Grade 7
1st Quarter: The students will begin a study of "the Blues". We will discover how this style became on of the standard formats of many early rock and roll songs. We will using the sourcebook, Exploring the Blues to provide some historical information about this still popular style of music. The students will listen to a variety of early and modern blues musicians. Songs like "Everyday I Have the Blues", "Call Me the Breeze" and "Crossroad Blues" are a few that they will hear. We will study the blues form and gain a basic understanding of the harmonic progression of this form: I-IV-I-V-IV-I. We will continue to work on sacred music for our school masses and prayer services throughout the quarter.
Blues Resources:
We will learn about Robert Johnson, the "father of the blues". Read his bio.
Videos that demonstrate 12-bar blues form & A-A-B lyric pattern.
12-bar blues on the guitar, "Call Me Breeze" performed by John Mayer, "Call Me the Breeze" (Live); performed by John Mayer, "Crossroad Blues"; performed by Eric Clapton & John Mayer, "The Thrill Is Gone"; performed by B.B. King
2nd Quarter: The students will learn about the 1950's Cleveland disc jockey, Alan Freed, who popularized Rhythm & Blues music (R&B) and later used the phrase "Rock'n'Roll" to describe this music. The students will also be learning about early rock'n'roll performers and their hit songs such as Bill Haley and his Comets ("Rock Around the Clock"); Jackie Wilson and the Dominoes ("You Can't Keep a Good Man Down"); Jackie Wilson - solo artist ("Lonely Teardrops"); Bo Diddley ("Bo Diddley"); Buddy Holly and the Crickets ("Peggy Sue"); Little Richarch ("Tutti Frutti") Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, ("Why Do Fools Fall in Love") and Jerry Lee Lewis ("Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On"). We will also continue to sing sacred music for all our school liturgies and prayer services. See Liturgical Music page on this site for those songs.
ALAN FREED RESOURCES:
Songs presented in the video, "The Alan Freed Story"
"Rock Around the Clock"; performed by Bill Hailey and His Comets
"You Can't Keep a Good Man Down"; performed by Jackie Wilson and the Dominoes
"Lonely Teardrops"; performed by Jackie Wilson (solo artist)
"Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On"; performed by Jerry Lee Lewis
"Why Do Fools Fall In Love"; performed by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
Teenagers dancing on the TV Show, "The Big Beat"
Moondog Alan Freed, parts 1, 2 & 3:
Moondog Alan Freed part 1 of 3
Moondog Alan Freed part 2 of 3
Moondog Alan Freed part 3 of 3 (currently unavailable)
3rd Quarter: We will start the quarter rehearsing songs for our Catholic Schools Week prayer service and liturgy.Following Catholic Schools week, we will do a quick study of the Beatles including this mini-documentary from CBS Sunday Morning. Then move on to a unit on Motown Records discovering it's founding by Barry Gordy and listening to a sample of the Motown catalogue of great hits (see links below).
"A Brief History of Motown" from Time magazine, 2006
"Motown: The Sound That Changed America" Oprah Masterclass series featuring Barry Gordy
"Please, Mr. Postman"; recorded by the Marvelettes
"Dancing in the Streets"; Martha and the Vandellas
"ABC"; recorded by the Jackson 5
"My Girl"; recorded by the Temptations
"Superstition"; recorded by Stevie Wonder
"Heard it Through the Grapevine"; recorded by Marvin Gaye
"Stop in the Name of Love"; recorded by Diana Ross and the Supremes
"What's Going On"; recorded by Marvin Gaye
4th Quarter: We will begin the study of one of the world's most famous composers, Johann Sebastian Bach. We will study his life as a chapel organist and choir director under the rule of the Duke of Weimar in Germany. We will learn some of his most well-known works, both sacred and secular.
Johann Sebastian Bach - slide show
Dallas Symphony Kids - Johann Sebastian Bach info page - listen to Toccata and Fugue in D minor
J.S. Bach info page; Dallas Symphony kids
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major (video below)
I. Allegro (0:00 - 9:56)
II. Affettuoso (10:23 - 16:03)
III. Allegro (16:17 - 21:49)
Toccata and Fuge in D Minor (from Fantasia)
Bach Toccata and Fugue BWV 565 Hinszorgel - Bovenkerk - Kampen, gespeeld door Gert van Hoef
"Toccata and Fugue in D minor" (Best Version Ever)
0:00 - 2:40: Toccata; 2:41 - end: Fugue
"Toccata and Fugue in D minor" as recorded by the Trans Siberian Orchestra
"Gloria" from the B Minor Mass
"Little Fugue in G minor"
See link: Bach, Beethoven and the Boys .
We will watch the movie, "Bach Fight for Freedom" and complete the accompanying activities to the film. We will continue preparing sacred music for all-school liturgies and prayer services.