The qualities of sound

1 Read and write in your notebook the number each letter corresponds to.

... if a sound is high or low?

...if a sound is long or short?

...if a sound is loud or soft?

... what source does the sound come from?

Which quality of sound tells us...

2 Listen and number in the order that you hear them. In your notebook, write at least two qualities that you perceive in the sound of each of the instruments.

Intensity

The intensity of a sound can be soft or loud. Composers use intensity contrasts to enhance the expressiveness of text and music. The conductor uses gestures to indicate intensity so that the musicians can interpret the melody. Between the two types of intensity, soft-loud, there are different nuances.

Nuances of intensity

Pianissimo () very soft sound

Piano () soft sound

Mezzo forte () medium sound

Forte ( ) loud sound

Fortissimo (  ) very loud sound

1 Observe and complete with nuances of intensity. Listen and move your arms as if you were the conductor of the orchestra.

Manuel de Falla (1876-1946)

‘Farruca’ El sombrero de tres picos

This Andalusian composer, born in Cádiz, is one of the most important musicians of Spanish music.

Body percussion

The beat is the pulse of the music. It generates the rhythm. Rhythm is the result of combining musical notes and is closely related to beat. Look at the stems to interpret clapping.

1 Rehearse them with the help of the prosodies. Write the missing rhythm in your notebook.

Look I fo - llow rhythm well!

I am ben - ding my knees.

It re - so - nates through all the cave.

You must ne - ver lose the beat.

1

The stick dance

1 Observe and learn the basic movements to the stick dance.

In pairs

Hit the sticks together. Hit inwards, diagonally. Hit outwards, diagonally. Hit in a cross ( ✘ ), with the right and left hand at the same time.

2 Listen to The Little Bird. Accompany with sticks when you hear the dulzaina.

1 st time: rows facing each other

2 nd time: partner next to you time: rows facing each other

To dance these traditional dances, you can use two cardboard tubes or small plastic bottles as sticks.

Dance styles

Dance is as old as humanity. Human beings have used body movement as a form of expression and communication since prehistory. Dance is linked to music: a certain style of dance is usually associated with a musical genre.

In ancient cultures, such as the Iberian culture, any important celebration was accompanied with

1 Listen and match each dance style to the music. Number in your notebook in the order you hear them.

Classical music

Greek dance

1 Listen, learn and dance the Greek dance Syrtaki Parapoñota.

Starting position

Form an open circle, holding hands, with your forearms raised.

Without moving from the spot and with your feet together, raise and lower your heels.

The bouzouki is the most representative instrument of modern Greek music. It is usually used to accompany traditional dances.

Take four steps to the right, bringing your feet together on the fourth step.

Take four steps to the centre. Move the left foot up and back on the fourth step.

Take four steps backwards, starting with the left foot, and bring both feet together on the fourth step.

Form groups of four and decide which symbols you will use in your secret musical code. For example:

Create a four-bar rhythm, with the secret code you have invented. Draw four rectangles in your notebook and draw a bar in each of them.

Draw the symbols you have chosen for each of the musical notes and create the secret code.

Step 3

Copy the rhythm in your notebook. Swap the rhythm and the code with another group to decipher it. Decipher the secret code of the other group and write the rhythm with the musical notes. Play it with a hand percussion instrument.

Reflect on your experience of creating a secret musical code.

• Was it easy to create a musical code in a group?

• Why?

• Talk to your classmates and write in your notebook how to improve group work.

a Creating my own code b Speaking in turns c Taking group suggestions into account d Avoiding participating

1 Listen and sing. Move in a line clapping the beats.

Tafta hindi, tafta hindi shash hariit ia banat.

If ta juuli ia sabaaia uala jushmi nishibeg. (repeat)

Indian silk and Indian cotton buy in this flea market now! They are silver, they are golden, you can try them on right now. (repeat) they are you can try them gol - den now. on right

2  Listen and accompany with the bar instruments.

Notes and rests

The duration of a sound is represented in writing using notes and rests. Each note has got an equivalent silence of the same duration. The crotchet, which is taken as a reference, lasts for one beat.

1 Look at the musical coins and their values. In your notebook, write the equivalence of each chest.

Semibreve (4 beats)

Minim (2 beats)

Remember the duration of the notes and their rests.

Equivalent to

Crotchet (1 beat)

Quaver (1/2 beats)

Semiquaver (1/4 beats)

2 Read and write the answers.

• A semibreve lasts ? beats. It has got the same duration as ? minims, ? crotchets, ? quavers and ? semiquavers.

• The ? .... has got the same duration as eight semiquavers.