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LLiisstteenn!!A Guide to the ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

2003-2004 Young People’s Concerts

Variations on “America”

Charles Ives

Fugue, from Schwanda, the Bagpiper

Jaromir Weinberger

Symphony No. 7, 3rd Movement

Ludwig van Beethoven

Concerto for Orchestra, 4th movement

Béla Bartók

Peachtree Street, from City Scape

Jennifer Higdon

Symphony No. 9, 1st movement

Dmitri Shostakovich

Do you sometimesget tired of doing

the same old thingevery day? Do you wish

you could go to a new

place, meet some new

people or see new sights?

Everyone has that feeling

at times. Human beings

need variety in their lives

to be happy.

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Percussion

Clarinets

FlutesSecond Violins

Piano

First Violins

Harp

French Horns

Too much variety can be just as bad.

What if you never knew what to expect

next? Without some routine in our lives,

we feel confused and out of sorts. It

seems we’re happiest when we have a

little of both – a pleasant routine with

a few nice surprises along the way.

The arts also need repeated things and

some variety. Look at the painting on

the following page. What is repeated?

Repeating something holds the paint-

ing together. It creates unity. How does

the artist provide a change? Change

creates variety. Without some variety,

the painting would be very dull. The

artist obeyed the rule that good design

always has both unity and variety.

Composers build music from ideas. A

musical idea is usually a melody.

Once they have a musical idea, com-

posers then have to make a choice.

They can either repeat the first idea

or come up with a new one.

Good musical design also has a bal-

ance between repeated things and

new things. Repeating in music is even

more important than in painting. Music

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Timpani

Bassoons

Oboes

Violas

Basses

Cellos

TubasTrombonesTrumpets

happens over time. It’s easy to forget a

melody that you hear only once.

Composers repeat melodies to help

you remember them.

Unity and variety are the building blocks

of classical music. They help create

musical form (a plan for the music).

Composers use some musical forms

so often that everyone knows them.

Now it’s time for you to learn them.

When you come to Symphony Hall to

hear the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra,

you will hear music that combines

unity and variety. You’ll hear some of

the musical forms that make classical

music so interesting.

Artist: Nicole Price

Title: “Connected”

Two things make this music very American. First,

the theme, or main melody, of the piece is a well-

known American patriotic tune, “My Country, ’Tis

of Thee.” Secondly, the music is full of new ideas.

Theme and variations has been a popular musical form for centuries.

Often, the composer borrows the theme from another composer. In this

music, the theme is a tune we all know. There is only one theme in a

theme and variations piece. The composer must think of many ways to

add variety without writing a new theme. The theme and its variations

are played one after another. A theme and variations map

would look like this: A A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 etc. A theme

can have any number of variations.

About TheMusic

About the COMPOSERCharles Ives was called the founding

father of American music. He liked to make

up his own rules for music. His father, a band

director, taught him to experiment with sounds.

He became known for his unusual musical ideas.

Charles began composing music when he was very young. One of his

first compositions was a piece for his cat’s funeral.

Charles wrote this piece for the organ when he was only seventeen.

(An organ has a keyboard like a piano, but the sound is made when air

is forced through pipes.) He had a job as organist at a local church.

William Schuman, another American composer, rewrote the piece for

orchestra in 1963.

What makes music “American?” Is it the melody? Is it the rhythm?

This music will help you decide.

Variations on “America”

Charles Ives (1874-1954)

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Activity #1: Create a set of variations on a non-

musical theme. Here are some ideas for your

theme: 1) walking, 2) saying hello to someone,

3) a sentence (try “The lazy cow stood in a sunny

pasture.”). Create a list of the ways you could

change each theme or work with your group to

make up variations. Perform your theme and

variations.

Activity #2: This is the theme of Variations on

“America.” Sing the tune, and clap the rhythm as you

sing. Next, silently think through the song while you clap the

rhythm. What changes do you hear in the song when you sing it?

When you “think” through the song silently and clap the rhythm, can

you tell what stays the same?

Activity #3: Make a list of ways a composer can change a theme. Now listen

to the Ives theme and its four variations. As you hear each one, decide how

the theme is changed and fill in the chart below.

My coun-try, ’tis of thee Sweet land of li-ber-ty, Of thee I sing. – Land where my

fa-thers died, Land of the pil-grims’ pride, From e-very –moun-tainside Let freedom ring!

