1. Unit 3 – From the Audience’s Perspective
MUSIC APPRECIATION
Unit 3 – From the Audience’s Perspective

2. PERCEPTIVE LISTENING Four Levels of Listening
Oblivious (Subconscious)– Music as background noise
Emotional (Conscious)– React to the emotion of the music
Perceptive (Analytical)– Listening to answer the question – “What is going on in the music right now?”
Peak (Revelatory)– Combines Perceptive and Emotional – ultimate response to music (“goose bump” feeling)
Each level is valuable for different reasons

3. LISTEN PERCEPTIVELY
Listen to John Williams’ “Liberty Fanfare” which celebrated the 100 anniversary of the Statue of Liberty
How does the composer command our attention? Write your thoughts in your notebook – Be prepared to discuss your answer
Listen again and answer
1. Does awareness of what is going on in the music help you to get more out of it?
2. What is the function of this music?
3. Who is the intended audience?
4. Does knowing this help increase your response?

4. BEING AN AUDIENCE MEMBER
Listening to music in public requires personal attentiveness
Reaction to music should be based on type of music performed, where it is played and how it is being used
Football game
Dance
Orchestra Concert
Rock Concert
The music of any style can be listened to with a serious or a light-hearted mood

5. CATEGORIES OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Aerophones
Instruments that produce sound by a vibrating column of air
Usually these consist of a pipe made out of wood, metal or plastic with a reed attached
Examples
Flute
Oboe
Clarinet
Sax
Bassoon
Also includes brass instruments as well
Trumpets, Trombones and Tubas are aerophones

6. CATEGORIES OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Idiophones
Simple, solid instruments that produce sound when struck, scraped or shaken
Examples
Gongs
Cymbals
Rattles
Xylophone

7. CATEGORIES OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Membranophones
Instruments that make sound when a stretched out skin is struck
Examples
Snare drum
Bongos
Tympani

8. CATEGORIES OF INSTRUMENTS
Chordophones
Instruments that create sound when a string is struck, plucked or bowed
Examples
Violin
Cello
Guitar
Piano

9. CATEGORIES OF INSTRUMENTS
Electrophones
Instruments that generate sound from electricity
Examples
Electric Guitar
Electric Bass
Synthesizer

10. A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
Composed in 1946 by English composer Benjamin Britten
Purpose to introduce instruments of the orchestra to students
Theme is based on a melody composed by Englishmen Henry Purcell (lived in 1600s)
Theme is first presented by entire orchestra

11. A Young Persons…cont. Next, each section presents the theme
Woodwind Section
Brass Section
String Section
Percussion Section
Full Orchestra

12. A Young Person’s …cont.
Next, there are several variations played by instruments
Variations change the melody in terms of rhythm, mood, dynamics, etc.
Woodwinds are first
Var. 1Flute and piccolo
Var. 2 Oboe
Var. 3 Clarinet
Var. 4 Bassoon

13. A Young Person’s …cont. Next set of variations feature the strings
Var. 5 Violins
Var. 6 Violas
Var. 7 Cellos
Var. 8 Double basses
Var. 9 Harp

14. A Young Person’s …cont. The brasses are featured next
Var. 10 French horns
Var. 11 Trumpets
Var. 12 Trombones and Tubas

15. A Young Person’s …cont. Percussion is featured in Vat. 13
Tympani, bass drum, snare drum
Tambourine, triangle, wood block
Xylophone
Castanets and gong
Whip
Entire ensemble

16. A Young Person’s…cont. A new tune is played by piccolo
The other instruments enter, each playing the same tune
After woodwinds, strings, brass and percussion have their turns, the theme returns in the brass and the piece concludes
Composer Benjamin Britten

17. UNIT 3 PROJECT
Create a 5 slide power point presentation on the instrument of your choosing
You may work with a partner
Be sure to include at least four different
pictures of your instrument
Your slides should contain
1. Range of the instrument
2. Brief history of the instrument
3. Uses of the instrument
4. Classification of the instrument
5. How the instrument is played

18. IDENTIFY INSTRUMENTS
Directions: Listen to the following musical excerpts and identify all the timbres and instruments producing the sound you hear. Then, classify the instruments according to the appropriate category(ies). (All five are represented)
1. Bluegrass band
Bill Monroe
2. Sextet: woodwind
Fancis Poulenc and the Philadelphia Quintet
3. Blues Band
B.B. King
4. Brass quintet
Canadian Brass
5. String Quartet
Budapest Quartet/Hayden
6. Motown group
The Temptations
7. Double Reed soloist
Thomas Stacy

19. COMPARE PERFORMANCES
Listen to two versions of Bach’s Toccata in D Minor and determine which you like best
Determine which category fits each version. Write each description and place an “O” if it describes the organ version or “S” if it describes the symphony version
1. Obvious contrast of dynamics (loud and soft)
2. Use of crescendo/decrescendo
3. Tempo (beat) is steady
4. Variations in tempo (ritardando)
5. Smooth almost sluggish articulation
6. Crisp articulation
7. Limited dynamic range
8. Expansive dynamic range
9. Limited tone color
10. Expansive range of tone color

20. COMPARE PERFORMACES II
Answer the following questions in your notebook
1. Bach might have performed his Toccata on the organ of St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. This long, narrow and high building had a reverberation (echo) of 3.5 seconds. How does Stakowski take that phenomenon into consideration in his orchestral transcription?
2. Bach, who was acknowledged as the greatest improviser of his day, probably created this brilliant Toccata on the spot as a prelude or recessional to the religious service. How does Stakowski’s transcription, which was intended for the concert hall, take away from or add to the sacred and mystical character of the composition?