Musik, Serious Gaming und Konzentrationsfähigkeit – mit der App entdecken die Kinder die Magie der klassischen Musik mit interaktiven Spielen.
Activity 1
Music history
Whole class
15 min.
M13 printout
M13: Romantic – true or false? (hand out to each child)
Teacher:
“Some people from the past would like to tell you something about the historical period they lived in: the Romantic era. Listen carefully to what I'm going to read to you, and check if the statements on your worksheet are true or false."
To read
Figure 1 - Composer from the Romantic period
I greet you, dear listeners! In case you didn't know, I am a great composer. A really important one! The greatest of all! I write operas, songs and large orchestral works. I also created a completely new form of music: the symphonic poem. Have you ever heard of it? In order to create a symphonic poem, I use a story and then transform words into sounds. Everytime I write music, I create a new world. You can try it too! Use your imagination. Imagination is an artist's greatest strength! Be in touch with your feelings! Look for inspiration! But where? - you might ask yourself. Look around. What is most important to you? What does your heart tell you? The thing that is the most important to me is my country, with its beautiful nature - full of life and mystery. Just look at the mountains, the streams, the rushing rivers and the lush fields. Listen to the stories and legends people tell. Who can you meet in the woods? A nymph? A troll? Try to think of something that is typical of your country. Maybe a dance? Sit still... and just create something. A good friend of mine always said: music is the most romantic of all arts.
Figure 2 - Poet from the Romantic period
Hmmm, I have a completely different view compared to my colleague - the composer. I am a poet. And poetry is the greatest of all art forms. Dear composer, you said it yourself! You use a story and turn the words into sounds. So at the very beginning there are the words. Even the name - romance - comes from a French novel from the Middle Age. It was always about stories filled with adventure, heroism and love. Can you feel the power of words? Haha! And do you know what else is powerful? Emotions! I enjoy writing about love. But preferably about an unhappy and impossible love. This is very moving. Hmmm. Do you have a tissue? No, no, I won't blow my nose. That's not very romantic. I just want to wipe away an emotional tear. That's what romantic heroes do. Yes, a Romantic hero, the main character of a story, is a young and an outstanding poet, a traveller, a popular leader, highly sensitive and emotional, a genius!
Figure 3 - Painter from the Romantic period
Be careful or you'll burst with pride, dear Poet. And stop talking about yourself all the time. You are far from a genius. I admit, you have a way with words. But what are words compared to pictures? You can use a thousand words, but you can't convey all the beauty and horror of nature and landscapes, like I can. Using dramatic colors and lighting effects, I create images of still landscapes, full of secrets. Have you ever seen me use my paintbrush? How freely? How expressive? Do you like traveling? Yes? Then come, come with me! I will show you great battles and big dramas. I'll show you pictures from my own country, from my homeland, but also from the most exotic places that you can imagine. And I create all of this with my brush strokes.
Compare what students wrote on their worksheet with the solutions below.
Solutions:
Activity 2
Music history
In pairs
5 min.
With the help of the true or false worksheet, work out the most important characteristics of Romanticism.
Characteristics of Romanticism
- Feelings are particularly important in Romanticism. In the Romantic era, it was fine to dream big and to show your feelings.
- Nature and stories were sources of inspiration for all the art forms during the Romantic era: composers told stories with music, poets dreamed of adventures and unhappy loves, and painters painted huge mountains, mysterious forests, and brave heroes.
- The musical form of symphonic poem emerged during the Romantic period. A good example of this is the 'Vltava'.
- Romanticism takes its name from medieval stories that were rich in adventure, heroism and love.
Teacher:
“Which historical figure convinced you the most? The composer, the poet or the painter? Explain to the person sitting next to you why your choice is the best.”
Activity 3
Music history
In groups
25 min.
M14 - M15 printouts
M14: Vltava story dice (one sheet per group of 4)
M15: Romantic story dice (one sheet per group of 4)
Teacher:
“We're going to divide the class into groups of four. In your group, you will invent your own stories about the Romantic era. First, you need to make two dice. When you're done, one person will roll one of the two dice and begin to tell a story that incorporate the symbol rolled on the dice. Then, another person will choose a dice, roll it and continues adding to the story in the same way. If you struggle to begin telling the story, you can use one of the story starters. Finally, you will decide which part of the 'Vltava' music fits best your story."
Story starters
Once upon a time...
I fondly remember the time when…
The story begins like this:
This adventure begins with...
On that day...
A1: 'Vltava' (play as musical background)
If there's still time...
... children can come up with more stories. Groups can also present their stories to the rest of the class.
... children can take a physical break (e.g. 15 jumping jacks, 10 squats, etc.).
Skills learned in this lesson:
Students...
... hear strories from three historical figures from the Romantic period.
... learn about the characteristics of Romanticism.
... invent stories about the Romantic period.