The purpose of this unit is for the students to have experience associating music and art with emotional expression. During this unit students will listen to and observe a wide variety of musical and visual art examples. This footage will assist in clarifying understanding of the links between emotion in music and artworks.
The students will be involved in describing and articulating their responses to several music and art examples. As a result, they will be able to name at least one of the artists and composers represented in the unit and describe the work that they composed, performed or created.
Part 3 – emotion in music and artworks
Duration 1:34Part 3 addresses these outcomes from the Creative Arts K-6 Syllabus (NESA)
© NSW Education Standards Authority for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2006.Stage 2
VAS2.1 Represents the qualities of experiences and things that are interesting or beautiful* by choosing among aspects of subject matter.
VAS2.2 Uses the forms to suggest the qualities of subject matter.
VAS2.3 Acknowledges that artists make artworks for different reasons and that various interpretations are possible.
VAS2.4 Identifies connections between subject matter in artworks and what they refer to, and appreciates the use of particular techniques.
MUS2.4 Identifies the use of musical concepts and musical symbols in a range of repertoire.
* ‘Beautiful’ within this outcome does not simply mean ‘pretty’ but rather something that excites and arouses awe, wonder, fascination and delight.
Stage 3
VAS3.1 Investigates subject matter in an attempt to represent likenesses of things in the world.
VAS3.2 Makes artworks for different audiences assembling materials in a variety of ways.
VAS3.3 Acknowledges that audiences respond in different ways to artworks and that there are different opinions about the value of artworks.
VAS3.4 Communicates about the ways in which subject matter is represented in artworks.
MUS3.4 Identifies the use of musical concepts and symbols in a range of musical styles.
Become familiar with some renowned artists and artworks.
Explore and discuss the emotions within artworks.
Express emotions through their own artworks.
Listen to samples of musical examples and discuss the emotions of each (approximately 1 minute of each).
Explore the suggested compositions and artworks then reflect on their own emotional responses to each.
Watch the footage to explain in detail the links between emotion in music and artworks.
Artworks reflect some renowned artists and artworks through adaptation of their style and techniques.
Identifies the emotions of each of the subjects in the portraits through discussion. This is then apparent in their artworks.
Uses drawing techniques to create portraits employing appropriate use of proportion, shape, form and line.
Listens to samples of music to then discuss the ways that music can express emotions through use of musical concepts such as dynamics, timbre and pitch.
Listen to the following pieces of music. What emotions does each piece evoke in the students? Does the music conjure up any moments or certain emotions? Ask the students to try to think of a time when they felt happy, sad, scared, angry, proud and so on. Why did they feel that way?
The examples below are each one movement of a longer work. You can listen on Spotify or the YouTube links provided below. A movement is like a chapter in a book. On average, most pieces have 3 or 4 movements.
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Wikipedia)
K. 543 Mozart Symphony No. 39 in E-flat major, IV Allegro
Duration: 5:40Composer: Dmitri Shostakovich (Wikipedia)
Shostakovich - Symphony No. 5, Finale
Duration: 9:03Composer: Antonin Dvorak (Wikipedia)
Lyric Piano Quartet Plays Dvorak Piano Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 87: Lento Mov't
Duration: 10:29Composer: Igor Stravinsky (Wikipedia)
Igor Stravinsky - "The Rite of Spring" - "Dance of the Earth"
Duration: 1:36Composer: Johannes Brahms (Wikipedia)
Carlos Kleiber - Brahms Symphony No.4 (3rd mov.)
Duration: 6:15Composer: Franz Schubert (Wikipedia)
Schubert: String Quintet in C (Adagio) - Casals, Stern,Tortelier
Duration: 1:10Composer: Claude Debussy (Wikipedia)
Tokyo String Quartet- Debussy String Quartet; 2. Assez vif et bien rythmé
Duration: 3:46Look at the following paintings. Discuss how each painting makes the students feel.
Edvard Munch: The Scream
Norman Rockwell: Christmas Dance
Arnold Böcklin: Isle of the Dead
Pablo Picasso: Melancholy Woman
Vincent van Gogh: A Man and Woman Seen from the Back’
Georgia O’Keeffe: Music Pink and Blue
Jackson Pollock: Number 1
If the students require a further challenge in exploring the association between music and visual arts the music of Benjamin Britten is ideal as each variation within the work matches an emotional trait of his former inspirational teacher.
Benjamin Britten wrote Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge (YouTube) as a tribute to his composition teacher, Frank Bridge. The piece begins with a melody (the theme) followed by 10 very different, short movements inspired by the theme (the variations). The theme is based on a melody that Frank Bridge composed.
‘Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge’ is a musical portrait of a person. Define and discuss the words that Britten uses to describe Bridge as set out below. How does the music sound like these personality traits? Use the Spotify links provided or the complete recording.
Each variation represents a different part of his personality:
compositional skill
This variation contains little snippets of music from Bridge’s other works. It is also a fugue.
Benjamin Britten Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge for String Orch. Op.10, SCO
Duration: 23:40Painters frequently create visual portraits. Guide the students to explore the following artworks. For each artwork they should:
Observe and discuss how each portrait portrays the personality of the subject.
Look at the portrait paintings.
Explain what a portrait is.
What do the students think each person was feeling or thinking when he or she was painted?
Leonardo da Vinci – ‘The Mona Lisa’
Johannes Vermeer – 'The Girl with a Pearl Earring’
John Singer Sargent – ‘Duke Marlborough Singer Sargent and family’
Leonardo da Vinci – ‘Self-portrait’
Frida Kahlo – ‘Me and my parrots’
Vincent Van Gogh – ‘Self-portrait’
Ask the students to choose a person they admire and make a list of all the qualities of that person. Alternatively, you could change the activity to be self. List the physical qualities of self.
Students should bring in a photo of a person of their choosing and draw a portrait of that person (or a photo of himself or herself, or a mirror).
Consider which colour this portrait should be. Reflect in the artworks observed. Which features, poses and items should be included? Should the person have a particular background or scene? Are there particular objects that are important to their identity that should be included?
For extra help on drawing portraits this video is helpful.
Alternatively, explore photography as a means of portraiture. This may include using different filters, colours of apps to adequately portray the subject and truly reflect their personality. Consider all options and be as creative as possible.