Download ACO SCHOOLS RESOURCES PERFORMANCE

ACO SCHOOLS RESOURCES
COMPOSITION
Outstanding Australian
violinist Richard Tognetti
has been at the helm of the
ACO since 1989. He’s an
enthusiastic surfer and skier
and loves pushing the
boundaries of classical
music
Its unique programming
spans popular masterworks
and adventurous crossartform projects. Check out
this video about our
project The Reef
https://vimeo.com/175661
017
The orchestra performs all
around Australia and the
world.
"The energy and vibe of a
rock band with the ability of
a crack classical chamber
group." Washington Post
• This is one of THREE resources released by the ACO for secondary schools. Each
resource focusses on a core musical concept; Performance, Composition and
Musicology (Aural).
• This resource focusses on COMPOSITION.
• In this series of activities, we’re going to focus on the music from Arctic to
Antipodes featuring Two Nordic Melodies from Grieg and a world premiere by Ross
Edwards. You can apply these concepts and activities to all of our concert programs,
just pick a piece to use as a starting point for your melody!
We are going to use thematic material from Grieg’s Two Nordic Melodies, Opus 63.
Below is the melody he uses in the first movement.
•
ACTIVITY 1
Instruments out! Play this melody. Get to know this melody. It is going to form a
motif in our own arrangement.
This melody uses the notes of the D melodic minor scale. Here it is:
•
Scales are pretty important in music. If you don’t know this scale, learn this scale.
ACTIVITY 2
Start an arrangement of this melody for an ensemble of your choosing. It can be as
simple or as complex as you like. You may like to write for symphony orchestra,
wind ensemble or string orchestra - it is your composition, and your choice. Or you
may prefer to do this exercise for a solo instrument. That is up to you and your
teacher.
Tools:
• Pen and lined stave or
• Computer notation software such as Sibelius, Finale, or Musescore (Sibelius and
Finale are paid software, while Musescore is free)
Advanced Theory
The above is a harmonisation which Grieg uses. Above the melody are the chords,
while below is the harmonic analysis. Feel free to use these chords, or an adaption of
them, in your own melody – just be sure to credit the original to Grieg.
Extra Advanced Theory
• Grieg has been particularly clever, here, with his use of F Major - chord III in D minor. Not only is
it the relative major of D minor, but it is also the dominant of Bb major, its surrounding chords.
Harmony is particularly powerful when the movement is in 4ths or 5ths – so the VI – III – VI – i –
V progression keeps the harmony moving in 4ths and 5ths toward the end of the phrase.
• By the end of this slide, you should have a short arrangement of Grieg’s Nordic Melody.
Here comes the fun bit – the DEVELOPMENT.
• The development is where we take our motif – our original melody – and we
change it to sustain musical interest and forward direction.
• Development of motifs and thematic material is everywhere. In some forms (like
sonata form, or concerto form) the development has its very own section.
Regardless, development of musical ideas is everywhere in music.
• Interesting fact: Beethoven, Bach, Haydn and Wagner are considered really good
at the development of motifs. It’s no mistake they’re all German – but that’s a
whole other lesson.
Here are a few common ways composers develop their ideas.
• Change instruments (if you are writing for an ensemble)
• Change registers
• Change the texture (add/remove instruments)
• Write a counter melody
• Use dynamics
• Use some kind of expressive technique (pizzicato, sordino, etc)
• Use different rhythmic devices (syncopation, diminution, augmentation of rhythm, etc)
• Change the harmony (minor into major or otherwise)
• Use ornamentation
In fact, Grieg used ALL of these methods to develop this very melody!
•
Are you ready to DEVELOP your melody?
• You’re going to take what you have – be it the original melody by itself, or arranged
for an ensemble – and change something. It can be something we’ve already
discussed or something new.
• You can use your instrument, or sit and think; try and use something you’ve learned
to help you do something creative.
Do that now.
ACTIVITY 3
DEVELOP your melody!
• Continue developing your composition as many times as you feel your
composition needs, or as your teacher suggests. Each development should be
creative and change the melody into something NEW but RECOGNISEABLE to
sustain forward momentum. This is where you let your creativity shine!
• It might also be a good idea to keep a log book of your composition process
(composition diary) if you plan to use this activity for any assignment – but that is
up to you and your teacher.
Finish your composition by returning to the familiar and restating the
theme, as originally orchestrated and arranged by you. You may like to add
a coda to finish the piece off.
CONGRATULATIONS! You have now created something out of nothing, and
that’s pretty awesome.
You may like to present your piece to the class for feedback.
When giving feedback:
• Keep it POSITIVE
• Keep it CONSTRUCTIVE
Suggest one thing you might do to improve it, or something the composer may not
have considered.
At the Concert…
Listen for Grieg’s interpretation of the Nordic Melody you worked with in class OR if
you are at a different ACO performance, listen to the interpretation of the melody
of the piece you have focused on.
How did he develop the material?
ENJOY THE CONCERT!!