Instruments Melody Rhythm Tempo Meter Dynamics Harmony Mood

Introduction

Theme (A)

Variation 1 (A1)

Interlude

Variation 2 (A2)

Variation 3 (A3)

Variation 4 (A4)

Coda

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Fugue, from Schwanda, the Bagpiper

Jaromir Weinberger (1896-1967)

About The COMPOSERJaromir Weinberger was born in Prague in 1896.

He loved the music of his native country. He used

the folk music of that country in his operas.

He studied music in the music schools of Prague and Leipzig. Just before

World War II, Weinberger left his beloved country. He came to the United

States in 1939. In America, he sometimes wrote music based on American

folk tunes.

About The MusicThis happy piece was written for a scene in an opera. An opera is a story

told through music. The story of Schwanda comes from Bohemia, now a

part of the Czech Republic.

In this story, Schwanda has been in some very big trouble. He plays this

fugue (pronounced “fyoog”) to celebrate when his friend Babinsky helps

him to escape.

Schwanda, the Bagpiper is Weinberger’s most

famous opera. It is still popular today. It has

been performed over 4000 times in more than

20 languages. This fugue is one of the most

popular pieces from that opera.

Do you know the story about the Pied Piper of Hamelin? He played his

tunes, and all the children followed him. He created a very unhappy scene

when he took all of the children away. In this story, Schwanda, the Bagpiper,

makes trouble, too. He also gets out of trouble with his magic music.

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Like theme and variations, the fugue form is based on one theme. The theme

of a fugue is repeated many times also. In theme and variations form, the

repeats of the theme follow one after another. In a fugue, the repeats overlap

each other. It sounds like the themes are chasing each other. In fact, the word

fugue comes from fuga which means “flight.”

In the “Exposition” section of the music, you hear each voice or instrument

play the theme (called the subject or the answer). When each voice finishes

the theme, it then plays other music, written to be played along with the

subject. The composer varies the theme in the “Development” section of the

fugue. To really enjoy a fugue, you must learn to listen to more than one thing

at a time.

This is a map of the Fugue from Schwanda, the Bagpiper:

Exposition:

Development:

The theme is varied. The fugue ends with the brass instruments playing the theme slower and louder.

You might have noticed that this is like a round. Sing a favorite round like “Row,

Row, Row Your Boat.” Notice how the voices stack up as each new group enters.

Activity: This is the theme of Schwanda’s Fugue.

After you become familiar with the theme, listen to the entire piece and

follow the map. You will hear the theme repeated over and over. How does the

composer create variety?

1. Violas/Theme (Subject) ____________________________________________________________________

2. Cellos/Theme (Answer) _________________________________________________________

3. Violins/Theme (Subject) ______________________________________________

4. Bass/Theme (Answer) ______________________________________

Beethoven wrote nine symphonies. A sym-

phony has four movements or sections.

Most symphony movements can stand

alone as separate pieces. Each one has

its own musical form. Sometimes movements are in theme and

variations form. Some movements include a fugue.

The third movement of many symphonies is in three-part

or ABA form. In theme and variations form and in

fugues, composers use one theme over and over. In

ABA form, a completely new theme (B) is introduced

to give the piece variety. The repeat of the A

section at the end brings unity to the music.

The third movement of Beethoven’s 7th

Symphony uses a B theme. He then repeats

the first two sections of the third movement

(A and B) before he ends it with the A

melody. A map of this movement would be

ABABA. The name of this form is scherzo

and trio. The A theme is the scherzo

section. The B theme is the trio section.

About TheMusic

Symphony No. 7, 3rd Movement

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

This piece of music will make you want to dance. Beethoven called his

7th Symphony his “most excellent symphony.”

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About TheCOMPOSERLudwig van Beethoven was born in

Bonn, Germany. His father made his liv-

ing as a musician. Ludwig’s father taught

him how to play the piano and the violin.

Ludwig attended school for only a few years. All of Ludwig’s time was

spent learning how to play and write music. His father wanted him to

be a famous musician. He made Ludwig practice for long hours. People

who knew the family said that they saw Beethoven standing at the

piano crying and playing.

Ludwig did become a famous musician. People crowded the concert

halls to hear him perform. He was among the first composers to make

a living with his writing.

Sadly, Ludwig became deaf later in life. Despite this, he wrote music

that earned him a place among the giants of classical music.

