Rhythm: William Grant Still Symphony No. 1, “Afro-American Symphony,” III. Scherzo

William Grant Still

BORN: May 11, 1895, Woodville, Mississippi DIED: December 3, 1978, Los Angeles, California

BIOGRAPHY (in Student Book)

William Grant Still was born in Woodville, Mississippi, but was raised in Little Rock, Arkansas by his mother and grandmother. He studied composition at Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio. Later, he went to the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and studied under George W. Chadwick. After his time in Boston, he began studying with a composer of the avant-garde, Edgard Varèse. In the 1920’s, he began working in jazz music. He was a jazz arranger for Paul Whiteman, a dance-band leader of the time, and for blues composer W.C. Handy. In 1939, he moved to Los Angeles after getting married to pianist Verna Arvey. After moving, he began composing works for chamber orchestra; two of his early works are Darker America and From the Black Belt. Still’s concern with the treatment of African Americans in the U.S. can be seen in many of his works. This can especially be seen in the Afro-American Symphony, his ballet, Sahdji, and his operas, Troubled Island and Highway 1 U.S.A. These pieces were composed after Still’s extensive study and research on African music. His eclectic musical style, which included many different musical influences, was enjoyed by audience members of every race and ethnicity. Still is remembered as one of America’s greatest composers, and his music is widely performed today.

FUN FACTS (in Student Book)

• William Grant Still studied medicine at Wilberforce University before going on to study composition at the

Oberlin Conservatory of Music. • He was known as “The Dean of African American Classical Composers.” • He was the first African American to conduct a major American orchestra—the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

FEATURED WORK: Symphony No. 1, “Afro-American Symphony,” III. Scherzo

This is the first symphony composed by an African American that was performed by a professional orchestra. The “AfroAmerican Symphony” is Still’s most famous work and was premiered by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in 1931, the year after it was composed. The symphony has influences from the jazz and blues genres. Still’s goal was to raise the musical standing of the blues, since it was considered the music of the lower class. The symphony has four movements; each is packed with musical influences and colors.

FUNDAMENTAL OF MUSIC: Rhythm

“Rhythm” refers to placement of sounds as they move through time, usually forming a pattern. Every change in the pattern is a new rhythm.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #1: Rhythm Building Blocks

NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC:

3.ML.2.1 Interpret rhythm patterns, including notes and rests in 3/4 and 4/4 meter signatures. 3.ML.3.2 Create soundscapes using a variety of sound sources. 4.ML.2.1 Interpret rhythm patterns, including whole, half, dotted half, quarter, and eighth notes, and rests in 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 meter signatures. 4.CR.1.2 Understand the relationships between music and concepts from other areas. 5.ML.2.1 Interpret rhythm patterns, including whole, half, dotted half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes and rests in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and 6/8 meter signatures. 5.ML.3.1 Use improvisation to create short songs and instrumental pieces, using a variety of sound sources, including traditional and non-traditional sounds, body sounds, and sounds produced by electronic means. 5.ML.3.3 Create rhythmic compositions using notation whole, dotted half, half, and quarter notes; whole, half, and quarter rests; and beamed eighth notes in duple, triple, and common time and which are arranged using a variety of sound sources.

OBJECTIVE:

Students will create a cinquain (sing·kayn) poem using rhythmic building blocks.

MATERIALS:

• Handout: Rhythm Building Blocks (copied or projected) • Paper and writing utensils for students • Classroom percussion instruments

PROCESS:

