Life has changed since the onset of the pandemic of Covid-19. Education became an online experience for staff, students and parents. Teachers were scrambling to find quality online educational resources that would enhance the learning experience for their students. I have decided to include a few of the online resources for music that I have found and used with students over the past few months.
The first website that I discovered was www.typedrummer.com. This website plays a different percussion sound for each letter on the computer keyboard. You could spell your name, write a sentence or type in random letter to produce a rhythmic pattern. This pattern or “Beat” as stated in the website can then be shared with others.
The second website that I discovered was typatone.com. This website is much like typedrummer but instead of a percussion sound each letter is given a pitch or tone. Once again your melody can shared with others for their enjoyment.
The third website is Chrome Music Lab which utilizes use of your mouse or mouse pad. Within this website are many musical experiences or “experiments”. The first section is entitled Song Maker and allows individuals to create songs by choosing pitches, instruments, percussion accompaniment and tempo changes. The final edit of your song link can be preserved in a document and replayed when wanted.
When exploring Chrome Music Lab try out the other sections as they challenge students to expand their experiences regarding music and sound creation.
The fourth website is femurdesign.com. I have selected the section entitled “theremin” to share as it allow experimenting with a device patented in 1928 by Leon Theremin. The “theremin” is actually an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer. The sounds produced can be altered by moving the levels of delay, feedback and scuzz. Once on the theremin page click on to the circle above the yellow rectangle. Click the box about the Recorder/Looper closed and then place the mouse on the yellow rectangle. Click the mouse and move it around to create different sounds. Placing the mouse on the left of the yellow rectangle produces a lower pitch while placing it on the right side produces a higher pitch.
The fifth and final website that I will share is Incredibox.com. This website allows for experimenting with electronic music mixing techniques. By selecting the web version demo you have a choice of four characters – Alpha, Little Miss, Sunrise and The Love. (The other characters are locked and only available with the app.) Choose a character and then drag icons to dress the each of the seven figures shown. You can change their icons and sounds that are played until you are satisfied. However do not, I repeat do not record, name it, or share it with others. If you save the mix created and share it with others it will only last for a few hours and the website will not let you explore without purchasing the app. (I found this out and now can not access the website properly on my work computer.) To preserve what I created and to share it with you I recorded it on my phone instead. If you keep playing and experimenting with this site you can unlock bonuses and have more unexpected and creative fun with the characters.
No matter how you experience music this summer whether online through a website or listening to performances online, through streaming or a radio station just keep it an integral part of your life. Have fun with your musical experiences and explorations.
Many of us who own pets consider them to be an important part of our lives. Not only do we arrange our schedule around their needs but enjoy their companionship and acceptance. I was surprised when researching this post that several famous composers were influenced by their pets. As a result of that influence their animals have been immortalized within the following musical compositions.
Frederic Chopin composed Waltz in F Major (Op. 32, No. 3) in honour of the cat Valdeck owned by his lady love, Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin. She was better known by her pen name – George Sand. The instances of her cat running across his piano keys inspired this composition nicknamed the Cat Waltz.
Chopin was also inspired by the little dog, Marquis that Amantine also owned. When she watched her dog run in circles chasing his tail she told Chopin, “If I had your talent I would compose a piano piece for this dog.” The resulting composition is known as the famous “Minute Waltz” and Chopin nicknamed this piece the “Little Dog Waltz.”
Composer Domenico Scarlatti was inspired by his cat Pulcinella and was the original creator of the Fugue in G minor – The Cat’s Fugue. When Pulcinella walked across the keys she played “G, B-Flat, E-Flat, F-Sharp, B-Flat and C-Sharp” in an ascending pattern. This became the theme for the rest of the Fugue.
And now for something completely different. Here is the “Duetto buffo di due gatti” or the “Humorous duet for two cats” as a final selection . It was written by Gioachino Rossini and Robert Lucas de Pearsall in 1825 and was not necessarily inspired by pets. However the performance of this piece is highly popular with audiences and just consists of just one word of lyrics: “Miau” or “Meow”. The two singers verbally spar before they sound as though they share a saucer of milk together peacefully.