Activity #1: Download your own copy of a listening map of this piece from

www.atlantasymphony.org/family/peoples/teachers.html. Follow the listening

map as you listen to the 3rd Movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.

Activity #2: Use the “Building Your Music Memory” page in the back of the

book to describe the A and B sections. Compare and contrast the themes.

You’ll need to listen more than once.

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Concerto for Orchestra, 4th movement

Béla Bartók (1881-1945)

Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra was one of the

last pieces of music he wrote. Béla left Hungary

when World War II began. The Nazis had taken

over his country. He was living in New York and

was very ill. He was asked to write a piece for

orchestra. The desire to write this music made him feel much better for a

while. He wrote the Concerto in only seven weeks. He died nine months later.

In a concerto, a musician usually stands in front of the orchestra to play a

solo part. This concerto is unusual because there is no “star” soloist.

Bartók treats each of the regular orchestra musicians like soloists. This is a

showpiece for the whole orchestra.

Activity #1: In this movement, Bartók uses three themes – A, B and C. The

“C” theme is borrowed from the 7th Symphony of composer Dmitri

Shostakovich. Bartók heard the Shostakovich symphony on the radio while

he was working on his Concerto. He didn’t like it very much. He decided to

make fun of that piece in this movement. How can you tell when a compos-

er is making fun of a tune? You’ll soon find out as you listen to this piece.

As you listen, write down the “solo” instruments. Look at the orchestra

picture at the beginning of this book. Decide which instrument is playing.

Theme Solo Instrument(s)

A

B

(A)

C

B

A

Beethoven and Bartók lived one century apart. They both obeyed

the rules for good musical form. They created both unity and

variety in their music.

About The

Music

About the COMPOSERBéla Bartók was born in Hungary. His par-

ents were teachers and amateur musicians.

Béla showed his talent at an early age. At four

years old, he could play 40 songs on the piano.

Béla was shy and not very healthy. His father died when Béla was only

seven. His mother moved the family often. She was looking for jobs. She

also wanted Béla and his sister to have good schools.

Béla began writing music when he was only ten years old. He went to

music school to become a piano soloist. Later, Béla became very

interested in the folk music of his country. He collected folk music by

listening to the people around him. The folk music of his

native land inspired his own music.

Activity #2: Use the “Building Your Musical Memory” page in the back of this

book to describe each of the three themes. Then answer these questions:

1. How does the composer provide unity in this movement? (What stays

the same?)

2. How does the composer create variety? (What changes?)

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Peachtree Street, from City Scape

Jennifer Higdon (1962 - )

About the COMPOSERJennifer Higdon was born in Brooklyn, New York.

When she was one year old, her family moved to

Atlanta. Her mother and father took Jennifer to hear

the Atlanta Symphony for the first time when she was

eight years old. She attended the ballet, museums, film festivals and even

rock concerts in Piedmont Park. Her parents loved all of those things. They

wanted Jennifer to see and hear it all.

Jennifer played percussion instruments. She also became a very good flute

player. She decided to study music in college. She also wanted to learn how

to conduct an orchestra and write music. One of her teachers was Robert

Spano. Mr. Spano is now the Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

Jennifer makes her living writing music. She also teaches other people how

to write music. You will hear that she writes special parts for her two

favorites – flute and percussion.

“Peachtree Street” is the name of this music. It is

the 3rd movement of a long piece called City Scape.

When you come to hear the Atlanta Symphony

Orchestra, you will be on Peachtree Street.

Watch carefully as you ride down Peachtree Street. You will see lots of traffic

lights. You will probably see lots of people and cars moving down the street.

Peachtree is a busy street. This “Peachtree Street” movement is Jennifer

Higdon’s memory of the busy spots and the quiet spots on that long street.

The first two movements of City Scape are also about Atlanta. The first

movement is called “Skyline.” The second movement is called “river sings a

song to the trees.” Jennifer was thinking about her old

hometown when she wrote this music.

This music is about our hometown. You can almost see the

busy scenes on Peachtree Street, the “Main Street” of Atlanta.

About TheMusic

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Activity #1: First, you should listen to all of “Peachtree Street.” Do you hear busy

places and calm places? Try to make your own map of the music. Start with just

two words: “busy” and “calm.”

There are SIX themes in “Peachtree Street.” Ms. Higdon wrote this piece in

Rondo Form. That means that the A theme is repeated after every new theme.

