Bastian Lit 1: The Lonely Traveler

This post includes lesson plans and activities that correlate with The Lonely Traveler by Bartok in Bastian Lit Vol 1.

Music Samples and History

The Lonely Traveler by Bela Bartok

Read the Classics for Kids Bio About Bela Bartok to learn more about this Hungarian composer from the Modern Era.

Bastian Lit 1: A Winter Tale by Bartok

 This post includes lesson plans and activities that correlate with A Winter Tale by Bartok in Bastian Lit Vol 1.

Music Samples and History

A Winter Tale by Bartok

Bastian Lit 1: March by Shostakovich and Direct Modulation

 This post includes lesson plans and activities that correlate with March by Shostakovich in Bastian Lit Vol 1.

Music Samples

As you listen to March by Shostakovich mark the musical form in your music.

Bastian Lit 1: A Little Song and Cantabile

This post includes lesson plans and activities that correlate with A Little Song by Kabalevsky in Bastian Lit Vol 1.

Music Samples

Watch A Little Song by Kabalevsky and listen for the singing quality of the cantabile lines.

Bastian Lit 1: Quick March by Kabalevsky and Energico

This post includes lesson plans and activities that correlate with Quick March by Kabalevsky in Bastian Lit Vol 1.

Music Samples

Watch Quick March by Kabalevsky (practice speed). Notice how the small intervals in this piece are played with a closed hand with quick hand shifts to adjust alignment. Playing with a flexible wrist helps to control tone and eliminate tension.

Bastian Lit 1: Dance by Kabalevsky and Modern Era

 This post includes lesson plans and activities that correlate with Dance by Kabalevsky in Bastian Lit Vol 1.

Music Samples and History

Watch the video to learn about Characteristics of Modern (Contemporary) Era Music.

As you watch the performance of Dance by Kabalevsky listen for the measures that have unexpected harmony in this piece. Contemporary piano music tends to be have unusual or surprising chord changes when compared to earlier era pieces.

Bastian Lit 1: Minuet in F and Cadences

This post includes lesson plans and activities that correlate with Minuet in F K2 by Mozart in Bastian Lit Vol 1.

Music Samples and History

Watch out for the "raspberry" triplet and tap the rhythm as you listen to Minuet in F K2 by Mozart. Think "down and up, lift" for the repeating rhythmic motif as you practice this piece.

Listen to the podcast Classics for Kids about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart or About Minuets.

Watch this short film called Minuet. Can you tell which musical excerpt is a minuet?

Theory

Cadences in music are usually the two chords at the end of a phrase.
You can compare them to punctuation marks in sentences. 

Half Cadences

Some phrases leave you feeling like the song isn't finished. What comes next?

Perfect Cadence

Other cadences sound final like you are at the end of the song or musical sentence.

Watch the end of the video to learn about different types of cadences found in this Mozart minuet and mark the chord symbols and cadences in your music. (Start at 6:25).

Deceptive Cadence

Supplementary Music Minuets

Minuet in C William Duncombe- Discovering Piano Bumper

Minuet BWV114 Petzold/Bach - Discovering Piano Bumper