Understanding Programme Music

Musical examples from different historical periods

Learning Objectives• To understand the difference between

narrative and descriptive programme music

• To learn what a theme is• To understand how themes are used in

programme music

Programme Music can be:

What does

narrative mean?

What does

descriptive mean?

In short, Programme Music is…

Music that tells a story or paints and describes a picture

This in an early example of Descriptive Programme music composed in the Baroque period (1600 – 1750).

Descriptive Programme Music Spring, From Vivaldi’s Four Seasons

1. This music was written to make you think of Spring. Can you hear anything in the music that makes you think of something you might see on a bright Spring morning…

What can you hear?What does it make you think of?

2. What is the name of the group of instruments playing this piece?

a. Brass Band b. Wind Ensemble c. Guitar Trio d. String Orchestra

3. Which word best describes the TEMPO of the music?

a. Allegro b. Largo c. Grave d. Andante

1. Are there any recurring tunes or melodies?2. Do you notice if the tunes or melodies are

linked to any particular action/character, how? 3. Choose one way the composer has used one of

the following to support the story…Tempo Dynamics Instrumentation

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Narrative Programme MusicThe Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Paul Dukas

Targets • Focus on the basics like what you can hear and

what it reminds you of.• Concentrate on listening for different

instruments.• Concentrate on how the instruments are being

played, think about tempo and dynamics.

These melodies are known as THEMES

• A Theme is the music that always accompanies a character in the story.

• This is to let the listener know what that character is doing.

• In the piece The Water Goblin the Goblin’s theme is heard when he is doing something evil in the story. The theme gets faster and more dissonant (or dis-chord-ant, sounds nasty and wrong) when he does really wicked things!!

Consonance – In harmonyDissonance – Not harmonious

• This is narrative, as it tells the story of The Water Goblin, a Czech fairytale. The music is by Antonín Dvorák.

• The Water Goblin is an evil being who drowns humans in tea cups and keeps their souls. He temps a young girl towards the lake, takes her away and makes her his wife. She eventually runs away, which leads to dramatic consequences!

The Water Goblin

• Here is the theme which represents the Water Goblin which is heard throughout the piece.

When you hear this tune you know the Water Goblin is present in the story and up to something. The tune is played differently depending on what he is doing in the story…

• Sitting happily by the lake• Drowning the girl so she can become his wife• Looking for his missing wife• Murdering her and their child!!!

Choose one of these moments and play the theme in a way that suits that moment…

The Water Goblin’s Theme

Task Part 1• Make up a short story on the theme of

‘Supernatural’• Fold your paper into 4 (see below)• In each box draw a scene from you own

made up short story. 1 2

3 4

Task Part 2• On the keyboards compose a short piece

of music for each picture• Compose a theme or motif that will link all

of the pictures together. This motif might be the theme for the evil alien/ghost or the hero of your story.

• Remember you can use the Virtual Keyboard

Other examples of Programme Music Aims

• Practice listening with programme music• Concentrate on the elements

InstrumentationDynamicsTexture

‘Carnival of the Animals’- The Swan Camille Saint Saens

• What instruments are being played?

– Cello (vibrato)– 2 accompaniment pianos

‘Mars’ From Holst’s Planets Suit

• Listen out for the changes in dynamics

– Slow crescendo at the start– Louder and quieter quickly in places– Ends quietly

Understanding Dynamics• What is meant by dynamics?

p = quiet (piano)f = loud (forte)

= get louder (crescendo)

= get quieter (diminuendo).

‘Spring’ From Vivaldi’s Four Seasons

• Listen out for the texture

– Homophonic = 2 or more sounds together– Polyphonic = many sounds all playing

differently– Monophonic = One sound