Musical Contrasts

OBJECTIVE: Students will explore how composers use articulation and expressive qualities to create different moods and characters in music.

SUMMARY: Comparing “Summertime” and “Catfish Row” from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, students will identify how contrasting articulation, dynamics, and phrasing shape the emotional impact of each piece.

GRADES: 4 - 8

DISCIPLINES & ARTISTIC PROCESS: Music / Responding & Connecting

VOCABULARY: articulation, compare and contrast, dynamics, expression, harmony, melody, mood, phrasing, pitch, rhythm, tempo, timbre

ELEMENTS OF MUSIC

As a class, review the elements of music:

Melody- The tune or main musical line in a piece of music. It's the part of the music you might hum or sing along to.
Harmony- When two or more notes are played together to support the melody. It adds richness and depth to the music.
Rhythm- The pattern of beats or the timing of the notes in music. It tells you when to play or sing the notes and how long they last.
Tempo The speed of the music, or how fast or slow it is played. You can think of tempo as how quickly or slowly the beat moves.
Dynamics- How loud or soft the music is. It’s what makes music exciting and can change the mood of a piece.
Timbre (pronounced "TAM-ber")- The unique sound or tone color of an instrument or voice. Timbre is what makes a trumpet sound different from a piano, even if they're playing the same note.
Pitch- How high or low a sound is. Notes can be high like a bird’s song or low like a drum.
Articulation: how a note or group of notes should be played or sung. Common articulation markings include staccato (short and detached), legato (connected and smooth), and accented (with more emphasis than other surrounding notes).

DISCOVER: George Gershwin and Porgy and Bess

Introduce students to the composer, George Gershwin, and his opera, Porgy and Bess.

George Gershwin (1898–1937) was an American composer and pianist known for blending classical music with jazz, blues, and popular song traditions. His music is lively, innovative, and deeply influenced by African American musical styles of the early 20th century.

In 1935, Gershwin premiered his opera Porgy and Bess, based on DuBose Heyward’s novel Porgy, and set in the African American community of Catfish Row in Charleston, South Carolina. It tells the story of Porgy, a disabled man, and Bess, a woman struggling to escape a troubled past, while exploring themes of love, resilience, and community.

The opera features some of Gershwin’s most famous music, including the haunting lullaby “Summertime” and the energetic orchestral prelude “Catfish Row”. Today, Porgy and Bess is celebrated as one of the greatest works of American music, showcasing Gershwin’s unique ability to blend styles and express powerful emotions through sound.

LISTEN & CONSIDER

Play an excerpt of “Summertime” from Gershwin's opera.

🎵 "SUMMERTIME" (Performed by Kathleen Battle and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, 2020.)

As a class or in small groups, discuss what you hear:
- How would you describe the mood of this piece?
- How does the singer (or instruments) shape the sound? Is it smooth (legato) or detached and choppy (staccato)?
- How does Gershwin use dynamics and phrasing to make the music expressive?
- Based on what you hear in the music, what do you think might be happening in this scene?
Next, play the opening* of Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess Suite" (Catfish Row) and discuss:

🎵 "Porgy and Bess Suite" (Catfish Row) —0:00 - 3:10

- How is the energy different from “Summertime”?
- How does orchestra play the melody (articulation)? Is it smooth (legato) or detached and choppy (staccato)?
- How do the instruments, rhythms, and dynamics create excitement?
- What images or movements come to mind as you listen?

COMPARE & CONTRAST

Have student share out what they heard in each of the pieces and chart their observations by comparing and contrasting the musical qualities that Gershwin used to express different musical pictures and moods. (See below for some examples.)
- Which piece feels more calm? Which feels more energetic?
- What musical elements do you hear that inform your opinion?
- How does Gershwin use articulation, tempo, and dynamics to create those differences?
- Which piece do you connect with more? Why?

CREATE:

Have students experiment with musical expression:
- Sing or clap a short phrase legato, then staccato.
- Then experiment with performing the same phrase using different tempos and dynamics.
- Discuss how changing the musical elements changes the expression and mood.

Cultural Connections

Watch "Summertime" from the Metropolitan Opera's 2019-2020 production of Porgy and Bess.

Learn more about Gershwin's masterpiece through the Kennedy's Center's Educational Resource Opera Overviews collection.

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