2017-03-21 - Beatles, Back to the Baroque · 3/21/2017 · Eleanor Rigby / Vivaldi Concerto in B Minor, RV 580 Unlike most songs of its time, “Eleanor Rigby” had no drums or

Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra: Sound Education 3/21/2017

Press photo of The Beatles during Magical Mystery TourPress photo of The Beatles during Magical Mystery TourPress photo of The Beatles during Magical Mystery TourPress photo of The Beatles during Magical Mystery Tour, 1967, Parlophone Music Sweden, 1967, Parlophone Music Sweden, 1967, Parlophone Music Sweden, 1967, Parlophone Music Sweden

Beatles, Back to the Baroque! 3/21/2017


Lesson Outline TitleTitleTitleTitle Beatles, Back to the Baroque!

Time FrameTime FrameTime FrameTime Frame 35 minutes

StandardStandardStandardStandardssss M.CE.4, M.AP.1, M.HP.1, M.HP.2, M.HP.3, M.HP.6, M.CA.5

Objective(s)Objective(s)Objective(s)Objective(s) Students will listen for Baroque elements in the music of The

Beatles and compare them with their original models.

CrossCrossCrossCross----Curricular ConnectionsCurricular ConnectionsCurricular ConnectionsCurricular Connections

Math: Number lines, comparison

Social Studies: Historical eras, Timelines

Musical SelectionsMusical SelectionsMusical SelectionsMusical Selections The Beatles – “Penny Lane”, “Eleanor Rigby”, “In My Life”

J.S. Bach – Brandenburg Concert No. 2, Mvt 3

Vivaldi – Concerto in B Minor for Four Violins, RV 580

J.S. Bach – Partita, BWV 829

Lesson Content

Composer Info

Johann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian Bach (YO-han suh-BAS-

chun BOKH) was a composer of the

Baroque Era. A prolific composer, he wrote

music for keyboard, instruments, and

chorus, most especially for the

Thomasschule in Leipzig, Germany.

Antonio VivaldiAntonio VivaldiAntonio VivaldiAntonio Vivaldi (vee-VAHL-dee) was also a

composer of the Baroque Era. Best known

for a series of violin concertos known as The

Four Seasons, many of his pieces were

written for a school for abandoned children

called Ospedale della Pietà. Some parts

were not inscribed with an instrument or

vocal part name, but the name of a child for

whom he wrote the part.

The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band

from Liverpool. Made up of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo

Starr, they became an international sensation. Known as the “Fab Four,” their longtime

Johann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian Bach (1(1(1(1685685685685----1750175017501750))))

Antonio VivaldiAntonio VivaldiAntonio VivaldiAntonio Vivaldi (1(1(1(1678678678678----1741)1741)1741)1741)

The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles George MartinGeorge MartinGeorge MartinGeorge Martin (1926(1926(1926(1926----2016)2016)2016)2016)


producer and composer/arranger, George Martin, was often referred to as the “Fifth

Beatle.” Paul and Ringo are still alive and performing and touring.

George MartinGeorge MartinGeorge MartinGeorge Martin, who worked with the Beatles throughout their long career, loved

classical music as a child and young adult, but mostly worked with radio and record

companies in light-hearted music and recording comedians. He met the Beatles in

1962 and helped mold them into a more refined band. Part of this had to do with his

arrangements and ideas drawing from classical music, especially Baroque music.

Lesson/Connections

Preparatory Exercise (5 min)

What (or when) is the Baroque era? The Baroque era in music runs about from 1600 to

1750. When in time is this? Make a timeline with from about 1400 to 2017. Mark the

Baroque era. Now, using a list of dates of important events (you can draw from your

own curriculum or other subjects), play a game of “Before, During, or AfterBefore, During, or AfterBefore, During, or AfterBefore, During, or After?”

One at a time, or as a class, read an event with its date (e.g., 1492 – Columbus sails to

the New World; or 1718 – New Orleans founded by Bienville). Ask if this would be

before, during, or after the Baroque period. For an extra challenge, read these withoutwithoutwithoutwithout

the dates and have students find the answers.

Now, let’s do the same for the years the Beatles were active (about 1957 to 1970). Do

the same game, but with events from the 20th century. You could even use events like

the year you or they were born!

