AREA OF STUDY: SPECIAL EVENTS

1. AREA OF STUDY:SPECIAL EVENTS GCSE MUSIC FOR AQA

2. SPECIAL EVENTS MUSIC CAN BE: • From the past • From the present • International / National • Local • Celebrating something- birth, wedding, competition • Commemorating something- life of someone, memorial

3. SPECIAL EVENTS MUSIC IS COMPOSED FOR: • Something in particular • For an audience to respond to positively • Events such as: • Coronations / Royal events • Weddings / Funerals • Openings of Parliament • Political , Aristocratic and Celebrity charity events • Sports events – Commonwealth games / Olympics / Rugby, Football, Cricket events • Pop gatherings for world fund raising

4. BACKGROUND TO SPECIAL EVENT COMPOSERS • Composers depend on people to pay them to write music for specific events • By the 18th century, composers were commissioned by PATRONS - Monarchs, Aristocrats, Church leaders & Politicians • Patrons can afford the expense to compose music for a specific event

5. 10 SPECIAL EVENTS FOR GCSE MUSIC ARE: • Idyll • Masque • Anthem • Fanfare • Ode • Oratorio • Overture • Pop anthem • Opera • Funeral music

6. Idyll • Greek = “Little picture” • Describes a peaceful pastoral scene • Sung in verses • Invented by Wagner • Contains Leitmotiefs – a memorable idea representing a character

7. Masque • 17th century opera for state occasions • Lavish vocals, instruments, costumes,dancing,scenery and acting • Melodic accents correspond with spoken accents in English

8. Anthem • Piece of Choral music with a Biblical text • Sung at every British Coronations of a Monarch • Composers are Handel and Elgar • Famous Anthem = Pomp and circumstance marches

9. Fanfare • Ceremonial brass music • Announces monarchs • Patriotic fanfares are to welcome troops back from war; have percussion band alongside the brass instruments • 2000 = fanfare to open the Millennium bridge across the Thames river; included a vocal chorus

10. Ode • Piece of poetry • Praises someone of importance • Set to ceremonial music • Simple or emotional odes • Instruments = strings, woodwind, harpsichord, harp, recorders

11. Overture • Music written at the beginning of opera, play, dance, suite, symphony • 1st overture was written by Beethoven in 1811

12. Oratorio • Has a sacred subject • Performed in concert by soloists, ensembles and choruses • Also instrumental ensembles • 1st oratorio written in 1600

13. Pop Anthem • Raising world awareness of specific issues like: • Famine • Aids • Olympics • World cup Rugby / Football / Cricket ashes • 1st pop anthem was in 1985 with Sir Bob Geldoff and Live Aid • Used as a means of raising funds for charity organisations

14. Opera • Dramatic fusion of words, music, dancing and acting • Birthplace is Italy in the 17th century • 1st Opera is Euridice • Written for a royal wedding

15. Funeral music • Music for any persons’ funeral • Famous royal funeral music for Princess Dianna of Wales : • Elton John- Goodbye England’s rose