symphonic snapshots - teachers' pack · 1 symphonic*snapshots:*heroes&and&villains*...

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SYMPHONIC*SNAPSHOTS:*Heroes&and&Villains*Teachers’&Pack&by&Paul&Rissmann&**Welcome&to&Symphonic&Snapshots.&This&schools&concert&has&been&specially&designed&to&introduce&your&class&to&the&incredible&sound&of&the&symphony&orchestra.&During&the&performance&you&will&meet&a&host&of&musical&heroes&and&villain,&explore&how&composers&use&the&instruments&of&the&orchestra&to&create&vivid&pictures&and&also&take&part&in&a&premier&performance&of&my&new&composition&H2Oz.&&The&concert&programme&features:&&&&Copland* * Fanfare*for*the*Common*Man& & & & &&Mozart* * The*Marriage*of*Figaro*Overture* * * &&Saint@Saëns** Danse*Macabre& * * * &&Elgar* * * Enigma*Variations&(excerpts)& * * * &

Theme&&&Variations&4,&7&and&11&&John*Williams* Shark*Theme&from%Jaws% * *& & &Bizet* * * Habanera&&*Les*Toréadors&from%Carmen**Stravinsky* * The*Infernal*Dance*of*King*Kastchei*from%The%Firebird%% % * * * *Paul*Rissmann* H2Oz*@*Audience*Participation*Piece&&NB:%Please%see%the%separate%teaching%resource%for%more%information%on%H2Oz.%This%is%music%your%class%will%perform%during%the%concert.%*Hans*Zimmer* Pirates*of*the*Caribbean:*At*World’s*End**&&COMPOSING*IN*CLASS*This&pack&contains&three&creative&projects&inspired&by&the&music&of&Elgar,&John&Williams&and&Stravinsky.&Each&project&relates&directly&to&music&you&will&hear&in&concert&and&will&inspire&your&students&to&create&and&perform&their&own&group&composition.&&&Even&though&the&activities&relate&directly&to&complex&orchestral&scores,&they&have&been&devised&to&be&easily&deliverable&by&nonQspecialist&teachers&using&standard&classroom&percussion.&&&The&primary&purpose&of&these&activities&is&to&enable&your&students&to&establish&a&direct&connection&to&the&concert&repertoire&–&not&through&rigorous&academic&study,&but&through&handsQon&practical&musicQmaking.&&All&of&the&projects&that&follow&will&work&equally&as&well&as&pre&or&post&concert&activities.&&

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CREATIVE*PROJECT*No.1*–*inspired*by*Edward*Elgar*&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Edward&Elgar&was&born&in&England&in&1857&into&a&large&musical&family.&His&father&was&a&piano&tuner&who&also&owned&a&music&shop,&so&young&Edward&was&surrounded&by&music.&Under&pressure&to&contribute&to&the&family&finances,&Edward&left&school&at&15&and&took&a&job&in&an&office.&But&just&one&year&later,&he&decided&to&abandon&the&security&that&9Q5&offered&and&embark&on&a&musical&career.&Like&many&musicians,&Elgar&juggled&a&busy&life&which&included&a&lot&of&teaching&and&being&bandmaster&in&the&local&mental&hospital.&&Elgar’s&composing&career&meandered&well&into&his&40’s&with&only&minimal&success.&The&turning&point&for&him&came&in&1899&with&the&first&performance&of&his&Enigma%Variations&Q&it&was&a&massive&hit&and&thrust&Elgar&onto&an&international&stage.&Overnight,&he&was&offered&opportunities&beyond&his&wildest&dreams.&For&example,&Elgar&was&the&first&orchestral&composer&to&have&a&career&in&the&recording&studio.&The&newly&invented&gramophone&enabled&Elgar&to&record&a&catalogue&of&his&music&onto&vinyl&(well&as&long&the&piece&was&less&than&4&minutes&in&duration&–&since&at&the&turn&of&the&20th&century&that’s&all&that&would&fit&onto&one&side&of&a&record!).&&After&the&devastation&left&by&the&1st&World&War,&Elgar’s&music&became&intertwined&with&British&identity.&CrowdQpleasing&favourites&such&as&Land%of%Hope%and%Glory&and&his&Pomp%and%Circumstance%Marches&firmly&established&him&as&the&UK’s&most&beloved&composer.&&Variations*For&over&100&years,&musicologists&have&been&bamboozled&by&Elgar’s&Enigma%Variations&and&it&still&sparks&heated&debate&today.&Here&is&what&I&know&as&fact:&&On&the&21st&October&1898,&Elgar&arrived&home&after&a&hard&day&of&teaching.&Exhausted,&he&lit&his&pipe,&sat&down&at&the&piano&and&began&to&improvise.&As&he&played,&he&stumbled&across&a&melody&which&we&now&know&as&the&Enigma*Theme.&His&wife&Caroline&immediately&commented&on&its&beauty.&Elgar&then&proceeded&to&play&around&with&his&theme,&suggesting&to&his&wife&how&various&friends&and&family&

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might&play&the&tune.&They&both&really&liked&the&idea&of&a&series&of&musical&caricatures&and&at&that&very&moment&the&Enigma%Variations&were&born.&&&The&intrigue&surrounding&Enigma&was&due&entirely&to&a&rather&cryptic&programme&note&Elgar&wrote&for&the&first&performance.&In&it,&he&stated&that&his&14&variations&reflect&the&character&of&various&friends&and&family,&but&also&suggested&that&another&theme&could&fit&‘through%and%over%the%whole%set’.&&&&This&instigated&a&witchQhunt&for&a&new&melody&that&would&fit&with&the&Enigma&Theme.&Over&the&years,&God%Save%the%Queen&and&Auld%Lang%Syne&have&been&the&two&prime&candidates,&though&both&are&clunky&and&don’t&work&especially&well,&and&besides,&Elgar&says&the&theme&fits&‘through%and%over%the%whole%set’.&&&Does&that&mean&the&theme&has&to&fit&with&all&of&his&14&variations?&&Elgar&never&revealed&the&solution&to&the&enigma,&and&wisely&so.&This&musical&mystery&ensured&his&music&remained&as&an&orchestral&favourite&throughout&the&world&to&this&very&day.&Some&have&suggested&that&the&solution&could&even&be&nonQmusical.&Is&the&theme&that&fits&‘through%and%over%the%whole%set’&simply&friendship?&&&Sadly&we’ll&never&know&–&though&it&was&a&pretty&slick&marketing&trick&by&Elgar.&

%%

Elgar%made%14%Variations%on%the%Enigma%Theme%%and%labelled%most%of%them%with%the%friend’s%initials.%

&&

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PLAY*THE*ENIGMA*THEME&*The&best&way&to&understand&Elgar’s&Enigma%Variations&is&to&play&or&sing&the&main&theme.&Luckily&Elgar’s&melody&is&clear&and&simple&and&easy&to&perform&on&classroom&percussion.&&The*Enigma*Theme*Learn&to&play&or&sing&the&melody&below.&I&have&transposed&it&into&as&classroom&friendly&a&key&as&possible,&so&it&will&work&well&played&on&xylophones&or&chime&bars.&However,&if&it&is&too&challenging&for&the&children&to&play&the&entire&theme,&simply&break&it&up&into&six&smaller&chunks&Q&with&each&child&responsible&for&playing&just&a&single&phrase&(or&bar)&of&music.&

&

&&

NB:&If&your&classroom&instruments&don’t&have&any&sharps&or&flats&don’t&worry&–&you&can&replace&the&final&F#&(F&sharp)&of&this&theme&for&the&note&D&instead.&It&will&sound&just&as&good.&&And&if&you&get&stuck&mastering&the&rhythm&of&the&theme,&have&a&listen&to&a&recording&of&the&music.&&&Once&everyone&can&confidently&play&it,&make&some&text&to&fit&with&the&music&and&sing&the&theme.&& &