1. Using your counting system of choice, review counting eighth note, quarter note, quarter rest, and half note patterns with students. 2. Show students rhythm sentences (for example: “ta, ta, ti-ti, ta” or “ta-di ta-di ta rest”). 3. While students read various rhythm chains, encourage them to tap the beat lightly somewhere on their body (patting, tapping their foot, gently clapping). You may need to review the difference between rhythm and beat. 4. Show students the Rhythm Building Blocks and ask students to read each one. a. How many beats are on each block? (Answer: 2) b. Do you see how some blocks are made of more notes than others, even though they all equal with two beats? 5. Explain to students that they will be building a cinquain (a five-line stanza) using the rhythm blocks. (Note: students could work individually or in small groups.) 6. To build the cinquain: a. Students will need to choose a topic for their poem. Perhaps brainstorm as a class if working individually. b. Formula for the cinquain: Cinquain Example: The Garden First line - 2 syllables Flowers Second line - 4 syllables Blooming, Buzzing Third line - 6 syllables Bees are flying around Fourth line - 8 syllables Water the plants before they wilt Fifth line - 2 syllables Gardens c. Allow students time to build their poem, keeping track of their syllables and corresponding rhythm blocks

7. As students are finishing, they should write out their poem with rhythms under/above the words to dictate the rhythm of the cinquain 8. Once they are done, students can illustrate their poems, share them with the class, and/or share them with their

ELA teacher

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:

1. Students can add musical effects to their cinquain using classroom instruments and perform for the class 2. Listen to the third movement of the “Afro-American Symphony.” Have students tap, clap, and/or play their rhythms along with the piece.

NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC:

3.ML.1.3 Use instruments to perform rhythmic and melodic patterns accurately and independently on classroom rhythmic and melodic instruments. 3.ML.2.1 Interpret rhythm patterns, including notes and rests in 3/4 and 4/4. 4.ML.1.2 Execute the performance of vocal ostinatos, partner songs, counter-melodies, and rounds in two or more parts. 4.ML.2.1 Interpret rhythm patterns, including whole, half, dotted half, quarter, and eighth notes, and rests in 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 meter signatures. 5.ML.2.1 Interpret rhythm patterns, including whole, half, dotted half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes and rests in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and 6/8 meter signatures. 5.MR.1.2 Use music terminology in explaining music, including notation, instruments, voices, and performances.

OBJECTIVE:

Students will learn to count and play dotted rhythms in music.

MATERIALS:

• Video Recording: Symphony No. 1, “Afro-American Symphony,” III. Scherzo • Unpitched percussion instruments • “Going to the beach” Rhythm Pattern

PROCESS:

1. Using your counting system of choice, start by reviewing a variety of rhythm sentences that include quarter notes, beamed eighth notes, sixteenth notes, and rests. This could be written for students to read or simply spoken and echoed. 2. Transfer some of the rhythm sentences to body percussion. This is also a good time to encourage student creation of rhythmic patterns for other students to echo!

Examples: i. Ta ta ti-ti ta = pat, pat, clap-clap, pat ii. Takadimi ta ta rest = pat-pat-pat-pat, stomp, stomp, rest 3. Explain to students that today we’re going to learn about dotted rhythms, which combine an elongated (longer) note with a shorter note. 4. Using the example below, have students imitate you on each part of the “going to the beach” patterns. 5. You may want to repeat each 2 beats several times before moving on to the tied note rhythm after it. a. Encourage students to tap the steady beat (quarter note pulse) while listening and imitating. b. When students feel comfortable with the patterns, you can show them the notation of how tied notes morph the rhythm into the next one (and they sound the same!) c. Mix up the patterns and chain several together (ex. going to the go—the go—the beach)) d. This activity can also be done with non-pitched percussion instruments (rhythm sticks, hand drums, etc)

“Going to the beach” Rhythm Pattern

CREATION ACTIVITY: Composing an Ostinato Pattern

1. Show students examples of each different “going to the beach” pattern. a. Ask students to get into small groups and create their own “beach sentence.” b. Students can teach their sentence to the class. c. As an extension, have the students pick a few of their favorite sentences and layer them as a class so that there are multiple sentences being looped at once. 2. Now that students have an idea what dotted rhythms feel and sound like, listen to William Grant Still’s Symphony

No. 1, “Afro-American Symphony,” III. Scherzo. a. Encourage students to pat a steady beat throughout, listening for any dotted rhythms. b. After the first listen, ask students questions about what they heard, how the rhythms felt, and did they hear any dotted rhythms? c. Towards the middle of the piece, the violins and woodwinds start an ascending passage with following sixteenth notes and dotted eighth sixteenth patterns:

3. Then, the whole orchestra engages in the following dotted rhythm conversation (strings/woodwinds versus brass):

4. Teach the students these little rhythmic passages by rote. 5. Listen to the piece again, asking students to find the sections they just isolated. 6. Be sure to reflect on the listening one more time with students to see what they observed, what they felt, what they might want to listen for next time, etc.

