The Classical Period Neatness, Balance, and Order 1OVERVIEW the Classical Period, 1750-1820, Was a Period of Balance and Simplicity in Music

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Episode 2 The Classical Period Neatness, balance, and order 1OVERVIEW The Classical period, 1750-1820, was a period of balance and simplicity in music. This episode examines how a few musical geniuses inspired a new form of music. When a motor-mouthed wannabe shop assistant arrives, Quaver seeks to remedy her problem of talking too much by introducing her to the simple beauty of Classical music created by Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn. From the shop to the Quaver Symphony Hall, she gains an edu- cation in the Classical period and life in general.

LESSON OBJECTIVES

Students will learn: • The sound of the Classical period was simpler and less fancy than the Baroque period. • The “question and answer” style – balanced musical phrases. • The lifestyle and fashions of the Classical period (1750-1820). • The differences between the Classical orchestra and the Baroque orchestra. • The most notable composers of the Classical period: Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, and Clementi.

Vocabulary Phrase Melodies String Quartet Balanced Ordered Classical

MUSIC STANDARDS IN LESSON 1: Singing alone and with others* 2: Playing instruments 6: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music 7: Evaluating music and music performance 8: Understanding the relationship between music and the other arts 9: Understanding music in relation to history, style, and culture

Complete details at QuaverMusic.com

Key Scenes Music What they teach Standard

1 Gwenda is introduced to the Classical music is organized in balanced and neat musi- 6, 9 balance and simplicity of cal phrases like in a conversation. Classical music 2 The Classical Period Show An understanding of 18th century culture provides in- 8, 9 sight into what influences the popular style of music. 3 Great Classical Composers Some of the greatest works of the period were created 9 by four notable composers: Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, and Clementi. 4 A performance of Mozart by To transform a Baroque orchestra into a Classical orches- 6, 7, the Quaver Symphony or- tra, it’s out with the harpsichord and in with additional 9 chestra instruments. 5 Song: The Classical Period By adding lyrics to several well-known Classical works, 6, 9 inspired by Mozart’s Rondo Quaver provides a fun way to remember characteristics Alla Turca of the period.

2 LESSON INTRO Introducing the episode Select two students to come to the front of the class. Ask them to pretend that they are meeting for the first time and want to get to know each other. As they initiate a conversation, have everyone listen carefully. After two or three minutes, ask students to evaluate how the pair spoke to each other.

Point out that conversations are usually a series of balanced sentences; there is a tendency to answer with the same length of sentence used to ask the question. Otherwise, it would be a very strange conversation. Demon- strate this by having a student ask you a question such as, “What is your name?” to which you respond in a very long-winded way.

Music is like a conversation but with tunes. Sing the song Happy Birthday to You. Point out to students that the song is comprised of four equal phrases that are put together so each phrase builds on the previous phrase. Ask the students to sing it again; this time stop them between the phrases, saying aloud “phrase one” and so on.

This episode looks at how music of the Classical period built neat musical phrases that balanced each other.

2-2 • QuaverMusic.com * concepts included in the Teacher Guide, but not in the DVD The Classical Period 3 PLAY EPISODE Discussion Points • How did Classical music help Gwenda? it helped her to speak in balanced phrases • Name three notable composers of the Classical period. Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Clementi • How did the orchestra change during the Classical period orchestra? it grew larger and the harpsichord was eliminated • How was the Baroque cake different from the Classical cake? the Classical cake was less fancy 4 CLASS ACTIVITIES hat is a W Slow Is a Go Tracks 1 & 2 Music Period? Purpose: Appreciating classical music of slow tempo Historians classify music (and Use visual aids to assist students in listening to Classical music with other forms of art) by bracket- slow tempos. As you play Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Andante ing years of stylistic similarity. Al- (Track 1), you might blow bubbles and encourage students to move though opinions differ, these are gently through the room, making no attempt to pop them. Or give the most commonly recognized each student a silk scarf to move to the music. For Haydn’s Symphony designations: 101, The Clock (Track 2), students can make clock movements! Renaissance (1450-1600) Baroque (1600-1750) Fast Is a Blast Tracks 3 & 4 Classical (1750-1820) Purpose: Appreciating classical music of fast tempo Romantic (1820-1910) Play Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, 1st Movement (Track 3) and have Impressionist (1870-1910) students keep a steady beat with body movements (pat, pat, clap, clap). Note how long it takes for them to coordinate their movements to the beat. Then play Mozart’s A Musical Joke, 4th Movement (Track 4), and using new movements, note how quickly they adapt to the new tempo. Discuss with students how their movements changed.

PRINTPRINT Worksheet # 1 WOWORKRKSHEETSHEET Ride the Classical Period Train Purpose: Useful facts about famous composers Set up four chairs at the front of the room to be the Classical Period Train. Using the Great Composers worksheet, test students’ knowledge of the Classical period by asking a series of questions. For example: Which composer gradually lost his hearing? Beethoven

When a student answers correctly, he or she gets to ride the train by taking a seat on one of the chairs.

Once the “train” is full, allow the other students to ask questions to specific riders on the train. If an incorrect answer is given, the students swap places.

2-3 Unit 3 Composers & Music History

Style Detectives Tracks 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 Purpose: Recognizing music of the Classical period Ask students to determine whether the following selections are or are not music from the Classical period. Pause between tracks to discuss the reasons for their decisions. Track 5 Cajun Cousins Track 6 Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, 2nd Movement - Classical Track 7 Rock ‘n’ Roll Track 8 Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No.5, 3rd Movement - from the Baroque period (listen for the harpsichord) Track 9 Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, 1st Movement - Classical Track 10 Modernism - from the 20th century

IWB 1 VIDEO REPLAY Tracks 11, 12 & 13 The Classical Period Purpose: Remembering the basics of the Classical period Sing along with the closing song of the episode, The Classical Period (Track 11). The instrumental chorus played by the house band is actu- ally a Classical piano piece by Mozart called Rondo Alla Turca (Track 12). The part Quaver sings is part of Mozart’s Piano Sonata in C (Track 13). Discuss with students what makes a great melody.

5WEB ACTIVITIES

PhoneBox / Time Venues PhoneBox / Time Venues Although invented in the latter part of Students can travel back to the the Baroque period, the piano replaced Classical period to learn more the harpsichord as the instrument of about Beethoven and his remark- choice during the Classical period. Find able music. They can also choose out more about this amazing invention from several activities and games by visiting the world of Cristofori. Quick... to explore his incredible life. to the phone box!

Play activities on your IWB INTERACTIVE White Board

2-4 • QuaverMusic.com The Classical Period 6HOMEWORK

Worksheet # 1 PRINTPRINT Great Composers of the Classical Period WOWORKRKSHEETSHEET Purpose: Learning important facts about Classical period composers Students can learn more about Classical composers from the take-home pages pro- vided. Consider assigning them to learn the content for a quiz at the start of the next lesson. This document can be added to their other composer pages.

Composer Biography Purpose: Understanding and presenting the life of a famous composer Assign students to research a Classical period composer of their choosing and prepare a presentation. They could create a poster with pictures and facts, dress a doll as a famous composer, or come dressed to make a first-person presentation as the composer. Be creative!

Additional session activities

7 ASSESSMENT

Classical Assessment Track 14 Worksheet # 2 As students begin this assessment, play Mozart’s Symphony No. PRINTPRINT WOWORKRKSHEETSHEET 40, 1st Movement (Track 14) to provide a relaxing environment. They should choose from the word bank the items that charac- terize music of the Classical period, name at least two composers, and jot down a minimum of two facts about each of the composers they name.

The phrase “Classical music” is used in two ways: to describe all orchestral music from any period and to describe one specific period, 1750-1820. Don’t get confused!

2-5 Unit 3 Composers & Music History 8 CROSS-CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES Art Tracks 2 & 4 Provide students with a piece of paper with a line drawn across the middle. Play two contrast- ing recordings of classical music: Haydn’s Symphony 101, The Clock (Track 2), which is slow, and Mozart’s A Musical Joke, 4th Movement (Track 4), which is upbeat. Students should draw a picture of whatever comes to mind upon hearing the two different pieces. Have students share their drawings.

Ask them to detect the similarities among the pictures. Then have them to compare these pictures to their drawings from the Art cross-curriculum activity from the Baroque episode. IWB 2 Social Studies Look at the historical headlines on the IWB. Instruct students to place events in date order Materials on the time line. Compare and contrast what was happening on both sides of the Atlantic Needed during the same time period. - Paper - Colored pencils 9 DIGGING DEEPER

Musical Form Track 15 Purpose: How composers use theme and variations Play the selected variations from Mozart’s 12 Variations on “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” (Track 15), and ask students to describe how Mozart was musically creative with a simple tune. In music, we call this form theme and variations.

Give each student a ball to bounce a few times. Play the track again, asking students to create a new bouncing routine to accompany each variation they hear.

PRINTPRINT Worksheet # 3 WOWORKRKSHEETSHEET Ode to Joy Track 16 Purpose: How different instruments express the same melody Listen to Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in D-minor, Ode to Joy (Track 16). Ask students to notice how the famous melody is played by different instruments each time it is re- peated. Discuss with students how each instrument adds an unique interpretation to the melody.

Challenge students to learn to play this melody on an instrument such as the recorder, Orff instrument, or piano. Materials Needed - Bouncing balls - A recorder, Orff instrument or piano

2-6 • QuaverMusic.com The Classical Period

TEACHER NOTES Featured Instruments

Recorder

Piano

Orff Instruments

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