Composers
Robert Schumann
- German pianist (suffered a hand injury) sever mental health issues
- critic and composer
- wife Clara carried on his legacy after his death
Franz Liszt
- Hungarian, composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor, music teacher, arranger, philanthropist, author, nationalist
- In the 1840 he was considered the greatest pianist in history
- program music was a speciality
- Born in Germany professional life in Austria
- One of the Three Bs: Beethoven, Bach & Brahms
- composed for piano, organ, chamber ensembles, symphony orchestra, and for voice and chorus
Song
- a short poem or other set of words set to music or meant to be sung (not opera or religious)
- Sample Notes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUkY3Z3IIa0 I started playing at 1 minute and compared this to the famous Brahms lullaby
Program Music
- composition on the classical music tradition in which the piece is designed according to some preconceived narrative, or is designed to evoke a specific idea and atmosphere.
- Sample Notes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MywDbD5nETk
- Schumann's mental health elicited numerous questions from several students (including one who is also facing mental health issues). Several days later in an anti-bullying presentation the student with mental health issues announced that she was hearing voices...and quoted aural voices which is a term I used while discussing Schumann. She is still being evaluated and observed but...I've been asked to notify the office and counselor if I'm going to mention mental health issues...middle schoolers can be susceptible to suggestion!
- I ended up explaining program music as similar to a movie sound track WITHOUT the visuals. You can tell that the music is telling you something but precisely what is a bit of a mystery unless there are notes in the program.
- This unit took place duirng state testing (the SBAC) and took 3 weeks to complete. I have only graded 2 classes worth bit the results seem to be OK.
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