Aesthetic Music: Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36, 2nd movement

Objective:

After listening to the piece and discussing its aesthetic value, students will write an essay from Tchaikovsky's perspective explaining the reasoning behind the musical choices by examining their aesthetic value.

National Standards for Music Education:

6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

7. Evaluating music and music performances.

Illinois State Goals and Standards for Fine Arts

25. Know the language of the arts.

A.    Understand the sensory elements, organizational principles and expressive qualities of the arts.

2c Music: Identify elements and expressive qualities such as tone color, harmony, melody, form (rondo, theme and variation), rhythm/meter and dynamics in a variety of musical styles.

3c Music: Identify and describe changes in elements and expressive qualities (e.g., crescendo, ritardando, fermata, meter, sforzando).

Materials:

ActivBoard (interactive whiteboard), youtube video of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 in F minor, 2nd movement.

Content:

"Today, we are going to listen to Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36, 2nd movement, which is titled "Andantino in modo di canzona." The purpose of listening to this piece of music is to find its aesthetic value.  "Aesthetic" may be a new vocabulary word for you, so let's add it to our music vocabulary wall."

Have a student read the definition of aesthetic.

Ask the students to describe what aesthetic means in their own words (expect answers like "its what you like" or "its what sounds good to you").

"'Aesthetic' s not just about what you like.  It is also about why you like it.  There are certain elements in music that make some of it more likable or catchy than other pieces.  Today, we're going to listen to this piece of music several times, and we are going to use our listening journals to write about its aesthetic value.  The first time, I want you to focus on form.  Remember, form is over here on our vocabulary wall."

Review the "form" vocabulary word by asking a student to read the definition of form.

"One of the reasons we humans find music likable is because of how easy it is to predict.  As you are listening, comment in your journals about what you are hearing related to form.  Can you predict the musical themes that you'll hear next, or do you find it difficult?  Does the predictability or lack of predictability make you like it more or less?  Remember, you don't have to use complete sentences on your first draft of listening journals.  Just write down your instincts and short-handed thoughts."

Post the prompt on the ActivBoard.

Part 1: Can you predict the musical themes that you'll hear next, or do you find it difficult?  Does the predictability or lack of predictability make you like it more or less?  Why?

After students have listened and written down their first thoughts about form, discuss what they wrote together, and be sure to mention the following at some point during the discussion:

"The form of this piece is not particularly predictable.  It seems to never quite resolve, like it is searching for something.  There were three major sections of musical themes in what we listened to, including the oboe solo, the orchestra repeating the basic theme again that the oboe soloist had played, and finally, the section which was building and reestablishing tonality at nearly every phrase.  Think about how the parts don't really resolve any time, and the tension of wondering when the line will end is intriguing and somewhat frustrating for the listener."

"We are going to listen to the piece a second time now, and instead of focusing on form, what are some other musical elements we can focus on?"

Hopefully students will mention melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, dynamics, or other related topics, as they have been previously discussed.

"Let's focus this time on melody, because I think it is one of the most interesting parts of the piece.  I will tell you a few things to trigger thoughts as you start.  First, I recognized several things as I was listening to the piece which I think are important to note.  I hear a 4-note melodic pattern that includes descending line which then skips and resolves back up one note."

Sing the mentioned pattern to students.

"This makes me wonder why Tchaikovsky chose this pattern, and why he chose the oboe, and what the point of the music is.  Sometimes, music tells a story.  Other times, music is to express emotions.  Other times, music is just present as music, and it doesn't need a reason.  In your journal, write about which one of these you think Tchaikovsky was going for?  Support your idea with examples from what you hear in the music.  We'll listen to the piece a few more times, and be sure to specifically focus on the melody."

Put the final journal entry prompt on the board:

Part 2: Focus on the melody of this piece.  Do you like it?  Why?  Use examples from the music that you are hearing to support your argument.

Part 3: What do you think was the purpose of this music to Tchaikovsky?  Was he trying to tell a story?  Ws he trying to express emotions?  Was there another purpose for this piece of music?  Use musical examples to support your ideas.  Remember that you don't have to use complete sentences yet.

"We'll listen to this portion of this movement at least three times.  For homework tonight, turn your thoughts into a letter.  Write the essay as if you are Tchaikovsky writing a letter to a friend explaining the purpose of the piece.  If you finish your incomplete thoughts early, you can begin your final draft now.  You have been handed a rubric for the final letter.  Be sure you address all three of the prompts that we used today in your letter.  We will upload your final journal entries to your online music listening blog after I've graded them."

Play the music a few more times and give students some time to write in between.  Provide the youtube link for students so they can listen at home if they would like further details.

Assessment Rubric:

	Does Not Meet or Incomplete (0-6)	Meets (7-9)	Exceeds (10)	Points Awarded	Comments
Part 1: Form	Student does not adequately answer question(s) in prompt.	Student adequately answers question(s) in prompt in Tchaikovsky's voice.	Student shows a meaningful and deeper sense of understanding related to detailed support, and/or creatively executes use of Tchaikovsky's voice.
Part 2: Melody	Student does not adequately answer question(s) in prompt.	Student adequately answers question(s) in prompt in Tchaikovsky's voice.	Student shows a meaningful and deeper sense of understanding related to detailed support, and/or creatively executes use of Tchaikovsky's voice.
Part 3: Aesthetic Value	Student does not adequately answer question(s) in prompt.	Student adequately answers question(s) in prompt in Tchaikovsky's voice.	Student shows a meaningful and deeper sense of understanding related to detailed support, and/or creatively executes use of Tchaikovsky's voice.
Grammatical Value	Student's final work contains more than 5 grammatical or spelling errors.	Student's final work contains 2-4 grammatical or spelling errors.	Student's final work contains 0-1 grammatical or spelling errors.