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MAKE*A*SERIES*OF*A*VARIATIONS**A&variation&is&a&musical&term&which&nowadays&we’d&simply&call&a&remix.&In&a&variation&you&hear&a&tune&(or&theme)&played&in&a&different&way.&A&composer&may&focus&on&just&a&tiny&part&of&the&theme,&or&take&bits&taken&out&it&or&even&add&new&parts&to&it.&But&the&inspiration&behind&the&variation&will&always&be&the&original&tune.&&&Here&is&a&short&list&of&ways&to&make&a&musical&variation:&

•& change&the&dynamics&–&varying&the&volume&of&the&music&will&make&it&sound&quite&different.&

•& alter&the&tempo&–&try&playing&the&music&at&a&different&speed.&•& try&different&phrasing&&Q&can&you&make&the&music&smoother,&or&more&spiky.&•& play&it&with&a&new&rhythm.&•& perform&the&theme&backwards.&How%does%it%sound?&

&Once&the&children&are&confident&playing&Elgar’s&theme,&split&the&class&into&small&groups&and&challenge&each&of&them&to&make&a&short&and&simple&variation&of&the&Elgar’s&theme.&Try&using&one&or&more&of&the&ideas&above.&&How%different%can%each%group%make%their%music%sound?%&Variations*in*the*style*of*Elgar’s*Friends*Now&try&and&make&some&variations&using&techniques&borrowed&from&Elgar.&&&W.M.B.*–*The*Grumpy*Old*Man*Variation&IV&is&labelled&as&W.M.B.&which&stands&for&William&Meath&Baker.&He&was&a&rich&country&squire&with&a&reputation&for&his&ferocious&temper.&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Elgar&made&his&variation&by&removing&all&the&rests&(gaps)&from&the&enigma&theme,&and&playing&it&very&quickly&and&very&loudly.&&&Give&it&a&go:&

•& play&the&enigma&theme&without&any&gaps&between&the&phrases.&Take&out&all&the&rests&in&the&music.&

•& now&play&the&music&as&loudly&as&possible&–&you&may&wish&to&add&some&unpitched&percussion&to&the&music.&

•& how%can%you%make%the%music%sound%really%‘grumpy’?%

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G.R.S – Dan the Dog Variation&XI&–&G.R.S.&is&all&about&George&Robertson&Sinclair’s&bulldog&Dan.&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Elgar’s&music&tells&about&the&day&Dan&accidentally&fell&into&a&river.&His&music&represents&Dan’s&aquatic&adventure&with&a&special&variation.&The&music&is&fast&and&exciting,&but&still&closely&linked&to&the&original&tune.&&&Using&the&enigma&theme&(or&bits&of&it)&as&a&starting&point,&can&the&class&make&music&that&sounds&like:&

•& a&dog&falling&into&a&river.&•& a&dog&splashing&around&in&the&water&(Elgar&plays&the&notes&of&his&theme&quickly&–&one&after&the&other&but&without&their&original&rhythm).&&

•& a&dog&letting&out&a&loud&bark.&What%instruments%would%be%best%for%this?&•& a&dog&with&a&bell&on&his&collar&(Elgar&uses&the&triangle&in&the&orchestra&to&represent&this).&

The Ultimate Challenge Finally,&try&taking&Elgar’s&theme&and&make&a&variation&in&the&style&of&a&famous&person,&or&a&favourite&character&from&a&book&or&even&a&teacher&at&school.&&It&may&be&fun&to&keep&your&musicQmaking&secret&from&the&rest&of&the&class.&Once&you’ve&made&your&variation,&perform&it&to&your&classmates&and&see&if&they&can&guess&who&it&is.&&&Listen*to*Elgar*Finally,&listen&to&some&of&Elgar’s&Enigma%Variations.&In&our&concert&we&will&only&play&a&short&selection&of&them&but&if&the&children&enjoy&this&creative&project&then&I’m&sure&they&will&be&interested&to&hear&more&of&Elgar’s&music.&&&Try&listening&to&some&the&other&movements&in&the&suite&and&then&discuss&what&they&think&the&person&would&be&like.&&&&&&

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CREATIVE*PROJECT*No.2*–*inspired*by*John*Williams*

