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MUSIC MEMORY GAME. Click button to begin game. DIRECTIONS FOR GAME.
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MUSIC MEMORY GAME Click button to begin game
DIRECTIONS FOR GAME Welcome to a fun computer game I created for you. On the next slides, you will be challenged to match the composer with the correct composition. The composer’s name is at the top of the card. Click on one of the colored squares on the card to see if you can match them up. If you are correct, you will be taken to a “correct answer” card. If you get it wrong, you will be taken to an “incorrect answer” at which point you will have to try again. When you get the answer right, you will then see an information card with details about the composition as well as the composer. Good luck and, most importantly, HAVE FUN!!! Click button to continue
Carmina Burana: “O Fortuna” • Orff, German 1895 – 1982 • Influential music teacher, inventor and composer of Contemporary Period • Began studying piano at age 5; also studied cello and organ • As a child, he created puppet shows that sometimes included music for violin and glockenspiel • Nearly killed while serving in German army during WWI • Married 4 times • Lived through 4 eras: German Empire; Weimar Republic; Nazi Germany and post WWII West German Bundesrepublik • Designed elementary music classroom instruments with removable bars known as xylophones, metallophones and glockenspiels • “O Fortuna” first performed in Germany in 1937 • Piece composed to “paint medieval vision of fortune’s wheel and man’s life turning with it from love to death, happiness to misery.” • Based on Latin poems written by monks in 13th century. Collection of poems was found in Bavaria in 1803. • Written for chorus and orchestra – often performed with dancers, as a ballet. • Begins ff (fortissimo) • Sung in Latin
Mazurcas: No. 23 in a minor • Ponce was born in the tiny Mexican village of Fresnillo in 1882. He died in 1948 at the age of 66. • He was sent to study music in Europe when he was a young man. • One of his teachers, Paul Dukas, was so impressed with Ponce’s work that he once gave Ponce a grade of 300 instead of 100! • After living overseas, Ponce came back to Mexico to teach at the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City where he had once been a student. • His best known pieces are for guitar, but he also wrote for orchestra, chamber ensembles and solo instruments like the piano. • The Mazurcas were written b Ponce during the 1920’s and ’30’s. • The Mazurka is considered the national dance of Poland. When spelled in Spanish, the ‘k” is replaced with a “c.” • You can hear the original Polish dance, a concert form and style and hints of Ponce’s Mexican culture. • Each theme is in a different key and mode: the A theme is in minor, and the B and C themes are in major keys. • Rondo form – music with a recurring A section, such as A B A C A • Sequence – a melodic pattern repeated at a higher or lower pitch • Trill – moving quickly between two close pitches • The A theme is heard 4 times in this piece • The piano is the featured solo instrument
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2: Movement 3 • Bach was born in Germany in 1685 – died in Germany in 1750 at the age of 65 from a stroke. • Learned to play several instruments but the organ was his favorite • He wrote over 1200 pieces of music • He had 20 children – 4 grew up to be composers • He was put in jail so he wouldn’t be able to quit a job he wanted to quit. While in jail, he wrote 46 pieces of music. • He loved good food and coffee – he wrote an entire cantata about coffee. • He went blind – more than likely from working in poor light for so many years. • This piece features the trumpet, oboe, violin and recorder. • Theme is played by different solo instruments, sometimes alone and sometimes with other instruments. • The Tutti sections are played by all or most of the instruments together and the main theme is usually not heard. • The accompaniment instruments are cello and harpsicord. • Bach wrote this as a sort of job application to Prince Brandenburg. Bach didn’t get the job, although this piece is very well known. • Solo – one instrument plays the melody alone. • Tutti – all or most of the instruments play together. • Duple meter – beats grouped in sets of two. • This piece features a piccolo trumpet which is much smaller and sounds much higher than a regular trumpet or cornet. • Main theme is heard 10 times • Bach lived during the Baroque Period.
