We have been watching a clip of the music of Edvard Grieg, In the Hall of the Mountain King, from the Peer Gynt Suite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIz3klPET3o
We were looking for the dynamic marks. Dynamics are the volume in the music.
p is piano and means the music is quiet or soft.
f is forte and means the music is loud.
There are others as well - pp (pianissimo - very soft), mp or mf (mezzo piano or mezzo forte - medium soft or loud) and ff (fortissimo - very loud!).
Watch the clip again, and see which of these dynamics are NOT included in the music.
pp p mp mf f ff
See if you can spot some sideways > signs. They are accent signs, which means that those notes will be a bit louder.
Here is another clip for you to enjoy. It's by Beethoven this time, and it's from Symphony number 5. Do you know any other pieces by Beethoven? (I think you do!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcBn04IyELc&t=93s
Look out for the dynamics. Also see if you can spot the word 'cresc' - it's short for crescendo, which means to get gradually louder.
There are also some accent signs >. and pause signs (these look like a little hill with a dot in the middle - how many can you find?)
We watched a clip by Charlie Porter, using trumpet mutes to make amazing sounds. There are two links below for you to watch. We didn't watch the whole clip - check them out to see some mutes that we didn't hear the first time we watched it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8sF3AqucjE&t=495s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfgEUOYIFPQ
Thinking about sound effects, check out this description of what a foley's job is. Which is your favourite sound effect here?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO3N_PRIgX0
And here's another clip for you to enjoy ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GPGfDCZ1EE&t=33s
Do you need a brain break? Try one of these body percussion routines! You may need to practise it a few times to get really adept (look it up if you don't know what it means :-) at it.
Can't stop the feeling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92gf8dAlhUw
The greatest show (from The Greatest Showman)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VldOnhk-jwo
Uptown funk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzXpvILRMog
I just can't wait to be king (from The Lion King)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqof84_WR1s
Do you need to get up and stretch a little? Try learning this dance routine for Old Town Road. Slow down the speed of the clip to make it easier while you're learning it.
Here is the tutorial - it's really fast, so slow it down to learn it. There are three sections - learn one section at a time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceArU05RyLk
And here is the dance ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXVOBemHaCM
The theremin (pronounced ‘tHERE-i-min’) is an example of an electronic instrument. They are great for creating unusual sound effects. You don’t actually touch the theremin to play it.
There are two antennae - the vertical one is for pitch (high and low sounds) and the horizontal antenna controls the volume and the way the notes are played.
Here is a little more information about the theremin.
Theremin - The 13 weirdest musical instruments ever
The theremin features on many movie soundtracks and some TV theme tunes. Do you know the Dr Who theme music? Part of it is played on a theremin. Here is a clip of the current Dr Who, Jodie Whittaker, trying to play the theme tune.
Ryan Gosling, Lady Gaga & Jodie Whittaker play the Theremin | The Graham Norton Show | BBC America
Here is a Google Doodle where you can have a go with a theremin. Here it is being played by Clara Rockmore, a famous performer on the theremin. She teaches you how to start to play a tune. Then you can have a go at making up your own piece ...
Do you know what the tune is? Clue: it’s from The Carnival of the Animals, and you may have listened to it last term. There’s also a version of it in the orchestral clips below, played on handbells! The original is played on a cello.
Finally, here are a couple of clips of other people playing the theremin.
The first one is lots of electronic instruments, playing the Dr Who theme tune.
Theremin Doctor Who Theme, Lydia Kavina and Radio Science Orchestra,
The second clip is of a singer who records herself singing 3 different tracks, and then adds the theremin. Watch how she uses her hands to change the sounds - it’s fascinating!
Ennio Morricone - The Ecstasy of Gold - Theremin & Voice