1. March & Tirolese from Soirées Musicales
Arranged by Benjamin Britten in 1936 and 1938
Rossini was born in He was a hugely successful composer and was able to retire aged 32. He hosted great dinner parties and wrote piano pieces to entertain his guests.
The Italian composer Rossini loved food so much there are several recipes named after him – Tournedos Rossini and Eggs Rossini.
Benjamin Britten adapted five of Rossini’s piano pieces and called the ‘Musical Evenings’ or Soireés Musicales.

2. Listening and Responding
Activity 1: BAKE OFF!
Imagine you are on The Great British Bake Off! You need to prepare two delicious star bakes for Paul Hollywood’s Soirées Musicales (or Musical Evenings). The task is to create 2 show-stopping bakes to go with the music Paul has chosen. (Unlike Rossini who created the music to go with the food!)
Paul would like you to create:
1. An amazing savoury bake (inspired by the March) followed by
2. a wonderful sweet bake (inspired by Tirolese)
Draw both your bakes as you listen to the music.
Give your bakes names… maybe after yourself or a friend!
What flavours will you use?
Add descriptive words for each bake – think of words to describe the flavours taste and smell.
Which musical instruments can you identify in each piece of music?

3. Benjamin Britten’s Soirees Musicales: March & Tirolese
SAVOURY BAKE : MARCH
SWEET BAKE : TIROLESE
Benjamin Britten’s Soirees Musicales: March & Tirolese
Create an amazing savoury bake (inspired by the March) and a wonderful sweet bake (inspired by Tirolese)
Give your bakes names… maybe after yourself or a friend! What flavours will you use? Add descriptive words for each bake – think of words to describe the flavours taste and smell.

4. Accompany and Conduct
Strong and Weak beats Why does the March have very different musical ‘feel’ from Tirolese ?
Listen to the March
It starts with a short fanfare.
Join in quietly counting 1234 over and over again, keeping a steady pulse by tapping on your knees.
Beat 1 can be stressed slightly to show the 4 beats.
Accompany the March
You need to be in several smaller groups.
The ‘conductor’ will indicate when it is each group’s turn to join in tapping the pulse. Watch carefully as to when to start and stop. Listen to the different textures of sound.
Try using untuned percussion instruments.
Make sure you can hear the orchestra – good listening is key!
Conduct the March
Beat time

5. The Tirolese is in waltz time.
Listen to Tirolese
Listen to Tirolese and count 1234 at the same time. Why doesn’t it work?
The Tirolese is in waltz time.
Join in counting 123, over and over, without gaps and keeping a steady beat.
In a waltz the three beats are split up so there is one strong beat (‘um’) and two weaker beats (‘pa pa’). Practise repeating ‘um-pa-pa’ several times.
Accompany Tirolese
Practise the following body percussion pattern and then accompany the orchestra:
Tap Knees, clap ,clap (repeated)
Um Pa Pa
Follow the ‘conductor’ who will indicate when it is each group’s turn to join in the Um Pa Pa pattern. Watch carefully as to when to start and stop. Listen to the different textures of sound.
Conduct the Tirolese
Beat waltz time. 123.
Conduct the Tirolese.

6. Further Development
Try creating different patterns using body percussion and 4 beats.
Invent sounds and actions. For example, clap, tap knees, click fingers, stamp feet as follows:
Clap, tap, tap, tap
Clap, click, tap, stamp
Slightly emphasise beat 1
Make sure you are able to repeat the patterns – keep them simple at first. Which are the most successful?
Perform
Appoint a conductor and ask different groups to perform their patterns at different times.
Can you keep the beat going? – no gaps!

7. Further instrumental development
Sort a variety of untuned percussion instruments into 2 sets:
Instruments that could play the loud and strong beat 1 (UM) e.g. drum, wood block
Instruments that could play the weaker beats 2 & 3 (Pa Pa) e.g. shakers, tambourine
Group 1 is UM and Group 2 is Pa Pa
Create the waltz pattern again with each group playing on ‘their’ beat/s
For example:
Woodblock shake shake
UM Pa Pa
Appoint a conductor to indicate to the groups when they should play/stop.
Try different combinations of instruments.
Perform your untuned waltz