The Planets: “Mars” • Gustav Holst was born in England in 1874 – died in 1934 at the age of 60 • Grandfather played the harp; father played the organ; mother was a singer • Holst played several instruments as a young man but ultimately chose trombone as his major instrument • Went to school with Ralph Vaughan Williams at the Royal College of Music • He was skinny and shy; was a vegetarian; liked to take long walks • Worked very hard at composing; had many disappointments; some satisfying successes, including “The Planets” • This is an orchestral suite written between 1914 and 1916, during the Contemporary Period • Each movement was named for a planet in our solar system – Earth was not included • Pluto was not included because it had not been discovered at the time this piece was composed • “Mars” features a rhythmic ostinato that is 5 beats long and includes triplets. It is heard through much of the piece. • Triplet – 3 notes that sound on one beat • The movements of The Planets are: Mars, the Bringer of War; Venus, the Bringer of Peace; Mercury, the Winged Messenger; Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity; Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age; Uranus, the Magician; Neptune, the Mystic.
Turandot: “Nessun Dorma” • Puccini was born in Italy in 1858 and died in 1924 at the age of 66. Composed during the Romantic Period. • Studied music early in his life and began composing opera in his 20’s • His first hit opera, Manon Lescaut, was a world-wide sensation. From then on, his operas caused as much excitement as blockbuster movies do today. • Corresponded with American inventor Thomas Edison who gave him a phonograph. • Puccini never finished writing Turandot. He suffered a heart attack before it was completed. • The opera is set in Peking, China. “Nessun Dorma” is an aria from the final act. Sung by Calaf, the unknown prince, who has fallen in love with Princess Turandot. • The princess is challenged to guess his name. She orders the people of Peking to search for the answer and “no one will sleep’ until she knows his name. • Calaf sings “Nessun Dorma” (no one sleeps). The final words “Vincero! Vincero! Translate to “I will win!” • Puccini’s music is full of long, flowing melodic lines like those in “Nessun Dorma,” one of his best-loved arias. • Aria – a solo vocal piece featuring one singer in opera • Opera – music drama combining vocal and instrumental music, acting, scenery, costumes and sometimes dance to tell a story • This is performed by solo tenor singer and orchestra • Composed for Chinese New Year • Melodic direction shows the melody getting higher, lower or staying the same
Trumpet Concerto in Eb Major: Movement 3 • Haydn was born in Austria in 1732. Died in 1809 at the age of 77 • Great musical ability and beautiful singing voice as a child – left home at age of 6 to begin musical training • Nicknamed “Father of the Symphony” because he perfected the form • Composed over 100 symphonies during the Classical Period • He was happy and cheerful and loved practical jokes – sometimes put tricks into his music • Close friend of Mozart; Beethoven was one of his students • Mozart’s Requiem was played at his funeral • This piece was written for solo trumpet with supporting flute, oboe, French horn, trumpet, timpani and strings • Written in 1796 for his friend who invented new kind of trumpet that could play more complex melodies in addition to the older “trumpet calls” • The trumpeter plays a fancy solo called a cadenza • The main theme, or parts of the main theme, are heard 10 times in this selection • Melodic direction – way the melody moves up, down or stays the same • Dynamics – how loud or soft the music is • Cadenza – elaborate or showy solo passage created by the performer • This piece begins piano (soft)
Messiah: “Hallelujah Chorus” • Handel was born in Germany in 1685 – died in 1759 at the age of 74 • As a child, practiced secretly on a clavichord at the top of his house while the family slept • He studied law as a young man but worked as an organist and violinist • Moved to England in 1712 and worked during the reign of King George II. Became a citizen of England and lived there the rest of his life – buried at Westminster Abbey • Well liked by fellow composers. Bach, Mozart and Beethoven all expressed great admiration for his music • Messiah written for charity event to raise money for a hospital • Well received at its first performance in Dublin, Ireland in 1741 • It is said that King George II was so inspired with the sounds of “The Hallelujah Chorus” that he stood up to show his approval. Now everyone stands when it is played in public • Soprano – highest woman’s or children’s voices • Alto – lowest woman’s or children’s voices • Tenor – highest men’s voices • Bass – lowest men’s voices • Chorus – group of singers • “And He shall reign forever” is first sung by bass section • Performed by choir and orchestra
