Prior Learning:
The children may have already listened to music expressing emotions. This lesson follows on from that, introducing pieces of instrumental music and asking the children to describe how these pieces of music make them feel.
Experiences and Outcomes
I have listened to a range of music and can respond by discussing my thoughts and feelings. EXA 2-19a
Skills from CREATE Music Tracker
- Listen and respond to musical pieces of increasing length and listen appropriately to the views of others.
- Listen to a range of live and/or recorded music and respond by expressing personal views.
- Listen to and watch musicians perform a range of musical genres.
- Recognise different ensembles and name the instruments within them.
- Listen to and identify the different sections of the orchestra (strings, woodwind, brass, percussion) and gain a deeper understanding of how the timbre of different instruments can convey different moods/atmospheres.
Activities
Remind the children of what they have previously learned about the link between music and feelings.
Why does music make you feel a certain way? Is it because of the instruments playing?
How loud/quiet they are? Whether the music is fast/slow?
Does how you are feeling yourself affect your perception?
Play each excerpt in turn, pausing for discussion after each piece, asking the questions:
How does it make you feel? Have you a picture in your head? Can you imagine something happening? Are there any instruments you recognise? Is it loud/quiet? Fast/slow? Are there lots of instruments or a few? Can you hear any voices? Most answers will of course be valid as it’s their perception but, there are a few definites i.e. which instruments are playing!
NB Do play each one more than once – you could play a couple of times, then discuss, then play again to listen out for the things you’ve drawn their attention to.
- Sheep May Safely Graze (Bach) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1nyzGR3tUE
Instruments: Organ, flute(s), violin solo
Starts with flutes and organ in background. Violin takes over the melody, then it swaps between it and flutes for the rest of the excerpt. Quite slow.
Peaceful, calming, relaxing?
- Fuego Caribe (Ritmo Alegria) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t9oiLV6_MU
Instruments: Piano, trumpet, saxophones, various percussion insturments
Starts with piano solo, percussion joins in (agogo), then bongo/conga drums, trumpet solo, saxophones play underneath. Saxes take melody, lots more percussion (shakers, guiros, cabasas, claves) Quite fast. Carnival, dancing, happy, cheery?
- Pavane (Faure) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeCxKGHwYQo
Instruments: String Orchestra (children will possible only say violins)
Sad, slow? (It’s in a minor key which is why it sounds ‘sad’
Conclude
Point out that these pieces are all instrumental – no singing or words. Encourage the children to always 9 actively listening when they hear a piece of music – is it fast/slow, loud/quiet, which instruments can they hear?
