Winter Reading

 

Baroque

 We were on a four lesson, completely free, journey with Busy Moms Do Piano at: 

https://blog.busymomsdopiano.com/the-baroque-period-lesson-1/

https://blog.busymomsdopiano.com/the-baroque-period-lesson-2/

https://blog.busymomsdopiano.com/the-baroque-period-lesson-3/

https://blog.busymomsdopiano.com/the-baroque-period-lesson-4/

Lesson 1: We learnt about what was happening during the Baroque period such as the 30 year war, Colonization, and Patronage. We also learnt about the Trevi Fountain in Rome which shows Baroque architecture. We listened to an article about Rambrandt, a famous Dutch painter during the Baroque period and his youthful accomplishments. As Carly says, "the Baroque period was all about fancy, decorative and lavish things!"

Barron designed a Baroque inspired costume.

Powdered wigs were all the rage of the Baroque period so we made:

Lesson 2:

this lesson we’ll learn how that style influenced the way instruments were used and music sounded during the Baroque years.

https://blog.busymomsdopiano.com/the-baroque-period-lesson-4/

Lesson 1: We learnt about what was happening during the Baroque period such as the 30 year war, Colonization, and Patronage. We also learnt about the Trevi Fountain in Rome which shows Baroque architecture. We listened to an article about Rambrandt, a famous Dutch painter during the Baroque period and his youthful accomplishments. As Carly says, "the Baroque period was all about fancy, decorative and lavish things!"

Barron designed a Baroque inspired costume.

Powdered wigs were all the rage of the Baroque period so we made:

Lesson 2:

this lesson we’ll learn how that style influenced the way instruments were used and music sounded during the Baroque years.

Let’s look at and listen to some of the instruments and musical forms of Baroque times.

Guided Listening.

Below is a Baroque Opera written by Handel (who we’ll learn more about in our next lesson!). Don’t worry – you don’t need to watch the entire thing! But do take in a few minutes to jump around in the video and watch a few excerpts. Then answer the questions below.

How would you describe the costumes of the vocalists (singers)?

Can you find the harpsichord in the orchestra pit?

What things do you HEAR and SEE in this opera that tell you it is Baroque music?

Vivaldi (again, we’ll learn more about him in the next lesson!) wrote many famous concertos. His most famous was a series called “Four Seasons”.

Download this coloring sheet and then listen to this piece from the series, called “Spring”. As you listen, color a picture of spring inspired by the music.

Lesson 3: the last lesson, we learned about how Baroque style influenced the way instruments were used and music sounded during the Baroque years.

In this lesson, we’ll take a look at 3 of the most famous Baroque composers. We’ll learn about who their patrons were, what kind of music they wrote, and even some fun or quirky things you may not have known about them.

Watch the Video. Did you know one of the most famous Baroque composers spent time in jail? Learn who in our lesson video.

Lesson 3: the last lesson, we learned about how Baroque style influenced the way instruments were used and music sounded during the Baroque years.

In this lesson, we’ll take a look at 3 of the most famous Baroque composers. We’ll learn about who their patrons were, what kind of music they wrote, and even some fun or quirky things you may not have known about them.

Watch the Video. Did you know one of the most famous Baroque composers spent time in jail? Learn who in our lesson video.

Color. The King of England asked Handel to write music that would be played at his big fireworks display in London.

Handel composed “Music for the Royal Fireworks: La Rejouissance” for the occasion.

Print this coloring sheet and color the fireworks with colored pencils or gel pens as you listen to Handel’s majestic piece here.

3. Guided Listening. 

In our video, we learned that J.S. Bach wrote and played many songs for the organ One of his most famous is the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, below.

Watch the video and answer the questions as you listen.

What clues are there in this piece that it is Baroque music?

What are some words you would use to describe this music?

How does the music make you feel when you listen to it?

Making Connections.

Many Baroque tunes have been used for scenes in movies. For example, the Toccata and Fugue you listened to by Bach in the video above was used in the opening credits for an old science fiction-horror film called Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Bach’s Cello Suite Prelude in G is another tune often used in movies and commercials. Listen to the tune here. Do you recognize it? What type of movie scene would you put it in if you were making the decision?

Lesson Five: 

The creation of Baroque music was driven by the patron — the church and the wealthy.

Music was a display of wealth, talent and all things fancy. New musical forms rose in popularity, and composers of the time produced hundreds of compositions for their patrons.