The Nutcracker Suite: “March” • Tchaikovsky was born in Russia in 1840 – died in 1893 at age of 53 • Learned to speak German and French by the time he was 6 and started piano lessons at age 7 • Always shy and had low self-esteem; imaginative and inventive but also sought approval from friends and audiences • Traveled widely during his life and was first Russian composer whose music became standard repertoire in Western Europe. He traveled to conduct in the United States in 1891. • The Nutcracker is a ballet – story told through dance and music; depicts children playing at a holiday party in Romantic Period Russia • ABA form – each A section also has a small aba section within it • In B section, strings and woodwinds play mostly sixteenth notes, which gives it the feeling of excitement or scurrying around • Cymbals can be heard during the A section, but that is the only percussion instrument in the piece • D. C. al fine – return to the beginning of the piece and stop at the fine • Instrument families – brass, percussion, strings, woodwinds
Die Walküre: “Ride of the Valkyries” • Wagner was born in Germany in 1813 – died in 1883 at the age of 70 • Wrote world’s longest opera (The Ring Cycle) which is actually four separate operas performed together in just over 18 hours • Unlike most opera composers, Wagner wrote both the music and lyrics – most composers collaborate with a libretist • Had his own opera house built where he premiered many operas. Nothing but Wagnerian operas are performed there still today • His music was considered very inventive and modern; over 10,000 books and articles are written about Wagner • The story is based on Norse mythology • “Ride of the Valkyries” is well known and has been used in television, movies and, yes, even cartoons • Wagner uses leitmotif’s: brief melodies or themes to represent different characters, objects, places or ideas • This is performed by orchestra and soprano singers. The A theme represents the horses going up the mountain. The B theme is the call of the Valkyries • A Valkyrie, from Norse mythology, is a mythical woman warrior, whose job is to lead fallen heroes, if they are worthy, to Valhalla (a sort of paradise for warriors)
Symphony No. 40: Movement 1 • Mozart was born in Austria in 1756 – died in 1791 at the age of 35 – composer during the Classical Period • Learned to play violin and harpsichord at the age of 3 – began composing at the age of 5 – began touring and giving concerts across Europe at the age of 7 with his father and sister • Wrote numerous operas, symphonies, concertos, chamber works and keyboard pieces – many are still performed regularly today • Earned a lot of many from composing but when he died at the age of 35, he was in debt • 40th Symphony was written during the summer months of 1788 – he was in debt and his baby daughter had just died • Tragic emotions may have been associated with the key of g minor, yet most do not associate this symphony with tragedy • Sonata form – classical organization of symphony’s movement: Exposition, Development and Recapitulation • Sequence – when melodic pattern is repeated higher or lower • Cadence – when music comes to a resting point or stop • Mozart wrote 41 numbered symphonies
“Washington Post March” • Sousa was born in Washington, D.C. in 1854 – died in 1932 at the age of 78 during Contemporary Period • Learned to play cornet and trombone as a child • Father played trombone in the Marine Band; followed in father’s footsteps and also played in the Marine Band • Composed 136 marches during his life, earning the title of “March King” • Also wrote operettas and musicals but best known for his marches • Invented Sousaphone, type of tuba used in marching bands • “Washington Post March” was written in 1889 at the request of the owners of The Washington Post newspaper, to be performed at an award ceremony for an essay contest • Title “March King” was first used after this composition • Original recording was made in 1890 on a phonograph – reissued in 1999 on CD • Use of 6/8 meter made this March suitable for the two-step, a new dance during this time period • Countermelody – second, different melody that is played along with the main melody • Trumpet is featured instrument in this piece • Melodic direction – melody moving up, down or staying the same
Das Jahr (The Year): February, “Scherzo” • Fanny Mendelssohn was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1805 – died in 1847 at the age of 42 – lived during Romantic Period • She and her brother, Felix, were both very musically gifted and began composing at a very young age • Fanny’s music remained almost unknown until recently – women composers were not taken seriously during the Romantic period • She died at the age of 42 from a stroke – her best friend and brother, Felix, died soon after • Das Jahr (The Year) was written as an artistic collaboration with her husband, artist Wilhelm Hensel • Inspiration for each selection drawn from a one year trip taken to Italy • As a gift, she wrote each piece on colored paper and decorated it with drawings by Hensel; each piece also accompanied with a poem • Completed work given to Hensel as a Christmas present that same year • Solo – musical performance by one individual • Piano is featured instrument in this piece
