a melody is called its range. Which of the
pieces has the widest range? Which has the narrowest range? Can you now describe the
range, motion (stepwise or leaps) and contour (line) of each of the four melodies? Use the
chart below to record your observations. (Don’t forget: You’ve already answered some of
these questions. Now gather the information into one place.)
Activity #2:
MELODY CHARACTERISTICS
COMPOSITION
MOTION
(step/leap)
SHAPE (curve/diagonal/
/zig-zag)
RANGE
(1=narrowest to
4=widest)
Morning Mood
Hoe-down
Habanera
Cool
12
Leonard Bernstein
(1918-1990)
“Cool” from West Side Story
Resources: Leonard Bernstein, Mike Valencia; http://www.leonardbernstein.com/
(also includes information on Aaron Copland)
More About the Composer
Like Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein was born to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents.
Both composers are certainly fine examples of the “American success story” that brought
so many immigrants to this country seeking greater opportunities for themselves and
their children. Both families were also examples of immigrants who left their native
country due to problems with religious prejudice. Bernstein often spoke out against
religious prejudice.
More About the MUSIC
The dramatic theme of the play is
connected to the massive immigration
of Puerto Ricans into New York City’s
upper west side in the 1950’s and the racial
tensions that erupted during that time.
Ironically, the tenements where West Side
Story is set were later demolished to make room
for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, where
Bernstein conducted the New York Philharmonic. You
might want to review the story of Romeo and Juliet with
the class and point out that the rivalry in the play was
between families.
Activity #1:
The melody moves up and down by leaps. The first
note is the lowest note in the example. The last note is
on the highest pitch. When students look for high and
low notes in each example, remind them that they are
looking at a vertical line for high and low – as if they are
climbing up and down a ladder created by staff lines.
Students should be able to hear that the melodic pattern (motif) is repeated over and
over at different pitch levels (sequences). The use of brushes and “hi-hat” percussion
techniques is very different from the percussion in our other examples, but typical of
music which employs jazz techniques.
Activity #2:
We use the terms wide and narrow to describe musical range. When students compare
the four examples, they should observe the following characteristics:
MELODY CHARACTERISTICS
COMPOSITION
MOTION
(step/leap)
SHAPE RANGE
(curve/diagonal/zig-zag)
(1=narrowest to 4=widest)
Morning Mood
steps and small leaps
curve
1
Hoe-down
leaps
zig-zag
4
Habanera (Theme A)
steps
diagonal
2
Cool
leaps
zig-zag
3
EXPANDED
LISTENING
Listen to the complete
"Symphonic Dances" from
West Side Story. Make note
of the different styles of the
dance pieces and how they
reflect the cultural differences
DEFINITIONS
Broadway musical – a musical play in which
the dialogue is interspersed with songs that
further the plot
Sequence – the repetition of a motif or
melodic theme at a higher or lower pitch level
than the original statement of the melody
Handel
George Frideric Handel
“Hornpipe” from Water Music
(1685-1759)
If you could give a huge party for all your friends, what would it be like?
Would you plan special music? Special food? In 1717, King George I of
England planned an amazing party and asked George Handel to write the
music to entertain his guests. Both Georges really knew how to party!
ABOUT THE COMPOSER
George Frideric Handel was born in Halle, Germany. He
was playing the organ and the violin when he was just
6 years old. By the age of 11 he was composing music.
His father thought he should become a lawyer but, after
trying law for a while, Handel joined an orchestra at 18.
From Germany he went to study in Italy, the home
of his favorite music – opera. It was there that he
began to make a name for himself as a composer.
After returning to Germany to work for the Elector
(ruler) of Hanover, he made a trip to London, England.
He liked England so much, and was so popular there, that he made it his
new home. While he was in London, his boss in Germany, the Elector of Hanover, was
named King George I of England. Handel became the King’s favorite composer and
wrote music for many royal events.
ABOUT THE MUSIC
On July 17, 1717 King George I of England held a Royal Festival on the Thames River.
There were big boats, lots of people, and grand music. George Handel was asked by the
king to write the “water music” for his party. As the king and his court floated down the
river on one boat, famous and important friends of the king sailed down the river on
another, and fifty musicians were on the orchestra barge. People lined the riverbanks to
watch this spectacle, which lasted until 4:30 a.m.! The king liked Mr. Handel’s music so
much he asked for the hour-long set of pieces to be played three times. “Hornpipe” is
one movement of the Water Music Suite. A hornpipe is an English dance.
13-14
Activity #1:
Handel created this entire piece of music from just two motifs (short melodic ideas).
The two motifs are printed below. Beside them you see a colored shape which will
represent each motif every time it is heard in the music. Follow the animated music
map on the DVD first. Then follow the map on pages 15 and 16 as you listen to
“Hornpipe.” If the motif is repeated exactly, the shape and letter will be the same. If
the motif is changed in some way (turned upside down, made longer, decorated with
extra notes) you’ll see a difference in the shape or the letter. How many times is each
motif played?
1
THEME A
A
THEME B
B
2
Activity #2:
2
Try your hand at changing a motif. There are ten identical circles (one motif) above.
Leave the first circle as it is. Change each of the remaining nine circles in some way.
Suggestions: colors, decorations, etc. Use another piece of paper and keep coming
up with new ideas! Can you create an entire picture using only this one motif? This
is exactly what Handel did with his two melodic motifs in “Hornpipe.”
George Frideric Handel
(1685-1759)
“Hornpipe” from Water Music
Resources:
www.eduplace.com/ss/act/music.html; George Frideric Handel, www.gfhandel.org
More About the Composer
George F. Handel developed the form of music known as the oratorio. Like an
opera, it tells a story in words and music. Unlike an opera, it does not use staging or
scenery, and seldom uses costumes. Handel wrote 30 oratorios, and was the master
of the form. His most famous is Messiah, which contains the well-known “Hallelujah
Chorus.” J. S. Bach and G.F. Handel were perhaps the two greatest German
Baroque composers. It is interesting to note that though they were born in the same
year and were active composers who were born less than a hundred miles from each
other, they never met. Handel became an official British citizen in 1727. He is buried
in Westminster Abbey.
More About the Music
The event for which Water Music was written is an historical event much chronicled
in English history. The London Daily Courant of July 19, 1717 (two days after the
event) reported: On Wednesday Evening, at about 8, the King took Water at Whitehall
in an open Barge, wherein were also the Dutchess of Bolton…[and many other dignitaries].
And went up the River towards Chelsea. Many other Barges with Persons of Quality
attended, and so great a Number of Boats, that the whole River in a manner was
cover’d....At Eleven his Majesty went a-shore at Chelsea, where a Supper was prepar’d
and then there was another very fine Consort of Musick, which lasted till 2; after which his
Majesty came again into his Barge, and return’d the same Way, the Musick continuing to
play till he landed. They all arrived back in Whitehall at 4:30 in the morning. It appears
that the music was continuous throughout the event. One can only hope that the
musicians were well paid!
Activity #1:
This piece is at the heart of our lesson on melody. Many composers use the
techniques of motivic variation for the development of longer works. Acquaint the
students thoroughly with the two motifs used by Handel. (Play and replay the DVD
if possible.) If you have access to a keyboard instrument, use that – or ask your music
teacher to acquaint the students with the motifs.
Composers commonly use the following motivic variation techniques:
• exact repetition
• ornamentation (decorating the melody with florid passages)
• extension (adding notes at the end of the motif)
• expansion (adding notes in the middle of the motif)
• inversion (turning the intervals of the motif upside down)
• fragmentation (using an even smaller piece of the motif)
• interval change (altering the relationships among the pitches)
• rhythm changes
Spend as much time as possible
on listening and following
the road map so that
students
begin to hear all
eight of the
techniques
employed in
“Hornpipe.”Theme A is
played 14 times. Theme B is played 52 times. This is preparation for hearing the first
movement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony at the end of the program. Beethoven was
also a champion creative thinker!
Activity #2:
Provide paper and markers for students who want to extend their work on the motif
drawings. You will recognize a similarity between this activity and the Torrance Test
of Creativity commonly used to identify the fluency characteristic of creativity. Don’t
forget, creativity can be taught - through practice and opportunities to be creative.
Encourage your students to stick with this activity.
“Hornpipe”
from Water Music by George Handel
One more time...
B
B
B
B
B
15-16
B
B
B
Symphony #5 in c minor
1st Movement, Ludwig van Beethoven
1
#
6
#
Exposition
7
#
Loud, then soft • strings
2
#
Bridge
3
8
#
Exposition continues
9
#
Loud – motif change • horns
4
#
Exposition continues
Soft – new melody • strings (motif in bass)
5
#
Motif is changed in many ways
recapitulation
Full orchestra, then oboe • similar to Exposition
10
#
Coda (ending)
Exposition continues
Strings ornament motif
• Motif in woodwinds/horns • Loud
19-20
Development
Loud, then soft • horns/strings
Louder • strings
#
Exposition
repeated
Basic motif, plus new violin melody • Repeated lower
• Sudden loud powerful ending chords
Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770-1827)
Symphony #5 in C Minor, 1st Movement
ABOUT THE MUSIC
After hearing Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, a French composer walked out of the
concert hall saying, ... “when I came out...and tried to put on my hat, I could not
find my own head!”
Beethoven
How can anyone repeat the same thing
over and over, but still keep the listener
interested? Beethoven knew how.
He took a few notes – a motif – and
used them over and over again to
build the first movement of his Fifth
Symphony. This motif is said to be
the most famous four notes ever
played. You will hear Beethoven’s
famous four-note motif over
two hundred times in this
piece – but you’ll never be
bored!
ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770 in Bonn, Germany. Ludwig was the
assistant organist at the Royal Court when he was only 14 years old. When he was
17 he was sent to Vienna, Austria, to study with the famous composer Mozart.
When his mother died Ludwig had to return home to support and care for his two
brothers and young sister. Five years later he returned to Vienna where he was
praised and encouraged by such great musicians as Mozart and Haydn. The young
composer enjoyed a happy and successful life and his fame spread.
Then, at the age of 28, he began to lose his hearing. Although Ludwig was in despair
over his condition, he didn’t let it stop him. He continued to compose even after
he was totally deaf. He heard the sounds only in his mind. He struggled against the
difficulties of his life to the very end.
17-18
That is the kind of strong reaction people had in Beethoven’s own time. People
today still think this symphony is one of the most important pieces of music ever
written. When the Voyager 1 spacecraft was launched in 1977, the first movement
of the Fifth Symphony was included along with 21 other pieces of music from
around the world. The music still moves through space, waiting to be heard by
new listeners somewhere in the Universe.
Activity #1:
Can you concentrate on music
the way Beethoven did without
hearing actual sound in the
air? Choose a song you will
sing silently inside your head.
At a signal from your teacher,
think your song through from
beginning to end. You may not
close your eyes, cover your
ears, hum out loud, or tap
a beat. Were you successful
in thinking the song through
without losing your place or
the beat? Try another version
of this exercise: Choose a song
the class knows well, such as
“Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”
Have everyone sing the first
line out loud together, then
continue to just think through
the song to the end. Raise your
hand on the last word. Did
everyone finish together?
Activity #2:
Like Handel did in his “Hornpipe” from
Water Music, Beethoven used a short motif
as the basis for the entire melody of the first
movement of the Fifth Symphony (7 minutes
and 20 seconds of music). The four-note
motif is shown below.
On page 19-20 you will find a roadmap of
this piece. Follow the map as you listen. The
first movement is organized into three parts:
•
the Exposition - the motif and
some of its variations are heard for the first
time, then the Exposition is repeated
•the Development - the composer
makes dramatic changes in the motif
•
the Recapitulation Beethoven repeats the Exposition with
slight changes
Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770-1827)
Symphony #5 in C Minor, 1st Movement
Resources:
Ludwig Van Beethoven, Mike Valencia; Beethoven and the Classical Age, Andrea Bergamini;
http://www.kingsbarn.freeserve.co.uk
More About the Composer
Beethoven’s father subjected Ludwig to a very difficult regimen of practice hoping to exploit
him as a child prodigy like Mozart. Beethoven was not a child prodigy but his talent was
recognized early. He studied with both Mozart and Haydn in Vienna. Though he studied
with the greatest teacher/composers, Beethoven developed his singular style according to
his own tastes.
Beethoven was said to have terrible manners, a disheveled appearance, and an awful
disposition. Despite his personal shortcomings his public accepted his work and his genius.
Beethoven lived during a time of social change, with aristocracies giving way to democracies
and republics. Consequently, he could not depend on patronage for his living. Beethoven was
among the first businessmen/composers; selling his music to publishers, presenting concerts,
negotiating contracts, and seeking commissions.
Beethoven was responsible for a transformation
in European musical style. He is said to bridge the
Classical period (of Haydn and Mozart) and the
Romantic period (of Brahms and Tchaikovsky).
More About the Music
Beethoven was never satisfied with the first version
of a composition. He said, “individual compositions
can always be improved, no matter how good they
are already...” Shortly after the score of the Fifth
Symphony was sent to the publishers, Beethoven
sent them a list of corrections and improvements. He
wrote, “One should not want to be so like a god as
not to have to correct something here and there in
one’s created works.” The Fifth Symphony was first sketched out in 1804. The final
corrections were sent to the publishers in 1809.
Activity #1: Beethoven’s deafness is fascinating to students. It’s hard for them
to imagine how someone can be deaf, yet write complex music that he or she will
never hear. This exercise is designed to help students experience what Beethoven
experienced. Most people find it very difficult to hear a piece of music from
beginning to end only within their own minds. It is possible to improve one’s ability
to “think through” a piece of music. Help students persist with this exercise until
they can think through the music from beginning to end.
Activity #2: The basic motif of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is probably already
familiar to your students. Watch the animated map on the DVD, then direct
students’ attention to the roadmap on pages 19-20. The symphony follows classical
symphonic form: Exposition, Development and Recapitulation. The Exposition lays
out the musical ideas for the first time, and then the entire section is repeated. In the
Development, the composer explores several motivic variation techniques: extension,
ornamentation, and fragmentation, among others. Even melodic lines that sound
different from the basic four-note motif are derived from it. In the Recapitulation,
the musical ideas of the Exposition appear again. The Coda is a formal ending added
to the end of the piece, but Beethoven, ever the inventor, adds some new melodic
material at the last minute. The motif and its
variations are played over two hundred times
EXPANDED LISTENING
(according to some analysts of the piece).
Listen to Beethoven’s entire
Fifth Symphony. Listen for
the recurrence of the motif
throughout the work.
Study Guide Objectives
Each lesson addresses these objectives:
Objective #
Grades
QCC Strand
QCC Standard
1
3,4,5
General Music
Responds to music in a variety of instrumental and vocal styles through listening,
moving, singing, and playing instruments.
2
3,4,5
General Music
Distinguishes among string, woodwind, brass, percussion and electronic
instrument families by sight and sound.
3
3,4,5,6,7,8
General Music
Distinguishes among repeating and contrasting phrases, sections and simple
formal structures—ABA.
4
3,4,5,6,7,8
General Music; Music Appreciation,
History and Literature
Demonstrates growth in knowledge of music vocabulary appropriate to the level.
5
3,4,5,6,7,8
General Music
Describes personal response to listening selections.
6
4,5,6,7,8
Music Appreciation, History and Literature
Expands knowledge of selected famous composers and their music.
5,6,7,8
General Music
Describes the expressive effect of music in terms of its elements: melody, rhythm,
harmony, timbre and tonality.
6,7,8
Music Appreciation, History and Literature
Listens to music or examines scores to describe the elements (rhythm, melody,
harmony, form, dynamics and timbre) of music from developmentally appropriate
selections.
6,7,8
Music Appreciation, History and Literature
Demonstrates an aesthetic understanding of music and its relationship to the
other arts.
6,7,8
Music Appreciation, History and Literature
Analyzes and makes critical judgments about music.
6,7,8
Music Appreciation, History and Literature
Integrates many elements of the study of music with other art forms and other
curricular areas and related use of technology.
7
8
9
10
11
Meet the Conductor
Jere Flint is the ASO Staff Conductor. He conducts
the Symphony Street Concerts, the Family Concert
Series and the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra.
When not on the podium, he is a member of the ASO
cello section. The conductor is the person who stands
in front of the orchestra and leads the music. The
conductor’s instrument is the whole orchestra! The
musicians follow the conductor’s arm movements in
order to play together. The conductor reads from the
score. The score helps the conductor see what each
instrument should be playing at any moment. The
conductor starts and stops the orchestra and sets the speed (tempo) of the music.
He keeps the beat and shows the players how the music should be played.
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Learning Community Staff
Paul Hogle, Vice President/Institutional Advancement & Learning
Melanie Darby, Director of Education Programming
Lindsay Fisher, Learning Community Specialist & Ensembles Coordinator
Mariel Reynolds, ASO Community Catalyst
Beth Wilson, Director of Student Musician Development
The 2009-2010 ASO Concerts for Young People study guide was developed
and written by Susan Merritt.
Sponsors/Funders
Below, Maestro Flint answers some questions to help you get to know him
1. Tell us something about your childhood.
I was born on Long Island, New York, and loved “going into the city” (Manhattan,
that is) with all its sights and sounds! I also played Little League baseball and ran track
in high school.
2. What was the first musical experience you remember?
I remember as a little kid finding a conductor’s baton somewhere. I would wave it around
to my favorite records (those are round black pieces of vinyl that pre-date CD’s).
