THE ART OF SONG ACG Senior College IB1 Diploma Music Unit Plan (Weeks 8-12)

OVERVIEW

Students will study secular songs from different musical eras,and from different styles and genres. 

Students will compare and contrast songs, linking distinct musical featuressuch as use of modes, form and structure, tonality, function and vocal style.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES   To gain a good understanding of the development of secular song and to aurally recognise key features.

  To be able to aurally identify secular songs from different eras, genres and styles.

  To begin to make musical links between secular songs from different eras, genres and styles.

  To use appropriate musical terminology to describe and reflect understanding of music and its contents.

OTHER LEARNING OUTCOMES Aurally distinguishing important musical features

 Use of correct musical language when discussing music

 Reading a score

 An understanding of the chronology of Western Art Music

 The ability to compare and contrast different musical examples

Compose a chord sequence and melody

Inquiry into style and musical language

  Musical notation

INQUIRY/TOK QUESTIONS

How do songs differ in structure?

What are the musical components of songs?

What are the functions of different types of secular song? What is music?

Why study music?

Does music need to have lyrics to communicate a meaning?

Why do songs dominate contemporary music?

INTERNATIONAL-MINDEDNESS

Students will engage with and analyse songs from a diverse range of places.

They will understand the context of the music and the role they play in societies and communities.

RESOURCES Scores and recordings for a wide variety of secular songs including music from the following genres and composers:

Lullabies; folk songs; Dowland; Weelkes; Monteverdi; Purcell; Haydn; Mozart; Schubert; Faure; Schoenberg; Gershwin; Bartok; Lloyd-Webber; Louis Armstrong; Bob Dylan; The Beatles; Chinese Opera; Rap songs

Practise listening questions

WEEK CONTENT RESOURCESTASKS/ASSESSMENT/HOMEWORK

1Lullabies: •  Function and form•  Elements of music•  International examples

•  Tuvan lullaby•  Spotify•  iTunes•  Text: Composer’s

Toolbox

•  Research: present findings on lullabies from around the world. Commonalities?

•  Compose and perform an original lullaby

2Contemporary Song: •  Evolution of the pop song.Blues/Folk > Pop

•  Youtube•  Spotify•  iTunes•  Music Songbooks

•  Musical Perception - Aural Analysis: Harmony, Melody, Instrumentation and arrangement. Annotate a piece of music.

3

Art Song:ClassicalRomanticFrenchAmerican

•  Mozart Aria & Lieder•  Schubert Lieder•  Schumann Lieder•  Debussy Melodies•  Barber Art Song

•  Score Analysis: Schubert - Die Schöne Mullerin

4Song in Early Music: �•  Gregorian Chant�•  Organum & Polyphony•  French Chanson

•  Enjoyment of Music eBook.

•  Perform: Together, select and perform a piece of early French or English music for two voices.

5Folk Song: �•  Irish & American Folk Song•  Spanish Folk Song•  Peruvian Folk Song

•  Smithsonian Folkways website

•  Investigation & Presentation : Choose one region of the world and present findings from research.