How can music tell a story?

Camille Saint–Saens

Camille Saint–Saens was born in Paris, France on October, 9, 1835. He began taking piano lessons when he was just two years old. He wrote his first piece of music at age three. For many years he played the organ at a famous church in Paris. He was known as one of the best organist and pianist of his time. By the time he was 22, he was a famous composer.

Power Listening = Active Listening Listen to one of Camille’s most famous pieces “Danse Macbre” and complete your power listening worksheet. Power Listening = Active Listening Do not write anything until your teacher asks you to begin. Just listen for a bit. Remember not talk, use only your ears.

What are some Expressive Tools the COMPOSER uses to help his music tell a story or create a feeling or mood?

“Danse Macabre” One of Camille Saint Saens most popular pieces is a spooky piece called “Danse Macabre” . He uses music to tell a story of an old French poem that was written in 1875. On Halloween night, skeletons rise from their graves and dance to the music of the violin. Saint-Saens uses the xylophone to imitate the sound of their rattling bones! The skeletons dance all night until dawn; when they must return to their graves until next year.

What is a theme? A theme is a main idea.

Camille Saint-Saens creates a story by giving a theme to two main characters. Listen to the themes (main idea) of the skeletons and ghosts.

Listen Up! Saint-Saens uses Staccato and Legato to help tell the story. This is the Ghost “theme”. Legato sounds are smooth and connected. Sometimes, the notes are marked with long curved lines over or under them. This is the Skeleton “theme”. Notes in music that are short and detached are called staccato. They are sometimes marked with dots over or under them.

DANSE MACABRE SAINT-SAËNS

The clock strikes 12. It is midnight. Played by the harp.

Death tunes its violin

Skeleton Theme The Dance Begins Flute

GHOST THEME GHOST DANCE SOLO VIOLIN

SKELETON THEME CONTINUES Flute TRIANGLE

GHOST THEME CONTINUES

THE DANCE CONTINUES SKELETONS RATTLE Xylophones

GHOST THEME GHOSTS FORM PATTERNS IN THE NIGHT PLAYED BY STRINGS

SONG OF THE WITCHES WOODWIND INSTRUMENTS

DEATH PLAYS A MELANCHOLY SOLO VIOLIN WITH HARP ACCOMPIANMENT

SKELETONS LAUGH EXUBERANTLY VARIATION ON SKELETON THEME PLAYED BY LOW STRINGS

THE DANCE BECOMES WILD GHOST THEME TROMBONE + STRING INSTRUMENTS

WITCHES FLY HIGH ABOVE THE GRUESOME SCENE STRING INSTRUMENTS

Death tunes it’s violin again and plays a solo

THEN THE WIND BEGINS TO HOWL

SKELETONS AND GHOSTS DANCE TOGETHER SKELETON THEME: STRINGS GHOST THEME: BRASS

THE EERIE SCENE BECOMES DEMENTED

SUDDENLY THE ROOSTER CROWS OBOE

Death tunes its violin

THE DANCERS SLIP QUICKLY BACK INTO THEIR GRAVES

DAYBREAK……EVERYTHING RETURNS TO REALITY VIOLIN PLAYS A NEW THEME

How does Camille Saint-Saens use music to tell a spooky story?