3. Do you have any advice for young musicians?
Take up an instrument or just sing, and pursue all kinds of music whether it is classical, pop,
rock, jazz. Even if you don’t make a career of music, it will always be an important and
enjoyable part of your life.
4. How did you get interested in music?
I wanted to play the violin like my big brother, but my parents talked me into playing the
cello. My sister played the piano, so we ended up with a very fine trio!
5. How did you learn to conduct?
Anyone can learn the patterns that a conductor uses to keep the beat. Conducting a lot
of people in an orchestra takes other important skills, such as knowledge of the different
instruments, reading musical scores, studying the various musical styles of the centuries,
and presenting a great live orchestra performance for people like you.
21-22
ASO Concerts for Young People are sponsored by:
Kathy Griffin Memorial Endowment
Additional Education Funding is provided by:
The ASCAP Foundation
Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Foundation
The Coca-Cola Company
Delta Air Lines
GE Energy
The Goizueta Foundation
The E Z Agape Foundation
William Randolph Hearst Foundation
The Kendeda Fund
Hellen Ingram Plummer Charitable Foundation
Kraft Foods, Inc.
League of American Orchestras
Livingston Foundation, Inc.
MetLife Music for Life Initiative
Publix Super Markets and Publix Super Markets Charities, Inc.
Woodruff Arts Center Celebrates Diversity Through the Arts Program
The Zeist Foundation, Inc.
The Learning Community is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts; the City of Atlanta, Office of Cultural Affairs;
and the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. GCA also
receives support from its partner agency, the National Endowment for the Arts. Major funding is provided by the Fulton
County Commission under the guidance of the Fulton County Arts Council
A Note to Parents:
The ASO Family Concerts
presented by Delta Air Lines and Publix Supermarket Charities
We are delighted that your child will have an opportunity to visit Symphony Hall to
hear the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. This student guide is part of the extensive
preparation materials provided for educators to use in preparing young people for
October 25, 2009
March 14, 2010
the concert. The teacher materials are available for your perusal on the Internet at
Magical Musical
Toy Box Halloween
Dr. Seuss’ Green
Eggs & Ham
www.atlantasymphony.org.
The theme of the 2009-2010 ASO Concerts for Young People is melody. Through
The Soul of Music, students will explore the mystery of melody, what melody is,
where melodies come from, and how composers create them. In subsequent years,
students will learn about the other elements of music. We hope you will encourage
your school leaders to take advantage of these future concerts.
Beginning this season the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is pleased to offer $12 tickets
Jere Flint, conductor
Wendy Bennett,
storyteller & vocalist
Lee Harper & Dancers
1:30 & 3:30pm
February 7, 2010
The Classical Clown
Jere Flint, conductor
Dan Kamin, guest artist
1:30 & 3:30pm
Jere Flint, conductor
1:30 & 3:30pm
May 9, 2010
Peter and the Wolf
Jere Flint, conductor
Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra
Magic Circle Mime Company,
guest artist
1:30 & 3:30pm
to all GMEA and GA PTA members and a guest on selected concerts throughout
the season. To purchase these discount tickets, simply show your GMEA or
GA PTA membership card at the Woodruff Arts Center Box Office. Please check
the GMEA website www.gmea.org or contact ASO Group Sales 404.733.4848,
asogroups@woodruffcenter.org for more details.
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra provides other opportunities for you to share the
Atlanta Symphony
Youth Orchestra
presented
by:
Fall Concert
ASO Talent
Development
Program
TDP Musicale
Sunday November 15, 2009, 3pm
Dvorak: Symphony #9
“From The New World”
November 8, 2009, 6pm
Richard Rich Auditorium
Woodruff Arts Center
afternoons, you and your children may enjoy concerts performed by the Atlanta
Winter Concert
Symphony Youth Orchestra. This talented group of student musicians ranging in age
Sunday February 28, 2010, 3pm
Sibelius: Symphony #2
TDP Spring Recital
joy of music with your child. The Sunday afternoon Family Concert series is designed
to be an entertaining learning experience for the whole family. Also on Sunday
from 13-18 performs three subscription concerts a year. Or you may want to attend
the Spring Recital of our extraordinary Talent Development Program students. We
Spring Concert
hope you’ll take advantage of these and other concerts to instill in your child a love
Sunday May 16, 2010, 7:30pm
Bernstein: “Symphonic Dances” from
West Side Story
of orchestral music – a lifelong gift that your child will treasure.
back cover/student guide
back cover/student guide
April 18, 2010, 4pm
Richard Rich Auditorium
Woodruff Arts Center