&&&&

&&Even&though&your&students&are&far&too&young&to&have&watched&it,&all&children&seem&to&know&John&Williams’&classic&soundtrack&to&the&movie&Jaws.&The&first&two&notes&of&the&score&are&immediately&recognisable&and&brilliantly&heighten&tension&in&the&film.&But&musically&of&course,&those&two&notes&are&ridiculously&straightforward.&&Apparently&when&John&Williams&sat&down&at&a&piano&to&play&Stephen&Spielberg&his&great&idea&for&the&film&about&the&great&white&shark,&Spielberg&cried….&&

‘You’ve(got(to(be(kidding!’*&Today,&the&deathly&toll&of&two&bass&notes&is&enough&to&strike&fear&into&seafarers&around&the&world.&But&why&is&this&score&so&successful&and&what&can&we&learn&from&it?&&John&Williams’&great&idea&was&built&from&the&musical&interval&of&the&SEMITONE.&The&semitone&is&the&smallest&possible&interval&in&western&classical&music&Q&and&has&a&tense,&tight&sound.&&&The&easiest&way&to&find&a&semitone&is&on&a&piano&(I&promise&that&you&can&find&it&even&if&you&don’t&play&piano).&Just&play&a&white&note&and&then&the&black&note&immediately&next&to&it.&The&term&semitone&describes&the&space&(or&interval)&between&these&two&notes.&&However,&the&best&way&to&play&a&semiQtone&on&classroom&tuned&percussion&would&be&to&play&the&note&E&followed&by&the&note&F&or&the&note&B&followed&by&the&note&C.&These&two&sets&of&semitones&don’t&require&any&black&notes.&&And&if&you&have&the&luxury&of&playing&these&notes&low&enough&Q&such&as&in&the&bottom&range&of&a&piano&(or&with&the&entire&double&bass&section&of&the&orchestra)&they&start&to&sound&really&frightening.&So&it&is&the&semitone&that&gives&Jaws&his&bite.&&

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But&this&is&not&an&exclusive&feature&of&Jaws,&movie&composers&have&used&the&semitone&to&scare&audiences&for&decades.&&John&Williams&is&also&a&composer&who&knows&how&to&exploit&silence&in&his&score.&You&may&find&this&incredible,&but&composers&actually&get&paid&for&writing&nothing.&Bars&rest,&gaps&in&the&music,&dramatic&pauses,&sections&of&the&score&with&absolutely&no&noise&(but&which&form&an&integral&part&of&the&composition)&are&all&still&chargeable!&&&&The&legendary&first&two&notes&in&Jaws&are&surrounded&by&silence.&And&that&void&is&equally&as&important&in&generating&a&sense&of&fear&as&the&sound&of&the&semitone.&&&In&music,&silence&equals&suspense.&It&seems&that&what&you&don’t&include&is&just&as&important&as&what&you&do!&**MAKE*A*SOUNDTRACK*&This project will challenge the class to create their own dramatic sound picture using the two key musical features we identified in John Williams’ soundtrack to Jaws – the semitone and silence. &

1.& Start&by&explaining&semitones&to&the&class&(see&the&explanation&above).&Use&a&piano&or&pitched&percussion&to&illustrate&the&interval.&&

2.& Now,&try&singing&two&notes&a&semitone&apart.&This&is&really&easy&to&do&Q&you&simply&slide&your&voice&upwards&or&downwards&in&pitch.&Add&a&little&drama&to&the&process&by&adding&some&text&to&the&activity&Q&such&as%“Oh%no!”.&

%Extension*If&your&class&are&confident&singers,&challenge&them&to&sing&two&notes&a&semitone&apart&–&simultaneously.&Split&the&class&in&two,&teach&one&half&to&sing&a&single&pitch&(for&instance&an&E)&Q&and&the&other&half&to&sing&a&pitch&a&semitone&higher&(an&F).&&&Can%they%all%sing%their%respective%pitch%at%the%same%time?%How%does%it%sound?%How%about%singing%through%the%alphabet%or%doing%your%times%tables%glued%permanently%to%these%two%pitches.%%