Guided Instruction & Listening (25 min)

Penny Lane / Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, Mvt 3

In the Baroque era, trumpets did not have valvesvalvesvalvesvalves (the

buttons used to change notes). Trumpet players had to

manipulate their lips carefully on very high notes on

instruments we call natural trumpetsnatural trumpetsnatural trumpetsnatural trumpets. From the late 1890s,

instrument makers crafted very small trumpets with valves to

make these Baroque pieces easier to play, calling them

piccolo piccolo piccolo piccolo (PICK-uh-low) trumpets. Paul McCartney heard one

perform a Bach Brandenburg Concerto, and asked Martin to

include a solo from one on “Penny Lane”.

Brandenburg No 2, Mvt 3 (Piccolo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIX_XVji9UA

Penny Lane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-

rB0pHI9fU&feature=youtu.be&t=1m9s

Piccolo TrPiccolo TrPiccolo TrPiccolo Trumpetumpetumpetumpet


Eleanor Rigby / Vivaldi Concerto in B Minor, RV 580

Unlike most songs of its time, “Eleanor Rigby” had no drums or guitars; while two of

the Beatles sang, George Martin arranged a double string quartet (4 violins, 2 violas,

and 2 cellos) to carry the rhythm and accompaniment. This is very similar to Vivaldi’s

concertos that used string ensembles for rhythm, accompaniment and melody. You can

hear this in the first movement of Vivaldi’s Concerto in B Minor, RV 580.

Vivaldi RV 580: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC8lZ748lBE

Eleanor Rigby:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuS5NuXRb5Y

In My Life / Bach Partita BWV 829

John Lennon wrote most of “In My Life” before adding an

instrumental bridge in the middle. He specifically asked

George Martin for “something Baroque-sounding.” He wrote

a keyboard solo that sounded much like a partita (small

collection of pieces) by Bach, but he had trouble playing it

fast enough. They recorded him playing it at half speed and

then played it twice as fast. This made it sound almost like a harpsichord (even though

it is an electric piano). Compare the first movement from Bach’s Partita BWV 829 for

keyboard (as played on the harpsichord) with Martin’s “almost harpsichord”.

Bach Partita BWV 829: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ah8UbIe2w4

In My Life: https://youtu.be/-eCh3y5VROM?t=1m29s

Discussion (5 min)

Do the songs by the Beatles sound as orderly as the Baroque songs? Can you

anticipate where the music will go? This is one way to compare very unlike styles of

music.

In what ways do the Baroque instruments (such as the piccolo trumpet and

harpsichord) sound similar between the Baroque pieces and the Beatles pieces? In

what way do they sound different? Be specific, and use complete sentences.

The harpsichord solo in “In My Life” shows George Martin’s classical influence on the

Beatles. How would these pieces sound different without the Baroque parts?

Enrichment

Option 1

Before piccolo trumpets existed, playing Bach’s trumpet music was very taxing. Some

performers use similar instruments to Bach’s time that don’t have valves, but they have

HarpsichordHarpsichordHarpsichordHarpsichord


a few holes drilled into the long, curved cone to

help make some notes sound more in tune or

clearer. Rather than call them natural trumpetsnatural trumpetsnatural trumpetsnatural trumpets

(like the original ones) or piccolopiccolopiccolopiccolo trumpets, they

are confusingly referred to as Baroque trumpetsBaroque trumpetsBaroque trumpetsBaroque trumpets

(even though they are modern versions of the original instruments).

Listen to this recording in comparison to the previous one. How is the sound different?

How does it look different? How is the physical way of playing the instrument different?

Brandenburg No 2, Mvt 3 (Baroque):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HSRIDtwsfM&feature=youtu.be&t=8m52s

Option 2

In a well-known anecdote, John Lennon’s wife Yoko Ono was playing Beethoven’s

Sonata No. 14 (also known as the “Moonlight Sonata”). He stopped her, and asked her

to play it backwards. He was inspired to write the song “Because” based loosely on

these chords.

Here is a very unusual recording of Moonlight Sonata, backwards! The second link is

“Because.”

Moonlight Sonata (backwards): https://youtu.be/rIHFLrjzgbA?t=3m35s

“Because”: https://youtu.be/df0WJw-u5mc?t=6s

Natural Natural Natural Natural TrumpetTrumpetTrumpetTrumpet

Documents

2017-03-21 - Beatles, Back to the Baroque · 3/21/2017 · Eleanor Rigby / Vivaldi Concerto in B Minor, RV 580 Unlike most songs of its time, “Eleanor Rigby” had no drums or