"When I wished to sing of love, it turned to sorrow. And when
I wished to sing of sorrow, it was transformed for me into love."
AUTHOR: Franz Schubert
"Our emotions come out in our music. Many
of these emotions are closely related."
COMPOSER
IVES
E. Power Biggs, Organ
VARIATIONS ON 'AMERICA'
Aaron Robinson, Organ
With a compilation of images that
celebrate the history of America
VARIATIONS ON 'AMERICA'
For Band
Floris de Weve, Conductor
Harmonie '67 from Groningen
VARIATIONS ON 'AMERICA'
For Winds Orchestra
William Schuman and
William E. Rhoads, Arrangers
Cincinnati Wind Ensemble
Theme and Variations Lesson Plan:
Music and Architecture
Young People’s Concert: NHSO
GRADES: 3-5
(Modifications can be made for
older or younger students)
STANDARDS:
• Singing, along and with others,
a varied repertoire of music
• Composing and arranging music
within specified guidelines
• Understanding relationships between music,
the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
• Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:
Students will compose a variation on an excerpt
of "The Star Spangled Banner" after gaining
tools and knowledge on variations in music as
well as in areas outside of music.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will understand how a variation is created
and be able to create a variation on their own.
2. Students will use their own creativity to create
an original piece of music.
LISTENING REPERTOIRE:
IVES VARIATIONS ON 'AMERICA'
Procedures:
1) Sing through the original version of "America
(My Country 'Tis of Thee)" as a class.
2) Show the class a picture of a house (you can use
the picture provided, or use your own house, or the
house of one of your students). You might also want
them to all bring in a picture of their own houses so
you can have a visual representation of all the
different variations.
3) Have the students come up with a list of ways that
their houses are different from the one in the picture,
and a list of ways that their houses are the same (all
have a roof, windows, etc).
4) Talk about how even though the houses may have
different variations in the way they are put together
and organized, they all have some things in common,
and ultimately are all still houses where people live.
5) Discuss how a piece of music can have variations
as well. Ask if they can think of any songs that have
multiple variations. (Perhaps a remix on the radio,
or "The Star Spangled Banner" sung at various
sporting events…)
6) Using the list provided, talk about the different
ways that a variation can use the original theme
and then change it. See if you and the class can
add to the list provided.
7) Listen to the excerpts from Ives' "Variations on
America" and have the students circle the different
types of variations as they hear them.
8) Using at least 2 of the types of variations from
the list, have the students come up with a variation
for "The Star Spangled Banner."
Music and Architecture
Young People’s Concert: NHSO
GRADES: 3-5
(Modifications can be made for
older or younger students)
STANDARDS:
• Singing, along and with others,
a varied repertoire of music
• Composing and arranging music
within specified guidelines
• Understanding relationships between music,
the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
• Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:
Students will compose a variation on an excerpt
of "The Star Spangled Banner" after gaining
tools and knowledge on variations in music as
well as in areas outside of music.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will understand how a variation is created
and be able to create a variation on their own.
2. Students will use their own creativity to create
an original piece of music.
LISTENING REPERTOIRE:
IVES VARIATIONS ON 'AMERICA'
Procedures:
1) Sing through the original version of "America
(My Country 'Tis of Thee)" as a class.
2) Show the class a picture of a house (you can use
the picture provided, or use your own house, or the
house of one of your students). You might also want
them to all bring in a picture of their own houses so
you can have a visual representation of all the
different variations.
3) Have the students come up with a list of ways that
their houses are different from the one in the picture,
and a list of ways that their houses are the same (all
have a roof, windows, etc).
4) Talk about how even though the houses may have
different variations in the way they are put together
and organized, they all have some things in common,
and ultimately are all still houses where people live.
5) Discuss how a piece of music can have variations
as well. Ask if they can think of any songs that have
multiple variations. (Perhaps a remix on the radio,
or "The Star Spangled Banner" sung at various
sporting events…)
6) Using the list provided, talk about the different
ways that a variation can use the original theme
and then change it. See if you and the class can
add to the list provided.
7) Listen to the excerpts from Ives' "Variations on
America" and have the students circle the different
types of variations as they hear them.
8) Using at least 2 of the types of variations from
the list, have the students come up with a variation
for "The Star Spangled Banner."
 |
| http://charlesivesbio.com/musical-examples/ |
MUSIC ANALYSIS
THEME
Sounds similar to the way America is sung
Soft, slow, and connected
Brass plays melody with woodwind accompaniment
Bell rings at end of theme for humor
VARIATION 1
Woodwinds play a running line over the separated,
quiet theme in the brass and percussion
Very busy sounding
Solo trumpet, then descending rattling percussion
followed by a tap on rim of drum ends this variation
VARIATION 2
Oboe plays melody first
Brass harmonizes the theme
Sounds unsteady
Ends with four-part harmony
VARIATION 3
Immediate mood and meter change with skipping
6/8 rhythm
Woodwinds play melody first, then brass
instruments take over
Light and happy, like a calliope (organ) on a
merry-go-round
Ends with trumpet and piccolo
VARIATION 4
Change in style with Spanish flavor provided
by castanets and tambourine
Trumpet plays melody in minor
Woodwinds have flourish notes underneath
INTERLUDE
Short and slow with two different tonalities
Sounds uncertain
Parts of the tune of America played by
trumpets and trombones
VARIATION 5
Quite fast and lively
Woodwinds play theme
Trumpet plays running line underneath
Sounds like circus music
Second statement is louder, with brass playing
melody, and woodwinds adding decoration notes
Slows down as it leads to last section
CODA
(Coda is a word for Ending)
Music grows very loud; called a crescendo
Powerful, with musical bursts
Energy builds up, and the music continues
in fast tempo to exciting, memorable ending
LESSON PLAN ON VARIATIONS OF AMERICA:
ANN ARBOR SYMPHONY
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LESSON PLAN ON VARIATIONS OF AMERICA:
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