The Hungarian composer Franz Liszt was influenced by the folk music he heard as a boy. Although he composed 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies in total, his Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C-sharp minor is the most famous. Composed in 1847 and published as a piano solo in 1851 it achieved immediate acclaim and was a favourite for audiences. This composition has two main sections: the “lassan” and the “friska”. The lassan is a slow and stately form of a Hungarian folk dance while the friska is the opposite – lively and quick in nature. This composition also has an unusual inclusion of a cadenza or an improvised or written-out ornamental passage played by the performer to display their talents. Liszt created several different cadenzas to be performed with this composition.
Whenever I hear this composition I associate it with cartoons as that was my first exposure to music by the composer Franz Liszt. In fact animation was the means by which I grew to love listening to Classical Music. The American composer Carl. W. Stalling often used segments of Classical Music in his scores for cartoons as this music was without copyright and could be used free of charge.
Here is an interesting video that shows how the pianist Yannie Tan is performing with an orchestra live to the Tom and Jerry cartoon “The Cat Concerto.” This demonstrates how carefully the animation is timed to the distinctive tempo and dynamics of the music.
However animation is not the only way in which the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 was introduced to audiences with humour. Victor Borge (Borge Rosenbaum) was a Danish comedian, conductor and pianist who performed on radio, television and in theatres or concert halls throughout North America and Europe. I had the privilege to watch him perform when he came to Vancouver over 20 years ago. He used famous Classical Music as a means to encourage laughter. I will conclude this post with the inclusion of his piano duet of the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 that many musicians have replicated in performance. If you have played piano duets you know that middle ‘C’ is the boundary for each participant. In fact you are to keep to your own side of the piano and to share the bench when playing. Enjoy his creative genius and musical talent for he truly provides Classical Music as a positive experience for audiences.
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German Classical composer (1770 – 1850) and his compositions demonstrate characteristics of both the Classical and Romantic era. In a previous post I highlighted Beethoven’s Ode to Joy from his 9th Symphony. However Beethoven was famous for more than just the nine symphonies that he wrote.
In 1801 he completed the Piano Sonata No. 14 in C# minor “Quasi una fantasia” Opus 27, No. 2. He dedicated this sonata to his pupil, Countess, Guilietta Guicciardi. We know this well-known composition by another title – The Moonlight Sonata. This alternate title was given five years after his death by German music critic and poet Ludwig Rellstab. He remarked that the first movement portrayed the impression of moonlight shining upon Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. Within ten years publications were entitled Moonlight Sonata in both German and English and after a few years the sonata was known universally by that name.
The sonata has three movements: I. Adagio sostenuto (slow) (in C# minor). This movement is known for the slow moving arpeggios (broken chords) that seem to be improvised and exploring different harmonies and chord progressions possible.
II. Allegretto (a little faster) (transitions to D-Flat Major). This movement is a contrast not only in character due to the Major key being introduced but also due to the consistent soft dynamic (or piano) with a few sforzandos (sudden crescendos or loud instances) used.
III. Presto agitato (very fast) (returns to C# minor). This movement is loud (or forte) and is more technically challenging with difficult passages than the first two movements.
The Moonlight Sonata has been inspirational to listeners since its debut in 1801. Unlike other sonatas written during the same time period, it slowly increases in tempo with each movement. The first movement has been included in a video recording of the children’s book “The Bear and the Piano”. This lovely story demonstrates how practising can help accomplish ones’ dreams but should not be at the expense of friendship and family. The use of the first movement perfectly portrays the experiences that the bear undergoes throughout the story.
I will leave a final tribute to the Moonlight Sonata and the Dutch Post-Impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh. Once again the first movement of the sonata is used to create an impression of contemplation and reflection while watching the creation of Van Gogh masterpiece – A Starry Night.
Although I have shown performances of The Blue Man Group and Stomp to many classes, using different objects to add percussion to music is not a modern concept. Stomp uses common household objects to create music by coordinating different rhythmic patterns simultaneously to produce a unique performance:
The Blue Man Group has experimented with PVC plastic piping commonly used for plumbing in houses and commercial businesses. This ensemble includes other instruments and performs as a rock band:
The Russian Composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky wrote the 1812 Overture to celebrate the Russian victory over Napoleon Bonaparte’s French forces. This 15 minute overture is best known for the inclusion of cannons and is often used in the United States with fireworks to celebrate July 4th. I have only included the last half of the overture and find it fascinating to watch the military personnel follow the conductor for the cannon blasts. Just be patient as that cannons are not fired before the 4 minute mark:
In 1853 Giuseppe Verdi included anvils in Act 2 of the opera Il Trovatore. The anvils are used as percussion instruments and are played by the singers acting as gypsies during this chorus. This chorus was popular with American spectators at sporting events during the early 20th Century.
The final selection included in this post is The Typewriter – a Concerto for Orchestra and Solo Typewriter. This selection was written by Leroy Anderson and was first performed on September 8, 1953. Because many of us now use keyboards with our computers we are no longer used to the sound of manual typewriters. In offices during the 1950’s this sound was common. Perhaps you will enjoy watching this performance as much as I do and wonder what objects you could use in musical compositions. This last example also demonstrates how music is a universal language and does not require any translation to enjoy the performance.
In a previous post I mentioned the composer Gioachino Rossini and “The William Tell Overture” (premiered in 1829). If you remember the legend – William Tell, a hunter and tracker, was forced to shot an arrow off the top of his son’s head. From that post I included the second section of the overture – The Storm. Now I would like to focus upon the fourth section of the overture entitled “Finale: March of the Swiss Soldiers.” This section is written in E major and features trumpets backed by a full orchestra.
The popularity and energy generated by this section is often used to represent horses galloping in a race or having a hero come to the rescue. In fact in North America starting in 1933 the “Finale” was used as the theme song for “The Lone Ranger” in radio and television shows as well as films.
Because of the use of the “Finale” as a theme song it has now become a familiar part of our popular culture. It has been used seriously and with humour in many different forms of animation, television shows and films. It has been performed both by orchestral and choral ensembles. Here are just a few of the different examples that exist and are worth viewing:
I would love to try this choral version at Nelson in the near future. It looks like a lot of fun to perform as well as watch as an audience.
This final version of “The William Tell Overture” is an instrumental version. Although it is not an orchestra the choosing of the bottles for their pitch as well as filling some with water indicates that careful tuning occurred.
Make no mistake – humorous performances require just as much practising and coordination as serious performances. Music is a journey breathing enjoyment of life into our very existence.
If you ever ask a musician what will help improve his or her musical skills they will say just three things: practice, practice, practice. This is true whether you are practising music or any other skill such as writing, spelling, solving math problems, drawing, playing a sport or trying to use technology.
For musicians the repetition of phrases that prove difficult are necessary. We understand that the process although sometimes painful, will ensure a performance of quality as well as increase our own confidence in mastering a particular technique or musical selection. Here is a humorous example of how musicians rehearse:
Sometimes we feel like Billy from The Family Circus comic strip – that no matter how hard we try we just can not play anything properly. That is the time to walk away and do something else. So . . . come back to that difficult passage the next day and try it again. Usually we are our own worst critic and our negative thoughts or lack of confidence will affect the success of our practising.
Knowing we have support or can work together with others such as our peers or our teacher can also promote successful playing. I have included the story of “The Really Awful Musicians” to demonstrate how working together and practising can accomplish a common goal. This is a musical story that I have often read in class and hope that you enjoy listening to wonderful musical phrases played by each character. Just remember to not give up but to try, try again no matter what you are trying to accomplish.
Music is often used as a way to record experiences. These experiences can be from the natural world around us. I contemplated this when listening to the storm as rain fell against my windows. As humans we strive to reproduce what is familiar to us – whether through words, images, movements or sounds.
In a previous post I chose to include Vivaldi’s first movement “Spring” from”The Four Seasons.” The melodic lines, harmonies, instrumental techniques and even the choices made regarding the sound created to replicate the impression of the season of Spring are very different from the other three movements of Summer, Autumn and Winter. However Antonio Vivaldi was not the only classical composer to replicate nature.
