A Toy

A Toy - No 193 from Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, Vol 2

ACTIVE LISTENING

When you listen to the different versions think about :

TEMPO - are they all roughly the same SPEED or so some people play faster or slower?

ARTICULATION - where do people put in LEGATO and STACCATO notes? Is it at the same places or different places? Are these marked in the music? Where are YOU going to put in legato or staccato notes? What difference does it make?

CHARACTER - do the different pieces share the same CHARACTER - if so why? If not, why?

DYNAMICS - where do the people put in loud or soft playing? Is it the same place or different places? Is this marked in the music? How are you going to show LOUD and QUIET playing in your piece?

Listen to the music LOTS!

First time: Clap the pulse.

Second time: Listen to loud and quiet sections - stand up for LOUD sections and sit down for QUIET sections. Do the changes from loud to quiet and quiet to loud happen gradually or suddenly?

Third time: What is the character of the music - come up with one or two words. (E.g. mysterious, funny)

How is the pianist showing the character of the music? (e.g. playing loudly, playing smoothly)

Fourth time: Can you come up with a STORY for the music? What is happening during the quiet parts or the loud parts? What is happening during the scale patterns? Why are there staccato notes in your story? When the notes are legatto what is happening now?

Fifth time: Can you clap along with the rhythm?

Sixth time: Can you sing along

Seventh time: can you play any of it by ear on the piano?

Eight time: Do you like the music? Why or why not?

Ninth time: Here this piece is called A Toy, but it also has been found to have been called Running. What title would you give to the music if you were the composer?

A Toy was originally composed for a VIRGINAL. Watch the video to see what a virginal looks and sounds like. At your next lesson, be prepared to answer the questions below. There is a quiz you can fill in beforehand but you will need to watch the videos to find the answers. It should take less than 15 minutes.

Question 1

A Toy was originally composed for a VIRGINAL. Watch the video to see what a virginal looks and sounds like. At your next lesson, be prepared to tell me where the virginal was most likely to be played a why.

Question 2

How is the sound made by the virginal?

Question 3

Listen to this double virginal being played. Why do you think it is called a double virginal and which keyboard makes the louder sound?

Question 4

Listen to this piece being played on the virginal. Can you describe the CHARACTER of the piece? How does the virginal sound add to the character of the piece?

Question 5

Can you tell me 4 differences between a VIRGINAL and a PIANO. Which instrument do you think was invented first?

Submit your answers via the quiz below.

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