Our Program

MATB Lesson - William Tell Overture

 

Introduction


Music/Concepts

  1. Repetitions (of a single note)
  2. Tie (half note to eighth note)
  3. Overture


Difficulties

  1. Playing the correct number of G’s when they repeat
  2. Playing the repetitions with the correct rhythm
  3. The last line

Activities Away From the Piano

  1. Ta ti-ti the entire song.  When you get to the measure with the tie say “ Ta-a- ee-ti ti-ti” – it will take practice to say and clap this.
  2. Sing just the bass staff notes – then the treble staff notes
  3. Sing the entire son with numbers (and letters) and saying right or left.
  4. Find where the first eleven notes are repeated
  5. Find the hidden triads
  6. Find the spot where five notes are played in order

Ear Training

  1. Play the song, increasing or decreasing the tempo as you go.  Have the children say whether the beat is getting faster or slower.
  2. Use the staff board and place notes from treble D down to bass G in order (switching from red to yellow dots).  Have the children sing the notes. Take away the C and have them sing again.      
  3. Take away the A and have them sing it again.  Sing the arpeggio a few times.  Then replace the missing notes one by one, singing the line each time.
  4. Play different combinations of the notes C-D-E and have the children sing back (with numbers or letters) what you played.


Activities at the Piano

  1. Exercise: (rhythm 2 eighths-quarter) 1-1-1, 2-2-2, 3-3-3, 4-4-4, 5-5-5-4-4-4-3-3-3-2-2-2-1-1-1
  2. Play each hand alone
  3. Hands together work on one line at a time
  4. The last line is the most difficult and should be worked on first/more
  5. Assign one line each to each of three groups and perform the entire piece
  6. Play the song all the way through – SLOWLY.


Extensions/Creativity/Exploration

  1. Listen to the recording.  It is long and you need to prepare them to listen. (Saying that something very exciting happens in the music if you listen VERY carefully and quietly.)  Give them space to jump up, get excited and move around when this theme arrives.
  2. Make time for the children to talk about and describe the music and how it felt to them.
  3. Let the class make up a story to go with the music.
  4. Make up words to go with the music.
  5. Draw while listening to the CD.


Questions

  1. What other song have you played that had one note repeated MANY times?
  2. How many bass staff G’s are in this piece?
  3. How many and which rhythmic patterns repeat?
  4. Who knows this tune?
  5. Which finger plays the most notes in a row?
  6. Which hand plays the last line?
  7. Both hands are used on each line except which one?

 

More Activities

  1. Play recording and discuss what they hear.  Do they recognize it from the Lone Ranger?
  2. Look for repetition of phrasing and rhythmic motives.
  3. Pretend to ride on a horse when listening to recording.
  4. Do lap clapping that sounds like galloping.
  5. Tell the story of William Tell.
  6. Discuss Rossini and his life: where is he from? What did he write a lot of?  What is an opera and what is an overture?
  7. Review upbeat and/or anacrusis, and ties.


Observations and Suggestions

  1. Kids were confused a bit by singing “2-2” in the second line when one 2 is for the right hand and the second 2 is for the left hand.
  2. Kids LOVED repeating the left hand G/4 and played many more than written.
  3. Children get excited by doing or watching their teachers an imitation of riding the imaginary horse.
  4. While listening to the recording have the children “play” the instruments that they hear (or conducting).
  5. One child made a profound connection between this song and Old MacDonald. (That the teacher and several visitors missed entirely.) The opening rhythm here and the “here a moo, there a moo” rhythm in Old MacDonald.  Instead of showing the students, put the posters of both songs in front of them and ask if they can find the similarity.
  6. Rather than telling the children who William Tell was, make it a project to go home and find out.