Lesson Overview:
In this lesson, students learn music vocabulary and use it to assess David Maddox's music from The Nightingale (a Kennedy Center production). Students will be asked to write an article for a newspaper column, critiquing the success or failure of the musical composition to personify characters in the musical.
Length of Lesson:
Two 45-minute class periods
Instructional Objectives:
Students will:
- identify, define, and apply music vocabulary when asked to critique a composition.
- make connections between the vocabulary and the assigned listening example.
- appreciate the connection between the attributes of the music composition and the attributes of the character represented by the music.
- develop a written critique of the musical composition, using appropriate music vocabulary and fulfilling the requirements of the writing assessment rubric.
- demonstrate an understanding of the use of the musical vocabulary in their writing examples.
- appreciate that a writer must use music vocabulary to persuade a reader that the writer's analysis or critique is valid.
Instructional Plan:
Warm Up
On the board, set up four columns with the following headings: "Tempo," "Dynamics," "Instrumentation," and "Result." In the first three columns, students should brainstorm familiar musical terms and symbols that deal with the three headings.
If necessary, begin by conducting a brief review of basic musical terms.
Introductory Activity
Through small group discussions, students should take one item from each of the first three columns, and consider the effect or result the music would portray if the three elements were combined in composition. For example, the words "allegro," "piano," and "flute" could signify a bird in flight; the words "largo," "forte," and "cello" could signify a whale beneath the sea.
Guided Activity
As a class, students should listen to the soundtrack of David Maddox's The Nightingale. Model the process of active listening for the class, pointing out:
- the composer's use of instrumentation, including how the instruments are played(bowed, plucked, long tones, short tones, etc.)
- the composer's use of dynamics
- the composer's use of tempo
Independent Activity
Students should listen to the excerpts that represent three characters in The Nightingale. They should take notes regarding the musical elements the composer chose to represent the real nightingale, the mechanical nightingale, and the wind of death, respectively. Excerpts representing these characters can be found on the following CD tracks:
- "Real Nightingale": Track 4 (length: 2:09)
- "Mechanical Nightingale": Track 5 (length: 5:20)
- "The Wind of Death": Track 7 (length: 1:12)
Guided Activity
As a class, review the characteristics of the three characters, as depicted by the musical selections. At this time, share samples of entertainment review columns should be shared with the class. There are three ways this can be done:
- Students can be assigned to bring a sample column from home.
- The teacher can bring in samples to share.
- Students can research newspaper columns on the Internet.
Independent Activity
Students will follow the writing process to develop an essay based on the following writing prompt:
Your goal is to determine if David Maddox was able to personify
the characters of the story when he composed the score to The Nightingale. Your job is to write a story for the entertainment section of your city's daily newspaper regarding the effectiveness of the composer's use of the musical elements in his composition. This column will be read by people who are interested in seeing a show with a well-written score. Your challenge is to describe Maddox's attempt to personify two of the three characters discussed in class. Your review must demonstrate your knowledge of music vocabulary to prove to your readers that your view regarding this composition is valid. A successful column will contain your perspective or opinion supported by evidence gained from the listening assignment.
Students should complete the pre-write and rough draft sectiond of this assignment independently. Rough drafts should be shared with and reviewed by a classmate (pair and share). Final drafts should be completed independently.
Assessment:
Use the Newspaper Column Rubric provided as well as the following criteria:
- ability to identify, define, and apply music vocabulary when asked to critique a listening example was demonstrated through classroom discussions and the writing assignment.
- demonstrated knowledge of the connection between the vocabulary
and the assigned listening example.
- demonstrated appreciation for the connection between the attributes of the music composition and the attributes of the characters in The Nightingale.
- demonstrated ability to develop a written critique of the musical composition using appropriate music vocabulary.
- ability to write persuasively and validate their perspective with examples and music vocabulary.
Extensions:
Students should discuss the musical excerpt that represented the battle between the original nightingale and the wind of death. What are some ways the listener could predict the outcome of the battle before the narrator announced the winner?
Sources:
Print:
- Aesop, The Aesop for Children. New York: Checkerboard Press, 1947.
- Andersen, H./ Gennadi. Little Mermaids and Ugly Ducklings. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2001.
- Andersen, H / E. Hauggard. Hans Christian Andersen: The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories. New York: Anchor Books / Double Day, 1974.
- Andersen, H./ Zwerger, Lisbeth. Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales. New York: North South Books, 2001, c1991.
- Jacobs, J. The Fables of Aesop. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1967.
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Pinkney, J. Aesop’s Fables. New York: Sea Star Books, 2000.
Media:
- Maddox, David. Nightingale. Willie Bell Music. Audio CD. [This recording is available from Willie Bell Music at 1630 Euclid St., NW; Suite 131; Washington, D.C.; 20009. Call 202-232-6625 or see http://www.davidmaddox.com for more information.]
Authors:
-
Leslie Thomas, Teacher
Thomas Pullen Arts Magnet School
Landover, MD