Richard Wagner is famous for the cycle of four operas entitled “The Ring Cycle.” The four separate operas, “The Rhinegold, The Valkyrie, Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods” are based upon characters from Norse legends. Although these operas have influenced much of western culture and are familiar due to their unique musical motifs, for the purposes of this post I will only mention the second opera “The Valkyrie”. During the prelude to this opera the main character, Siegfried is looking for shelter from his enemies as a storm rages. The orchestra uses continuous triplets from violins to depict rain and a driving bass line to imitate thunder.
The William Tell Overture was written for the opera William Tell by Gioachino Rossini. It tells the tale of a villager who refused to bow down to an Austrian overlord. As a punishment the villager, William Tell, was forced to shoot an apple placed on his son’s head with a crossbow. The Overture has four parts but I intend to only highlight the Storm or second part with this post. Using the full orchestra in E minor, the stringed instruments begin and then are joined by woodwinds, brass and percussion as the volume increases. This part of the overture has often be used in animation when a storm is depicted.
Instruments are not the only method of reproducing storms in music. Often choirs have used body percussion to create realistic storm-like sound effects. Although this choir begins with snapping their fingers, other choirs rub their hands together first. The snapping fingers change to patting legs and then add coordinated jumps. Notice that the conductor directs the singers when to begin, change or stop their body percussion. Hopefully these three examples of storms will encourage you to listen to Mother Nature differently and to notice how repeating or random sounds can be musical.
Of all the composers that I have studied with my students, everyone remembers Ludwig van Beethoven. He is not remembered necessarily for his music but for the fact that he continued to compose music after he went deaf. During his lifetime ( 1770 – 1825) medical treatment was not effective to stop the loss of his hearing. In fact the educational video – Beethoven Lives Upstairs – highlights his final symphony – the 9th written in D minor.
All of us are familiar with the tune “Ode to Joy” that comes from the final movement of that symphony written from 1822 – 1824. When Beethoven wrote this composition he was completely deaf and struggled to continue to write music. He wrote a much longer symphony than other composer at that time period and included more complex musical techniques for instrumentalists. He also added a choir and soloists to the final movement. Although first written in German many different translations now exist in different languages and are used by choirs worldwide.
This tune can be performed by just a choral or instrumental ensemble or performed as Beethoven intended with the voices added in the final movement of the symphony. Ode to Joy is always uplifting and inspirational as well as consistently gives me goosebumps when performed well. I have taught this selection to many different classes using voices, orff instruments, recorder and guitar. When researching online I was surprised to see the different performances available for viewing. Many of you have also heard this tune as part of animated shows and movie performances.
I have chosen just a few video performances to demonstrate how one composition can be so different depending upon the group performing. I also wanted to demonstrate how our present situation should encourages us to continue to share and listen to beautiful music together.
Now for a flash mob version of Ode to Joy from 2019 that includes voices:
Here is an instrumental version that adds different rhythms and types of surfaces used for the performance:
And here is a final shorter version of Ode to Joy that I couldn’t resist including:
Hopefully these videos will bring you hope as stated by the final line of one of the English translations:
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife;
Joyful music leads us sun ward in the triumph song of life.
Although we are now in the season of Spring I want recognize all the animals that have been hibernating. However I am thinking about one type of animal in particular – bears! I adore reading the stories written by Nick Bland about a bear. His musical rhyming pattern, his humorous illustrations and different adventures make his books truly enjoyable – no matter what age of audience. Many of you have already heard The Very Cranky Bear as I tend to read this book at least once a year to each Primary Class. This story shows how the characters of Sheep, Lion, Zebra and Moose try to help Bear. Here is a video recording of myself reading the story for your enjoyment.
When exploring online for further resources to use for music I found a Hip Hop version of The Very Noisy Bear. This story continues to show how Sheep, Lion, Zebra and Moose try to help their friend Bear. I was inspired to include both of these stories within this blog post for you. Listen to the great musical accompaniment through the reading of the story. Enjoy and be like Bear! Keep trying out different activities until one matches your skills and interest.