3.& Now,&imagine&you&are&directing&a&scene&for&a&big&budget&movie.&Storyboard&this&with&the&children&on&a&whiteboard&–&aim&to&make&the&story&as&dramatic&(and&scary&if&you&like)&as&possible.&&

However, it could be a simple scenario like this:

•&John&and&Belinda&are&walking&home&late&at&night.&•& It&is&cold&and&dark.&&•&A&loud&shriek&pierces&the&air.&•&Suddenly&they&feel&scared.&•&John&and&Belinda&run&at&top&speed&to&their&front&door.&•&Their&mum&opens&the&door&Q&they&are&safe.&•&A&black&cat&strides&down&the&street.&

&

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4.& Try&and&transform&each&bullet&point&into&sound.&Wherever&possible,&use&what&we’ve&highlighted&from&John&Williams’&music&Q&the&semitone&and&the&importance&of&silence&to&add&drama.&

&5.& Once&the&class&have&made&their&music,&invite&some&children&to&act&out&the&scenario&Q&whilst&others&play&the&music.&&

&% Can%they%make%their%music%and%drama%to%fit%perfectly%together?%&&Advanced*Extension*Why&not&film&the&finished&product&so&the&class&are&able&to&review&their&work&as&audience&members&and&critics.&&&Discuss&the&relationship&between&music&and&drama.&&Does%it%work%well?%%If%so,%why?%%If%not,%what%do%they%need%to%do%to%increase%the%tension%in%their%performance?%%As&a&final&challenge,&invite&the&children&to&play&their&music&live&to&their&preQrecorded&film.&Just&turn&the&volume&down&on&the&movie&file&and&try&to&play&along&to&it&–&aim&to&fit&the&music&exactly&to&the&action&on&screen.&&&Congratulations,&your&class&are&now&officially&film&composers.&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&* &

10

CREATIVE*PROJECT*No.3*–*inspired*by*Igor*Stravinsky*&

&At&the&turn&of&the&20th&century,&the&Russian&impresario&Serge&Diaghilev&planed&to&introduce&Paris&to&world&of&Russian&ballet.&He&mounted&sensational&productions,&which&were&incredibly&popular&and&created&a&buzz&similar&to&that&of&a&modern&West&End&Show&or&a&Broadway&Musical.&If&you&visited&Paris,&you&just&had&to&go&see&the&Ballets%Russes.%&Diaghilev&commissioned&an&unknown&26QyearQold&Russian&to&compose&music&for&a&ballet&of&The%Firebird.&The&young&and&eager&Igor&Stravinsky&wrote&a&stunning&score,&which&combined&with&cutting&edge&choreography&was&an&instant&hit.&&*Stravinsky&was&a&musical&genius,&intent&on&exploring&new&sonorities.&His&music&played&such&an&important&role&in&shaping&orchestral&music&in&the&20th&century,&that&I&can&confidently&say&music&Q&even&pop&music&Q&would&not&be&as&it&is&today&had&Igor&Stravinsky&had&not&existed.&&*During&our&concert,&the&orchestra&will&perform&a&movement&from&Stravinsky’s&Firebird%Suite%called&–&The%Infernal%Dance&of&King&Kastchei. **The*Firebird’s*Tale*The&Firebird’s&story&fuses&together&two&Russian&folktales,&the&sum&of&which&would&make&a&blockbuster&Disney&movie.&You&can&easily&find&several&versions&of&the&story&online,&but&for&the&purpose&of&our&work,&I&am&going&to&simplify&it&to&just&a&few&basic&facts:&&Prince*Ivan&is&a&hero&on&a&quest&to&recover&golden&apples&stolen&from&his&father&and&to&rescue&13&princesses.&&King*Kastchei&(pronounced&KATQCHEYE)&is&a&villain.&He&is&an&evil&skeleton&magician&who&kidnaps&princesses&and&turns&princes&into&stone.&&