Let’s review what we learned about the Baroque era of music and composers!

1. Review.

Use these review cards to review everything we’ve learned in this unit.

(Parent Note: if you plan to use the quiz in this lesson for a grade, these cards a wonderful study tool to prepare!)

2. Quiz. 

Answer these unit review questions to show how much you’ve learned about the Baroque Period. Use complete sentences as much as possible!

3. End of Unit Project.

The 3 composers we studied in this unit were all male (Bach, Handel and Vivaldi). But the Baroque era also had many talented female composers and musicians.

One of these composers was Barbara Strozzi, who worked in Rome and published many works of music for female singers.

Listen to some of her music here as you complete this Baroque word search.

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed this series on the Baroque Period of music history. For more free music history resources, check out my Busy Kids Love Music podcast!

 

Earth Day

Today is Earth Day. We took out the garbage for dad, coloured a creative earth day sheet from https://www.etsy.com/dk-en/listing/1447185372/protect-our-planet-colouring-page-earth

We appreciated Carly's podcast Episode 148: Music For Our Planet (enjoyed at https://busykidsdopiano.com/podcast/148/) where we were "Celebrating our beautiful planet the best way we know how—through music! For centuries, composers have found inspiration in nature, and in this episode, we’re exploring three stunning pieces that bring the sounds of the Earth to life.

Beethoven’s “Pastoral Symphony” – A joyful musical journey through the countryside, filled with singing birds, flowing streams, and even a thunderstorm!

Smetana’s “The Moldau” – A breathtaking piece that follows the journey of a mighty river as it winds through forests, villages, and castles.

John Luther Adams’ “Become Ocean” – A modern, atmospheric work that captures the vastness and movement of the deep blue sea.

Your Turn! After listening, step outside and create your own “Earth Symphony” using the sounds of nature around you. Can you hum like the wind, tap like raindrops, or play an instrument to mimic the outdoors?’Let's celebrate Earth Day by listening, creating, and caring for our planet! " Carly Seifert, the creator of Busy Kids Do Piano. 

Episode 147 April Showers intridgued us. You can enjoy it at: https://busykidsdopiano.com/podcast/147/

“April showers bring May flowers!” This common saying reminds us that rainy days lead to beautiful spring blooms. In this episode of Busy Kids Love Music, we’re exploring three classical pieces that capture the sound and feeling of rain. From gentle drizzles to powerful storms, these composers found incredible ways to bring rain to life through music.

“Raindrop” Prelude – Frédéric Chopin

Listen for the repeating note that sounds like steady raindrops. Did you know Chopin may have been inspired by a real rainstorm while staying at an old monastery?

“Gardens in the Rain” – Claude Debussy

A fast, playful piece that feels like a sudden spring rainstorm. Debussy even weaves in snippets of old French nursery rhymes—can you hear them?

“Cloudburst” – Eric Whitacre

A musical journey through a thunderstorm, featuring voices whispering, fingers snapping, and hands clapping to create the sound of rain! " Carly Seifert, the creator of Busy Kids Do Piano. 

Happy Easter

 

Semana Santa

Semana Santa, or Holy Week, is one of the most important religious holidays in Latin America, celebrated by millions of Catholics across the region. If you are in a Latin American country to study Spanish, you can watch a range of traditional events, including processions, parades, church services, and local food fairs. Each country has its unique way of celebrating, incorporating their own customs and traditions. So let’s go Exploring Semana Santa: Celebrating Holy Week across Latin America.

Semana Santa is celebrated in most countries of Latin America, including Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, and Colombia. Let’s take a closer look at the various traditions, events, and food associated with this important religious holiday, providing insight into the rich cultural heritage of the region. A great opportunity to immerse in the amazing Latin American culture for Spanish students.

https://www.studyspanishlatinamerica.com/blog/exploring-semana-santa-celebrating-holy-week-across-latin-america/

Happy Easter

Easter will arrive soon. We have been doing some activities to prepare for the celebration. We received our golden Lindt bunnies. We placed an egg in vinegar and watched the outer shell disappear over a few days.  We did some egg decorating in Pysanky style, which is a Ukranian folk art. I purchased for 32 cents an adorable Easter activity set from: https://www.etsy.com/dk-en/listing/789789789/pdf-with-10-printable-easter-activities