4th Grade units in Music History

FOLK MUSIC INFLUENCES

Music from Bohemia: Bohemia is the Western part of what is now the Czech Republic.

Here is a packet on the composer Bedrich Smetana and his work “Ma Vlast” or “My life” – specifically one movement of the piece, named after a major river, called Vltava, or Moldau in German. The packet includes beautiful pictures and link to a video:
Bedrich Smetana and his piece “The Moldau”

video link

Here’s another biography of Smetana,

and the music for the main theme: treble clef bass clef

HISTORY of the VIOLIN

Learn about the history of the violin and bow, and listen to ancestors of the violin – videos

KidzSearch – history of the violin – and use the search field for other instruments

about the violin – a kids’ research website – search for your instrument

Berkeley Public Library: scroll down to Britannica Kids and start your research! (you’ll need your library card number!)

LEARNING ABOUT THE TIME PERIODS IN HISTORY

RESOURCES:

A Trip Through Musical History (goes along with the handout with questions)

MEDIEVAL ERAinstruments, culture and life

RENAISSANCEplaylist (here you can listen to the original music that you’ll find below)

******here are pieces to try playing, and a wonderful description of the music for strings in the Renaissance, and a little history of the instruments******

violin *** cello *** double bass

You will have to go through page by page (click on “next” at bottom of the page) until you find the pieces – but read each section too!

BAROQUE

CLASSICAL

ROMANTIC

20TH CENTURY AND BEYOND

POSTCARDS from AROUND the WORLD

The Playlist above includes music from eight different countries, all in very differing styles. Which music “speaks” to you? Why? How does it make you feel? Can you find adjectives that describe the different types of music?

Here is some music that YOU have found that intrigues you: