MC - Rep Listening Book 2

Frederic Chopin - Berceuse BABY'S SLEEPING is a lullaby. Your job is to "lull" a baby to sleep by your performance. Do you think you should play this piece loudly or softly? Why? A berceuse is also a lullaby. The french word - berceur - is a cradle rocker. Did you ever hear of "rocking a baby to sleep"? Can you hear a gentle "rocking" in Chopin's Berceuse?

Johann Sebastian Bach - Prelude in C from Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 CAN'T STOP is a piece of non-stop staccato quarter notes. This pattern begins in the first measure and continues to the last measure. Bach begins his Prelude in C in a pattern that continues through the whole composition, too. This using of pattern throughout a complete composition was common in Bach's time. Composers still use this idea today. Can you hear Bach's non-stop pattern?

Peter Tchaikovsky - Capriccio Italiene The ITALIAN HOLIDAY uses a rhythm that is common to a lively italian dance called a tarantella. In a tarantella you will often hear a series of long notes followed by short notes, i.e. -- long - short - long - short - long - short. The ITALIAN HOLIDAY uses this long - short idea as does Tchaikovsky in his Capriccio Italiene. Find the measures where this is used in ITALIAN HOLIDAY. Can you spot this long - short pattern in Tchaikovsky's composition?

Sergi Rachmaninoff - Prelude in G minor The March has always been a favorite style for composers. Since we march with two feet marches fit into a rhythm of 2 - a strong beat followed by a weak beat. Can you spot this rhythm of 2 in SOLDIER'S MARCHING? Can you spot this rhythm in Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G minor?

George Frederick Handel - Behold the Lamb of God - from Messiah Nothing in music can attract our attention as a captivating theme. Notice the way Handel repeats his theme - Behold the Lamb of God. We hear this theme six times by the chorus and three times in the short introduction before the chorus begins. Handel has given us his theme for this composition 9 times in less than 45 seconds. That helps us capture our attention on the music. Handel is one of the great masters of choral composition.

Johann Sebastian Bach - Fugue in C minor from Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 A fugue is a composition that features a short captivating theme that's repeated throughout the composition in various "voices" -- soprano - alto - tenor - bass. Listen to this fugue by one the the greatest masters of fugal writing, J.S. Bach. How many times do you hear Bach's theme? Your teacher can help you.

Aaron Copland - Ching-a-Ring Chaw from Old American Songs - Set 2 Folk Songs have always been like magnets to composers throughout the ages. Aaron Copland took several American Folk Songs and arranged them for voice and orchestra. Middle C Repertoire Book 2 contains several American Folk Songs including SHORTNIN' BREAD. When you play folk songs you are bringing attention to the musical roots of a people. Folk Songs bring us in touch with all the wondrous peoples that share our planet.

Carl Nielsen - Hindu Dance from Aladdin Suite The musical scale is the foundation from which composers build their themes for their compositions. Different parts of the world use scales different from ours. Countries east of the Mediterranean Sea use scales different from what we're used to in the "West". The two ARABIAN NIGHTS give us a flavor of these exotic scales. Carl Nielsen also gives us a flavor of these scales in Hindu Dance from his Aladdin Suite.

Peter Tchaikovsky - Sleeping Beauty Waltz Waltzes as ever popular. Johann Strauss was a composer known as the Waltz King but Tchaikovsky left us with some waltz masterpieces, too. A waltz is characterized by being organized into a rhythm of three -- STRONG - weak - weak. CRYSTAL CHANDELIERS, WALTZ IN C MAJOR and WALTZ IN C MINOR are some examples of waltzes in our Middle C Repertoire Book 2. Notice they are all in 3/4 time. Can you count in 3's to the Sleeping Beauty Waltz?

Frederic Chopin - "Winter Wind" Etude Often a composer will prepare us for his composition by giving us an introduction. Introductions prepare us for what's to follow. LADYBUGS contains a short introduction that sets the mood for the main part of the composition that begins in measure 5. Chopin introduces us to his "Winter Wind" Etude by first stating his main theme very slowly. This is the calm before the storm - before the whirlwind of notes begins.

Peter Tchaikovsky - Introduction to Symphony #6 Another example of music picturing something mysterious and unknown. Sherlock Holmes was a famous fictitious detective who could solve almost any mystery by using his uncommon ability to reason. I imaging MR SHERLOCK HOLMES sneeking up on a criminal that's totally unaware that he is about to be captured.

George Frederic Handel - Hornpipe from Water Music A Hornpipe is both compositional style and a musical instrument of British origin often associated with sailors. A Hornpipe was a reed instrument using animal horn as the frame. Hornpipes originally were written in a rhythm of 3's (3/2) but in time also became to be associated with a rhythm of 4's (4/4). Handel's Hornpipe is written in 3's. Can you tap out the rhythm in 3's as the music is playing? Your teacher can help you.

Modest Mussorgsky - The Ancient Castle from Pictures at an Exhibition There's something about an old abandoned castle that cries out for a musical response. Listen to Mussorgsky's lonely, mournful, slightly mysterious melody to express an ancient castle. Try to capture the same musical image when playing THE MYSTERIOUS CASTLE.

Aaron Copland - The Boatman's Dance from Old American Songs - Set 1 Water bodies have been the inspiration of much music; folk music being no exception. Aaron Copland arranged tune - The Boatman's Dance in his anthology of American Folk Songs. The ERIE CANAL was another folk song made popular because of the need for trade to move through water bodies to get from place to place before the advent of trucks and planes.

Aaron Copland - Had Me A Cat from Old American Songs - Set 1 Many American folk songs reflected the agrarian society that was typical in 17th - 19th century American life. THE FARMER IN THE DELL as well as Had Me A Cat reflect this agrarian past. American Gothic is a famous painting that also reflects this past. Click HERE to view the painting American Gothic.

Antonin Dvorak - excerpt from The "American" String Quartet - Antonin Dvorak was a Bohemian composer who was given a teaching position at a newly formed musical conservatory in the U.S. During his stay in America he was fascinated by the music of African Americans as well as Native Americans. He composed a string quartet inspired in part by Native Americans he heard while visiting Spillville, Iowa. Can you hear the "Indian" sounds in this composition. A potentate (THE POMPOUS POTENTATE) is a fancy word for a ruler. Can you hear a similiar rhythm in each composition?

Frederic Chopin - Scherzo #1 excerpt Chopin decided to place a gentle polish Christmas carol to contrast the fiery main theme of his first Scherzo. This is just another example of a famous composer using folk material for his major compositions. THOUGHTS ON B-I-N-G-O is a little variation on the popular children's song - B-I-N-G-O.

Igor Stravinsky - Introduction to the Firebird The unknown has always been a source of curiosity. Story tellers use it to add mystery to their tales and composers bring that quality of the mysterious, the unknown into their compositions. This music by Stravinsky is picturing a Prince Ivan being drawn to explore an enchanted forest that he had never visited. Does Stravinsky capture the mystery and adverture into the unknown? Bring that same mystery and adventure into your playing of MYSTERY.

Peter Tchaikovsky - Finale to Symphony #4 Tchaikovsky used a popular russian folk song - The Birch Tree - as the basis of the Finale of his 4th Symphony. I arranged same melody for you to play in your Middle C Repertoire Book. Your arrangement has three different ways of arranging this theme. Listen to the variety of ways Tchaikovsky uses in this short excerpt from his Symphony. How many can you count?

Frederic Chopin - "Minute" Waltz ABA is a popular compositional FORM. The beginning and end of the piece is the same BUT their is entirely different material in the middle of the composition. This is easily heard in Chopin's Minute Waltz. Can you spot the A and B sections? Can you spot the ABA form? SEARCH PARTY is also in ABA form. Can you find the A and B sections in SEARCH PARTY? How does D.C. al Fine complete an ABA form? Ask your teacher to help you, if necessary.