NORTH CAROLINA STANDARDS IN LITERACY:

3.ML.1.3 Use instruments to perform rhythmic and melodic patterns accurately and independently on classroom rhythmic and melodic instruments. 3.ML.3.1 Use rhythmic improvisation to create rhythmic and melodic ostinato accompaniments. 3.MR.1.2 Use musical terminology when describing music that is presented aurally. 4.ML.2.1 Interpret rhythm patterns, including whole, half, dotted half, quarter and eighth notes and rests in 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 meter signatures. 4.MR.1.2 Explain personal preferences for specific musical works and styles, using appropriate music terminology. 5.ML.1.1 Illustrate independence and accuracy while singing and playing instruments within a group or ensemble. 5.ML.1.3 Use instruments to perform rhythmic, melodic, and chordal patterns accurately and independently on classroom rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic instruments. 5.ML.3.1 Use improvisation to create short songs and instrumental pieces, using a variety of sound sources, including traditional and non-traditional sounds, body sounds, and sounds produced by electronic means.

OBJECTIVE:

Students will learn to hear, count, and play syncopated rhythms in music.

MATERIALS:

• Video Recording: Symphony No. 1, “Afro-American Symphony,” III. Scherzo • Unpitched percussion instruments

PROCESS:

1. Review basic quarter note/eighth note rhythm patterns, and have students put each pattern in body percussion while they say: a. Ta ti-ti ta ta b. Ti-ti ta ti-ti ta c. Ta-di ta-di ta-di ta d. Continue with several more patterns (also including rests). 2. Explain that when two notes are tied together, their sound becomes just one note. So in the example below,

“Ti-ti Ti-ti Ta rest” becomes “Syn-co-pa ta rest” (use whatever counting system you prefer).

3. Invite students to echo several syncopated patterns, using word chains, body percussion, unpitched percussion, etc. 4. Explain that syncopation shifts the emphasis of the rhythm. Instead of always falling on the strong pulse (quarter note beat), the rhythm shifts the emphasis to the off-beat. 5. After going through several examples of imitation, ask students how this new rhythm makes them feel; do they prefer ‘straight’ rhythms or syncopated rhythms? 6. Invite students to create their own syncopated patterns (extend the pattern into 8-beat echoes) using a variety of spoken words, body percussion, and unpitched percussion. 7. Encourage students to keep the steady pulse somewhere in their body while others are performing their syncopated patterns so that they can feel that shifted emphasis of the quarter on the off-beat.

8. Now that students have an idea what syncopated rhythms feel and sound like, listen to William Grant Still’s

Symphony No. 1, “Afro-American Symphony,” III. Scherzo. a. Encourage students to pat a steady beat throughout, listening for any syncopated rhythms. b. After the first listen, ask students questions about what they heard, how the rhythms felt, and did they hear any syncopation? c. Look at the theme as first presented in the upper strings (violin & viola):

d. Where is the syncopation? How many syncopated rhythms can you find? e. Play/sing the melody for the students and teach students to sing it through an imitation process. i. Adding lyrics would be beneficial for learning the rhythm and melody. Ask the students: How does this piece make you feel? What do you think the song is about? Use their ideas to collaboratively write lyrics for this excerpt. ii. Can students add percussion instruments or body percussion to play the rhythm? To play the steady beat? iii. Can half of the students sing the melody while the other half keep a steady beat? f. Listen to the piece again, asking students to listen for other instances of syncopation. g. Be sure to reflect on the listening one more time with students to see what they observed, what they felt, what they might want to listen for next time, etc.