Our Music Blog : August 2018

Dances
Choose from here.
Scroll down to last week's blog for the lyrics for Dynamite and Can't stop the Feelin'

Songs (Seniors):
I knew You were Treble
Ode to Treble Clef

Songs (Juniors):
Chumbara
Sarasponda
Ten in the Bed

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major), K. 525, is a 1787 composition for a chamber ensemble by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The German title means "a little serenade". View some of this video of Eine Kleine Nacht Music - where the musicians are dressed in costumes of Mozart's era - then see if you can follow this listening chart.

Listen for loud (forte) and soft (piano) and fast and slow. Can you hear parts which are repeated?

Here's what it looks like if you were playing it on the piano. This is another way of showing what the notes look like as they are played.

This is a funny version of Eine Klein Nachtmusik played by people using objects in an office.

Here's another graphic representation of the music. You can see what the different sections of the orchestra are playing and how they work together to make the overall sound. Can you name any of the notes?

Notation:
Let's learn and revise note names. This will be especially helpful to recorder and glockenspiel players.

Juniors
Dances:
Lacrimosa from Mozart's Requiem (Creative)
Freeze Game
I like to move it
I've been working on the railroad
Rock around the Clock
Songs:
Junior Songs (using the pentatonic scale):
Bought Me a Cat
Ten in the Bed
John Kanakanaka
Bickle Bockle (and game)

The Fox (Scroll down to find lyrics)

There was an old lady who swallowed a fly (Scroll down to find lyrics)

Seniors:
All You Gotta Do is Dance (You may not know this one but it has some interesting new dace moves)
Banana Boat Song (Day O!)
Dynamite
Can't stop the Feeling - watch the video and then have a go at making your 5 seconds of dance move.
YMCA

Here's the lyrics to Can't Stop the Feeling

I got this feeling inside my bones
It goes electric, wavy when I turn it on
All through my city, all through my home
We're flying up, no ceiling, when we're in our zone

I got that sunshine in my pocket
Got that good soul in my feet
I feel that hot blood in my body when it drops
I can't take my eyes up off it
Moving so phenomenally
Room on lock the way we rock it
So don't stop

And under the lights when everything goes
Nowhere to hide when I'm getting you close
When we move, well, you already know
So just imagine, just imagine, just imagine

Nothing I can see but you
When you dance, dance, dance
Feeling good, good, creeping up on you
So just dance, dance, dance
Come on
All those things I shouldn't do
But you dance, dance, dance
And ain't nobody leaving soon
So keep dancing

I can't stop the feeling
So just dance, dance, dance
I can't stop the feeling
So just dance, dance, dance
Come on

Ooh, it's something magical
It's in the air, it's in my blood, it's rushing on
Don't need no reason, don't need control
I fly so high, no ceiling, when I'm in my zone

'Cause I got that sunshine in my pocket
Got that good soul in my feet
I feel that hot blood in my body when it drops
I can't take my eyes up off it
Moving so phenomenally
Room on lock the way we rock it
So don't stop

And under the lights when everything goes
Nowhere to hide when I'm getting you close
When we move, well, you already know
So just imagine, just imagine, just imagine

Nothing I can see but you
When you dance, dance, dance
Feeling good, good, creeping up on you
So just dance, dance, dance
Come on
All those things I shouldn't do
But you dance, dance, dance
And ain't nobody leaving soon
So keep dancing

I can't stop the feeling
So just dance, dance, dance
I can't stop the feeling
So just dance, dance, dance
I can't stop the feeling
So just dance, dance, dance
I can't stop the feeling
So keep dancing, come on

I can't stop the—
I can't stop the—
I can't stop the—
I can't stop the—
I can't stop the feeling

Nothing I can see but you
When you dance, dance, dance
(I can't stop the feeling)
Feeling good, good, creeping up on you
So just dance, dance, dance
Come on
(I can't stop the feeling)
All those things I shouldn't do
But you dance, dance, dance
(I can't stop the feeling)
And ain't nobody leaving soon
So keep dancing

Everybody sing
(I can't stop the feeling)
Got this feeling in my body
(I can't stop the feeling)
Got this feeling in my body
(I can't stop the feeling)
Wanna see you move your body
(I can't stop the feeling)
Got this feeling in my body

Break it down
Got this feeling in my body
Can't stop the feeling
Got this feeling in my body
Come on

Here's the lyrics to Dynamite:

Dynamite

I came to dance (4x)
I hit the floor cause that's my plans (4x)
I'm wearing all my favourite brands (x4)
Give me space for both my hands (x4)

Yeah, yeah
Cause it goes on and on and on
And it goes on and on and on
Yeah!

I throw my hands up in the air sometimes
Saying "Ayo! Gotta let go!"
I wanna celebrate and live my life
Saying "Ayo! Baby, let's go!"

Cause we gonna rock this club
We gonna go all night
We gonna light it up
Like it's dynamite!
Cause I told you once
Now I told you twice
We gonna light it up
Like it's dynamite!

I came to move (4x)
Get out the way me and my crew (x4)
I’m in the club so I’m gonna do (x4)
Just what the folk came here to do (x4)

Yeah, yeah
Cause it goes on and on and on
And it goes on and on and on
Yeah!

I throw my hands up in the air sometimes
Saying "Ayo! Gotta let go!"
I wanna celebrate and live my life
Saying "Ayo! Baby, let's go!"

Cause we gonna rock this club
We gonna go all night
We gonna light it up
Like it's dynamite!
Cause I told you once
Now I told you twice
We gonna light it up
Like it's dynamite!

I'm gonna take it all out
I'm gonna be the last one standing
I'm over it all and
I'm gonna be the last one landing
Cause I, I, I believe it
And I, I, I, I just want it all
I just want it all

I'm gonna put my hands in the air!
Hands, hands in the air!
Put your hands in the air!

I throw my hands up in the air sometimes
Saying "Ayo! Gotta let go!"
I wanna celebrate and live my life
Saying "Ayo! Baby, let's go!"
Cause we gonna rock this club
We gonna go all night
We gonna light it up
Like it's dynamite!
Cause I told you once
Now I told you twice
We gonna light it up
Like it's dynamite!

Requiems tend to use the same words - all the composer needs to do is add music and their own style. The words are often repeated. A requiem is divided into several parts - called movements, each with a different meaning and style or feel, and tempo.
In the Kyrie movement the only words are Kyrie, eleison! Christe, eleison! (Lord, have mercy Christ, have mercy), but they are repeated many times - and sung in many different ways.

In this version, all four singing parts (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) sing the same music but start at different times, (called a fugue) then come together for extra impact.

Here's how Mozart wrote it.

Here's a choir singing Kyrie. Watch how the conductor indicates to each group when it is time for them to start singing. Notice how the singers hold their music up high so they can follow it but still keep their eyes on the conductor.

This version is a bit slower, but you see the conductor's movements and gestures very clearly. Note that the singers must know this music by heart as they aren't holding music!

This video is excellent to show you how the conductor changes his gestures to indicate dynamics (volume) and the feel of the music. Look for how he smoothly changes from giving signals to different sections of the orchestra and then to different sections of the choir. Start at about 3:50 to see how he changes from one movement to the next. Note: You only see the conductor in this video - not the orchestra or choir.

Here's what the score (music) looks like for the singers. Can you follow each part? Can you see when each part comes in and stops? Try listening to it with your eyes closed - can you identify each of the four parts?

And here's just one part - the alto part - at a slower speed so that singers can practise it to get it right before doing it faster with their choir.

And an electric guitar version of all four parts.