8. Hummingbirds and parrots
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Hummingbirds that shimmer
Daylight growing dimmer Pandemonium of parrots taking flight Shimmer of tiny hummingbirds Were not the only ones who heard A pandemonium of parrots taking flight |
Fascinations
Birds seem to attract attractive collective nouns - what a choice set for hummingbirds: bouquet, charm, hover, glittering, shimmer and tune. The word pandemonium, often preceded by ‘complete’, is a noisy disorder or confusion and the opposite of a shimmer of hummingbirds. Notice that pandemonium uses all 5 vowels: a-e-o-i-u, (although when we sing there are more than 5 vowel sounds because the 5 combine with each other and also other letters!). Can you name the only musical instrument that contains all five vowels? Answer: Tambourine.
Birds seem to attract attractive collective nouns - what a choice set for hummingbirds: bouquet, charm, hover, glittering, shimmer and tune. The word pandemonium, often preceded by ‘complete’, is a noisy disorder or confusion and the opposite of a shimmer of hummingbirds. Notice that pandemonium uses all 5 vowels: a-e-o-i-u, (although when we sing there are more than 5 vowel sounds because the 5 combine with each other and also other letters!). Can you name the only musical instrument that contains all five vowels? Answer: Tambourine.
Musicking
It is important to communicate the calm of hummingbirds followed by the confusion of parrots - best learned and rehearsed as separate sections before stitching them together. Begin by humming the first eight bars as two gently moving phrases in sequence. Stand and sway in rhythm imagining the hummingbird moving from flower to flower to drink nectar. If you have ever seen the flight of hundreds of noisy parrots then the word pandemonium is made to describe it. Learn the five note phrase in bar 9 and listen out for the effect created as the ‘pandemonium’ is first overlapped in bars 10-14 and then layered in the coda. You are making ‘polyphonic’ music which involves many sounds or voices and let your lips buzz for the final ‘ummmmm’.
It is important to communicate the calm of hummingbirds followed by the confusion of parrots - best learned and rehearsed as separate sections before stitching them together. Begin by humming the first eight bars as two gently moving phrases in sequence. Stand and sway in rhythm imagining the hummingbird moving from flower to flower to drink nectar. If you have ever seen the flight of hundreds of noisy parrots then the word pandemonium is made to describe it. Learn the five note phrase in bar 9 and listen out for the effect created as the ‘pandemonium’ is first overlapped in bars 10-14 and then layered in the coda. You are making ‘polyphonic’ music which involves many sounds or voices and let your lips buzz for the final ‘ummmmm’.
Learning moves
The learning moves for this piece stem from Dalcroze eurhythmics which teaches concepts of rhythm, structure, and musical expression using movement. Here, a gentle swaying movement to the waltz-like melody teaches an awareness of the pulse and develops an understanding of phrasing. The regular movement is followed by the ordered chaos of the pandemonium bars in which the gentle swaying movements become a phrase of 3+2 beats. The effect of the Lydian mode creates a shimmering effect, especially when played on the piano with the sustaining pedal depressed.
The learning moves for this piece stem from Dalcroze eurhythmics which teaches concepts of rhythm, structure, and musical expression using movement. Here, a gentle swaying movement to the waltz-like melody teaches an awareness of the pulse and develops an understanding of phrasing. The regular movement is followed by the ordered chaos of the pandemonium bars in which the gentle swaying movements become a phrase of 3+2 beats. The effect of the Lydian mode creates a shimmering effect, especially when played on the piano with the sustaining pedal depressed.