The map of the piece is A-B-A-C-A-D-A-E-A-F-A. Write down your “busy” and “calm”

ideas below. Try to decide which instruments are the main instruments in each

theme. You’ll know you’re hearing the A theme when you hear the full orchestra.

THEME Loud & Busy or Calm & Quiet Instruments

Theme A Full orchestraTheme B

Theme A

Theme C

Theme A

Theme D

Theme A

Theme E

Theme A

Theme F

Theme A

Activity #2: Look at the “Building Your Musical Memory” chart. Which musical

elements does Jennifer Higdon change to create a busy or calm mood? The

repeat of the A theme provides unity. Is the music unified by other elements that

stay the same across all of the other themes?

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About the COMPOSERDmitri Shostakovich lived through two terrible

wars. He was a very quiet person. It seems that

all of his feelings came out in his music.

After World War II, the Soviet government in his native

Russia did not like some of Dmitri’s music. They thought it did not display

Soviet ideas. He had to apologize and write music that the leaders

liked. He never forgot how to write great music, though. His fifteen

symphonies are especially dramatic and full of feeling.

Symphony No. 9, 1st movement

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)

This music is full of fun and humor. It was written at the end of World

War II in 1945. Instead of a great “victory” symphony, Shostakovich

wrote a playful piece of music. This was his way to celebrate the end of war.

The first movement of a symphony has a very

special form. It is called sonata-allegro form.

Sonata-allegro form is different from any other

musical form. At first, it sounds like three-part

form. If you listen carefully, though, you’ll hear that the middle section of

the music is not new. It contains old themes changed in some way.

This form has two large parts. The first part is called the Exposition. In the

exposition, you hear the main theme (A) and a second theme (B). The A theme

is in the “home” key. The second theme moves away from the home key.

In the second part, the composer “develops” the themes. The key is

always changed, often many times. The melodies may be decorated or

even turned upside down.

At the end of the Development, you know that something important is

about to happen. You can tell that the music is moving back to the “home”

key. You feel very satisfied when you hear the main

theme again in the home key. The repeat of the

main theme is called the Recapitulation.

About TheMusic

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Activity: Follow this map of the 1st movement of the Shostakovich 9th

Symphony. The recapitulation of the themes is not an exact repeat, but you’ll

know them when you hear them. (Read left to right.)

I. EXPOSITION:

A theme: a b astrings oboe strings

B theme: a a b apiccolo piccolo woodwinds brass

II. DEVELOPMENT:

A theme (new keys): a b ahigh strings high strings low stringsupside down

B theme (new keys): a b woodwinds horn and bassoon

RECAPITULATION:

A theme (home key): a b astrings strings bassoon

B theme: a bviolin solo trombones

A theme: a clarinet solo

B theme: ahigh strings

A theme: aclarinet, oboe and trumpetsmall fragment

�

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Building Your Musical Memory

Answer these questions so you can remember each theme. Write youranswers in the chart below.

1. Which instruments are playing? Does that stay the same or do newinstruments enter on the same theme? List them in the order you hearthem. Do you hear one instrument, several instruments or the fullorchestra play the theme? Does that change?

2. Is the tempo slow or fast?

3. Is the music loud or soft? Are there changes in the dynamics?

4. Is the articulation of the melody smooth and flowing (legato) or disconnected (staccato)?

5. Is the melody line curved or jagged? Does it move stepwise or by leapsfrom one note to the next?

6. Is the rhythm even or uneven? Are the accents on the beat or off thebeat (syncopation)?

7. Is the meter duple (sets of 2 beats) or triple (sets of 3 beats) or a combination?

8. What is the mood of the theme? (Happy, sad, spooky, wild, calm, etc.)Does the mood change? Which musical elements above are changedto create a new mood?

Theme 1. Instruments (Tone Color) 2. Tempo 3. Volume (Dynamics)

Make a list Slow/Fast Loud/Soft

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More Questions to Help You Describe the Music

9. Is there more than one theme? How many? If there is only one theme, howdoes the composer create variety? What is repeated for unity? (Same =Unity / Different = Variety)

10. What do you hear that helps you know that a new section of the music isabout to begin? (Does it get slower or faster, become softer or louder? Arethere big loud chords or a pause?)

