Death of General Wolfe

DEATH OF GENERAL WOLFE (as performed by Keith and Rusty McNeil on MAGAZINE OF HISTORY CD Vol. 19, #4, July 2005 Colonial and Revolution Songs WEM records (www.wemrecords.com)

LESSON GOALS: Relate to the historical period as studied in the classroom Listen for the Musical Elements Learn to sing the song Learn about the artist and the painting by the same name Learn to accompany the song on hand drums and contrabass bars

LEARNING STYLES: Visual, Musical, Linguistic, Kinesthetic and Interpersonal

PART ONE: Students will: 1) Review what they have learned from their classroom teacher about the period directly before the Revolutionary War, esp. from historical paintings. 2) Discuss the role of historical paintings particular to the late 18th and early 19th centuries. (What function do they serve? How accurate do they have to be? See also: George Washington Crossing the Delaware and Penn’s Treaty with the Indians) PART TWO: Students will: 3) Listen to the song Death of General Wolfe (the version recorded by Keith and Rusty McNeil) 4) Identify in small groups the following share the results with the class: What voices were heard? (male and female) Which has the melody? (the male) What instruments were heard? (guitar, and drums of 2 pitches) Were there changes in volume? (drums got louder on fifth verses) Were there changes in tempo? (none) 5) Listen to the song again, sketching a simple storyboard as the song is heard 6) Learn the drum part, using two sounds as the melody is played by the teacher (Practice on the floor and knees) (Will be transferred to drums in next lesson) 7) Sing with the recording, keeping the drum part going, using floor/knees. 8) Learn basic details of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham (part of the battle for Quebec) 9) View and discuss the painting Death of General Wolfe by Benjamin West 10) Discuss in small groups how the song functions compared to the historical painting. PART THREE: Students will: 11) Transfer the drum parts to the standing drums 12) Learn the bass pattern (E E D/CDDE) (E E D/CDDE) (G G D CDGG) (E E D/CDDE) and transfer to contrabass bars (the key has been moved to E minor from original F minor) 13) Combine parts as melody is played on keyboard (using flute voice)

Other sources: http://wikipedia.com http://www.contemplator.com/history/broadside.html http://www.publicbookshelf.com/public_html/The_Great_Republic_By_the_Master_Historians_Vol_I/