18 Letter to Educators 19 On behalf of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra and the HSO Education Department, welcome to our first Young Person’s Concert of the 2018/19 season! We are excited that you will be joining us as Maestro Malina and the HSO guide you through some incredible symphonic music. Access to the arts and an understanding of the rich cultural history of classical music are essential to a 21st century education. This curriculum guide will help you prepare your students to better understand various aspects of classical music and the experience of a symphony concert. Inside, you will find biographical information, orchestral stage plots, listening guides, and activities which will engage students in fun and meaningful ways. While this information does not suggest your exact experience at the upcoming YPC, it will provide a foundation from which Maestro Malina and the HSO can take you deeper into the repertoire. As always, we aim to enhance your understanding of classical music and your ability to communicate that information to your students. Please let us know how we’re doing! If you have any questions about the YPC or the HSO’s education programs, please call, email or check our website for more details. As an audience member and an educator, you are the most important part of our musical and educational community. Thank you for sharing the HSO with your students! We look forward to welcoming you to the Forum on Friday, November 16! Sincerely, Mark Hunsberger Director of Education (717) 612-4965 [email protected] 1 Table of Contents 3 Program 4 Composer Information 5 A Guide to the Guide 6 Orchestra Seating Chart 7 Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor Listening Guide 8 Movement I, Inter-Activity 9 Movement III, Inter-Activity 10 Movement IV, Inter-Activity 11 The Harrisburg Symphony 12 Meet the Maestro 13 Concert Etiquette 14 A Letter to the Orchestra 15 Supporters 2 Program HARRISBURG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Friday, November 16 at 10:00 am & 11:30 am STUART MALINA, Conducting Musical selections and excerpts will be chosen from the following program. Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Allegro con brio Allegro — Allegro 3 Composer Information Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany in 1770. At just 29 years of age he began losing his hearing. By the time he composed the fifth symphony (which you will hear portions of at the YPC), he had lost more than 50% of his hearing! How did Beethoven continue writing music even though he could not hear? He used the vibrations from the piano to hear and feel his compositions. Beethoven spent four years COMPOSING (writing music) his fifth symphony, from 1804-1808. Those few years were a very busy time for Beethoven. During that period he COMPOSED at least fourteen pieces, including the fifth symphony AND his fourth and sixth symphonies! Some historians claim that Beethoven was so busy COMPOSING music during this period that he would hum tunes when he walked through his town and not even notice when people spoke to him. Beethoven’s fifth symphony is one of the most recognizable pieces in orchestral music. In fact, it was this symphony that helped him achieve international fame in the early 1800s. The theme of “victory through the struggle” can be heard throughout the piece. It is commonly said that the symphony’s opening theme (da-da-da-duh) represents fate knocking at the door. Whether or not that was Beethoven’s intent, the “struggle” and “victory” portions of the theme can be heard as the first movement progresses to the final movement. Movement one presents Beethoven’s initial statements in a minor (or sad) tonality—the “struggle.” The second and third movements carry the music forward to arrive at a major (happy) tonality in the fourth movement—the “victory.” To this point, Beethoven wrote the following note to one of his students… “Many assert that every minor [tonality] piece must end in the minor...On the contrary, I find that ... the major [tonality] has a glorious effect. Joy follows sorrow, sunshine — rain. It affects me as if I were looking up to the silvery glistening of the evening star.” __ __ __ __ Reference Recording The following link will direct you to a reference recording of Beethoven’s fifth symphony. The timing marks in parentheses throughout the listening guide correlate to this recording. Simply click the link below and navigate the video according to the guide. This recording features the Vienna Philharmonic under the direction of Christian Thielemann. Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 4 A Guide to the Guide This concert guide will provide you with tools to help lead you through the repertoire which will be performed at the YPC on November 16th. You will find listening guides, composer information, inter-activities, and general information about the orchestra. The orchestra stage plot on the following page will help you find the names of the instruments in the orchestra, which families they belong to, and where they are located on stage. Each instrument name is color-coded to match its family. To help you get started, you will find below each instrument family name, its appropriate color, and the specific instruments in that family. Pay special attention to the BIG GREEN WORDS throughout the guide. They will appear again in the pre-concert questions at the performance on November 16th. Please note that the information contained within this guide is not a specific format for the YPC. Rather, its purpose is to provide a foundation for the musical works which may be performed . The exciting ways in which Maestro Malina and the HSO present this music will be a once in a lifetime experience—and you’ll be a part of it!! Strings Family Brass Family Violin Cello Trumpet Trombone Viola Harp Tuba French Horn Double Bass Percussion Family Woodwind Family Piano Snare Drum Piccolo Flute Oboe Cymbals Bass Drum English Horn Clarinet Triangle Glockenspiel Bass Clarinet Bassoon Timpani Tambourine Contrabassoon 5 6 Listening Guide: Beethoven Before we take a look at Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Allegro (dance, 19:09) remind your students of the overall structure of a The third movement follows a Scherzo (“scare–t-zoh”) symphony. A symphony follows a specific pattern of form. Scherzo form can also be thought of as A-B-A form, CONTRASTING movements that help keep the listener in which the A sections present the same thematic (you!) interested. CONTRAST means things that are material (with some variation). different. Some examples of CONTRAST in music could be fast and slow TEMPOS, or loud and quiet DYNAMICS. The The A sections follow a call-and-answer pattern. The first movement is fast and lively; the second movement is cellos and basses play a theme (quietly) which is answered slow and beautiful; the third movement is usually based by a four-note-rhythm theme on a dance and is counted in 3 (1,2,3 1,2,3); the fourth (much louder). The rhythm of movement is very fast and brings the symphony to an this theme is taken from the exciting close. To recap, the symphony pattern is… opening theme of the piece. ta ta ta ta-ah This time, however, it’s written Fast, Slow, Dance, Fast differently. The HSO won’t be playing the Slow movement at the YPC, The B section (20:55) begins with a short theme in the so you will only hear the Fast, Dance, and Fast movements. cellos and basses (again). In this section, the theme gets passed to all the different parts of the orchestra. The A Let’s check out Movement No. 1.! section returns (22:38), but this time the themes are played quietly. This movement is played ATTACA, which means there is no pause before the next movement. The Allegro con brio (fast, 0:26) transition to the 4th movement begins when the timpani This movement begins with the most recognizable opening enters with the four-note-rhythm (23:57). The music gets theme in classical music. Beethoven builds the entire first louder until it finally arrives at the beginning of the 4th movement on this theme...and the four-note rhythm comes movement. back many times throughout the symphony. If your Allegro (24:46) students know “tis” and “tas,” this theme is very easy to follow. Check it out! Like the 1st movement, the 4th movement also follows sonata form. The outline below will help you follow along. As you listen, notice that Beethoven sets up a few “false endings,” which sound like the piece could end, but ti ti ti ta This movement is in sonata form...and it’s easy to follow actually move to a new section. You’ll know the real along (see the Inter-activity page for more details). The ending because the orchestra repeats the same victorious outline below will help you guide your students through chord 8 times. This was Beethoven’s way of emphasizing this movement. “victory through the struggle!” Theme 1: 0:26 Theme 1: 24:46 Theme 2: 1:12 (violins) Theme 2: 25:47 (triplet motive) Themes 1 and 2 repeat: 1:51 Themes 1 and 2 repeat: 26:43 Development 3:18 Development 26:35 (begins w/triplet motive) Return Theme 1: 4:40 False Ending #1/Scherzo Theme Returns: 30:09 Return Theme 2: 5:35 Return Theme 1: 30:51 Coda: 6:18 Return Theme 2: 31:49 7 False Ending #2: 33:14 Inter-Activity: Beethoven, Mvt.