11. Make a map of the events in the entire piece of music. (A A1 A2 A3; A B A;A B A B A; A B C B A; A B A C A D A E A F A, etc.) Does this musical formhave a name? (Theme and Variations; Fugue; Three-part Form; Rondo;Sonata-allegro)

12. Is there an Introduction? Is there a Coda? (Sometimes a composer writesan Introduction at the beginning before starting Theme A. Sometimes acomposer writes a Coda “tail” to end the piece. Small pieces of thethemes may be used in both the Introduction and the Coda.)

4. Articulation 5. Melody 6. Rhythm 7. Meter 8. Mood

Legato/Staccato Curved/Jagged Even/Uneven Duple/Triple You decide

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The orchestra is made up of many people playing various instruments.These musicians work together with the conductor to play music for students who attend the ASO Young People’s Concerts.

Below, four ASO musicians answer some frequently asked questions.

What is it like to be a musician in an orchestra?

Kenn Wagner, ASO Violin: A very difficult job, but there is a lot of variety in the music, and my ASO colleaguesare wonderful!

Tell us about your first important musical experience.

Gloria Jones, ASO Bass: In 3rd grade, a group of stringplayers came and demonstrated instruments.I knew then that I HAD to play violin. I begged so hard for a violin. Then, I switched to bass at age 12. I begged hardfor that too!

How often do you have to practice?

Stephen Wilson, ASO Trombone: I play the tromboneevery day, seven days a week. I practice 2-3 hours a day,four days a week.

What advice do you have for students who would like tobe professional musicians?

Juan de Gomar, ASO Contrabassoon: If playing professionally is something you want to do, it has to beburning your soul. You can't just want to do it; you haveto need to do it.

Meet the Orchestra

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We are delighted that your child will have an opportunity to visit Symphony Hall to hear the

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. This student guide is part of the extensive preparation materials

provided for educators to use in preparing young people for the concert. The teacher materials

are available for your perusal on the Internet at www.atlantasymphony.org/family/peoples/teachers.html.

The theme of the 2003-2004 ASO Young People’s Concert is Musical Form. Students will

explore the element of form in music – how it is created and how it conveys meaning. In subse-

quent years, students will learn about other elements of music. We hope you will encourage

your school leaders to take advantage of these future concerts.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra provides other opportunities for you to share the joy of music

with your child. The Sunday afternoon Family Concert series is designed to be an entertaining

learning experience for the whole family. Also on Sunday afternoons, you and your children

may enjoy concerts performed by the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra. This talented group

of student musicians ranging in age from 13 to 18 performs three subscription concerts a year.

We hope you’ll take advantage of these and other concerts to instill in your child a love of

orchestral music – a lifelong gift that your child will treasure.

A Note to Parents:

ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA EDUCATION STAFF:

Susan Merritt, Director of Education

Brenda Pruitt, Assistant Director of Education

Melanie Darby, Coordinator of Youth and Family Programs

To order tickets to these and other ASO concerts, please call the Woodruff Arts Center Box Office: 404-733-5000.

Order Online: www.atlantasymphony.orgFor Group and Student rates for these concerts call 404-733-4848

An AOL Time Warner Company

October 26, 2003

Halloween Spooktacular!William Shakespeare, conductor

Lee Harper & Dancers

1:30 & 3:30pm

February 8, 2004

Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs &

Ham and Gertrude McFuzzJere Flint, Conductor

Alliance Theatre Company

1:30 & 3:30pm

March 21, 2004

Babar the ElephantJere Flint, conductor

Atlanta Ballet

1:30 & 3:30pm

April 25, 2004

The TempestJere Flint, conductor

Underground Railway Theatre

Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra

1:30 & 3:30pm

T H E A S O C O C A - C O L A F A M I LY C O N C E R T S

Sponsored by: with support from Publix Super Markets

AT L A N TA S Y M P H O N Y

Y O U T H O R C H E S T R A C O N C E R T S

Jere Flint, Music Director

Fall Concert

November 23, 2003 • 3:00pm

Winter Concert

March 7, 2004 • 3:00pm

Spring Concert

May 9, 2004 • 3:00pm

Sponsored by: with support from Equifax

and the Lanie & Ethel Foundation

ASO YOUNG PEOPLES CONCERTS ARE SUPPORTED IN PART BY:

The William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Education and

Outreach Fund, the First Union Foundation and The Goizueta Foundation. We are grateful to these

organizations for their continued support of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.