The Nutcracker

Some of Tchaikovsky's most popular music is found in "The Nutcracker". I'm sure you have heard of "The Waltz of the Flowers," and "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy." This ballet's music is of the Romantic Period of music.

Tchaikovsky discovered the celestra in Paris, and used this instrument as the main instruments in the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy". He wanted the Sugar Plum Fairy to have a 'heavenly sweet sound'. The celestra gave her that sound.

An interesting fact is that the original suite was only 85 minutes long.

The story of "The Nutcracker" revolved around a German girl named Clara. The Ballet opens with a brief overture. By using the upper registers of the orchestra the music set the fairy mood. The curtain opens to reveal the house, where a Christmas Eve party is under way...

Suggestions:
Watch a performance of "The Nutcracker".
Learn to play one of the pieces in this suite.
Read about Pyotr Llyich Tchaikovsky.
Learn about the Romantic Period of music.


If you have a question you would like me to answer about learning music please email me at Catherines.Music.Notes@gmail.com

Have a Musical and Happy New Year!!! *smiles*

Catherine
"Music lessons should be about the student. Each student learns in different ways, and at different speeds. Music is a journey, and on that journey, we will work and learn together." - Catherine

Books with CDs include:
Impressions Volume One, Two, and Three
Marches
The Frog Prince
CDs include:
Wedding Bells
Lullabies

http://sites.google.com/site/musicbycatherine
www.ShoutLife.com/ClassyKeys
http://catherinesmusicnotes.blogspot.com

A Bit Of

The History of Christmas Music

Music has always been a part of the Christmas Season. Chants, Litanies, and hymns were written in Latin and used during the church liturgy. In the 13th Century carols were written in the vernacular. There were influenced by Francis of Assisi.

The word carol comes from the Greek word 'choraulein', meaning a circle dance performed to flute music. In the Middle Ages, the English combined circle dances with singing and called them carols. The word carol soon came to mean a song in which a religious topic is treated in a style that is familiar or festive.

In England the Puritans looked at the singing of Christmas carols as pagan. They had it banned. After the Restoration began the tradition of singing Christmas carols in return for alms or charity. This was in the seventeenth century. Town musicians were licensed to collect money in the streets in the weeks preceeding Christmas. Also started in the seventeenth century was the taking of a 'wassail bowl' round their neighbors to solicit gifts, accompanied by carols.

Christmas music has been a combination of sacred and secular.

The most performed Christmas songs are:
1. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) - Mel Torme, Robert Wells.
2. Santa Claus is Coming To Town - Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie.
3. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin.
4. Winter Wonderland - Feliz Bernard, Richard B. Smith.
5. White Christmas - Irving Berlin.

Please listen and watch two of my students as they play on the keyboards "We Three Kings".

If you have a question you would like me to answer about learning music please email me at Catherines.Music.Notes@gmail.com

Have a Musical and Merry Christmas!!! *smiles*

Catherine
"Music lessons should be about the student. Each student learns in different ways, and at different speeds. Music is a journey, and on that journey, we will work and learn together." - Catherine

Books with CDs include:
Impressions Volume One, Two, and Three
Marches The Frog Prince
CDs include:
Wedding Bells
Lullabies

http://sites.google.com/site/musicbycatherine www.ShoutLife.com/ClassyKeys
http://catherinesmusicnotes.blogspot.com/

Discovery Page

Find out the answer to these questions and then see how many of your family and friends know the answers. The answers are at the bottom of this page.

1. What are the names of Santa's Reindeer?
Eight of the names are taken from Clement C. Moores, "A Visit From St. Nicholas". The Ninth is taken from the song, "Rudolf, The Red Nosed Reindeer".

2. True or False. England only had 7 white Christmas' in the Twentieth Century.

3. True or False. Maoz Tzur is also known as "Rock of Ages".

4. What is Hannukkah (Chanukkah)?


The Story of "Silent Night"

On Christmas Eve in the year 1818 the song "Silent Night" was performed for the first time. The words were written by Joseph Mohr. He asked Franz Xavier Gruber to write music to go with the words. This song was first performed at St. Nikolas Church in Oberndorf, with Franz at the organ and Father Jospeh on the guitar.

Each year, this beautiful Christmas song is performed in this tiny church. Thousand of people stand inside and outside St. Nikolas Church to be a part of this wonderful Christmas story.

If you have a question you would like me to answer about learning music please email me at Catherines.Music.Notes@gmail.com

Have a Musical Day!!!

Happy Holidays!!!

Catherine

"Music lessons should be about the student. Each student learns in different ways, and at different speeds. Music is a journey, and on that journey, we will work and learn together." - Catherine


Books with CDs include:
Impressions Volume One, Two, and Three
Marches
The Frog Prince
CDs include:
Wedding Bells
Lullabies

http://sites.google.com/site/musicbycatherine
www.ShoutLife.com/ClassyKeys (over 18,000 views and 4000 friends)
http://catherinesmusicnotes.blogspot.com


Answers:
1. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolf.
2. True.
3. True. Maoz Tzur is sung after the lightning of the candles. It is also known as "Rock of Ages" and was written hundreds of years ago in Europe.
4. It is an 8 day festival commemorating the victory of the Maccabees over Antiochus Epiphanes and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Jingle Bells

Jingle Bells was written between 1850 and 1857 by James Pierpont. It is not known for sure how the song or why the song was written but it is believed that it was written in the town of Medford, MA. During the winter there were sleigh races through the center of town. As the sleighs sped along their route, townspeople braved the cold and cheered on the drivers, sometimes singing carols and other songs.

A fun activity with your child is to play the bells and sing songs such as "Jingle Bells", "We Wish You A Merry Christmas", and "Sleigh Ride". This activity will help with rhythm and coordination. Keep your child safe. Make sure your child can not swallow the jingle bells or put them around their neck. You can buy a jingle bell instrument from a music store. Also, there are many websites that show you how to make a jingle bell instrument. There are also huge jingle bells that can not fit in a child's mouth that you might consider. These make a deep, rich sound.

Remember to have a safe and happy holiday!!!

If you have a question you would like me to answer about learning music please email me at Catherines.Music.Notes@gmail.com

Have a Musical Day!!! *Smiles*

Catherine
"Music lessons should be about the student. Each student learns in different ways, and at different speeds. Music is a journey, and on that journey, we will work and learn together." - Catherine

Books with CDs include:
Impressions Volume One, Two, and Three
Marches The Frog Prince
CDs include:
Wedding Bells
Lullabies

http://sites.google.com/site/musicbycatherine
www.ShoutLife.com/ClassyKeys
http://catherinesmusicnotes.blogspot.com