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MAKE*AN*INFERNAL*DANCE*FOR*KING*KASTCHEI*&When&King&Kastchei&discovers&Prince&Ivan&wandering&through&his&magical&garden&he&is&furious.&This&project&will&enable&your&students&to&create&some&music&to&describe&his&raging&temper.&You&students&will&learn&to&say,&clap&and&play&the&theme&Stravinsky&composed&to&describe&Kastchei’s&fury&(albeit&in&a&simpler&form).*&*

1.& Learn&to&say&the&word&pattern&below.&Please&excuse&the&text,&it&is&just&a&bit&of&fun&–&however&its&rhythm&is&very&important.&Feel&free&to&make&alternative&words&if&you&like.&

&BEATS*

1* 2* 3* 4* 5* 6*King& Kas&Q& Q&tchei’s& gone& bright*red,* @*He& won’t& come& out& to*play,* @*You’d& be&Q& Q&tter& stay& away,* @*

Someone* put*hot* chilli* in*his* chocolate* spread&&*The best way to practice the text is by clicking your fingers and saying the words on top. Start by counting and clicking to 6 and then say the text on top. Notice that in the shaded boxes (with the bold text) there are two words or words with two syllables. These need to be spoken very quickly. &2.& Once&you&can&confidently&say&the&rap,&try&playing&its&rhythm&using&unQpitched&percussion&instruments.&Only&select&instruments&that&can&make&short&and&sharp&sounds&–&such&as&a&drum,&tambourine,&cabasa.&

&3.& It&will&really&help&if&one&person&marks&the&six&steady&beats&on&a&drum.&This&is&the&PULSE.*Have&one&person&play&the&pulse,&while&everyone&else&says&and&plays&the&rap&on&top.&

NB: Make sure you keep saying the words when you play as it will help you stay in time.

4.& Now,&find&some&different&ways&to&play&the&word&pattern.&Experiemnt&with&instruments&only&playing&a&specific&line.&For&example:&

Tambourines - play line 1 Woodblocks - play line 2 Claves - play line 3 Everyone - plays line 4

Can you find other ways to organise your resources?

5.& Sort&all&the&children’s&ideas&into&one&complete&piece&of&music.&You&could&even&make&new&text&or&further&verses.&Just&make&sure&that&you&stick&with&the&rhythm&of&the&words.&

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Steal from Stravinsky Here are some further ideas taken directly from Stravinsky’s score. Use them to develop your music.

•& Start&with&a&massive&bang.&Stravinsky&begins&The%Infernal%Dance&with&an&orchestral&gesture&that&is&absolutely&deafening&Q&but&also&incredibly&short.&

Can the class make one loud and short gesture exactly together?

•& Follow&this&with&a&rumble,&played&quietly&and&quickly&on&a&drum&while&everyone&else&says&the&rap&on&top.&&

•& Play&the&word&pattern&on&pitched&instruments.&You&will&need&the&notes&A,*B,*C,*E&and&Eb&(pronounced&E&Flat).&But&if&you&are&chromatically&challenged&in&class&and&don’t&have&the&note&Eb&on&your&classroom&instruments&–&simply&play&E&instead.&

Here is the note order of Stravinsky’s music: &BEATS*

1* 2* 3* 4* 5* 6*

King&B*

Kas&–&C*

Q&tchei’s&A*

gone&B*

bright*red,*C*@*A* @*

He&B&

won’t&C&

come&A&

out&C*

to*play,*E*–*Eb* @*

You’d&B&

beQ&C&

Q&tter&A&

stay&C&

a@way,*E*–*Eb* @*

Someone*****

put*hot*****

chilli*****

in*his*****

chocolate*****

spread&**

&**Choose&your&own&notes&to&fit&with&the&last&line.&However,&restrict&your&selection&to&the&pitches&A*B*C*D*E*F.&Any&of&those&notes,&in&any&order&will&sound&great.&*

•& Finally&add&a&simple&accompaniment*by&playing&the&notes&A&and&E*together,&as&a&pulse&underneath&the&theme.&&

&Aim&to&make&your&music&sound&as&exciting&but&as&evil&as&possible.&&&Have&fun.&&©&Paul&Rissmann,&April&2015&