BIOGRAPHIES

ACTIVITIES
LISTENING

COMPOSERS
FOR

KIDS

CARLY SEIFERT

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 contents
03
B A R O Q U E

12
C L A S S I C A L

18
R O M A N T I C

24
C O N T E M P O R A R Y

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 BAROQUE PERIOD
1600 - 1750

FANCY ART
The word "Baroque" actually means
"grotesque"! It refers to art and architecture
that was very decorative and elaborate.

FANCY CLOTHES
During the baroque period, the men wore
wigs. The clothes were ruffled and lacey,
shoes were extravagant and made with
velvet, ribbons and gems.

FANCY MUSIC
Baroque music largely came from
dances that follow a pattern. The
music had lots of ornamentation,
such as trills grace notes and
mordents.

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 FANCY INSTRUMENTS
The piano wasn ' t invented until the early 1700s , so
much of Baroque music was written for the
harpsichord , clavichord and organ .

The harpsichord has a plucking sound and a smaller

range of notes ( usually 4 to 6 octaves ) than a piano .
There was no pedal and it was difficult to distinguish
between forte ( loud ) and piano ( soft ) when playing .

THE GOOD TABLE | 123

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC
 J.S. BACH
1685-1750

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 Johann Sebastian Bach was born in
Germany. His father was his first music
teacher, and taught him to play the violin
and harpsichord.

Although he wasn't recognized for his gifts

as a composer while he was alive, he was a
highly respected and skilled organist. He
wrote hundreds of highly technical and
beautiful compositions for church,
orchestra and chamber settings.

Bach had twenty children, but only 7

survived until adulthood. Two of them were
famous composers, just like their father!

SUGGESTED LISTENING:

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

Toccata and Fugue in D minor
32
© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC
 G.F. HANDEL
1685-1759

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 Like Bach, George Frideric Handel was also
born in Germany. His father wanted him to
become a lawyer, but while in law school,
he took a job as an organist for Halle
Cathedral. He became recognized as a
musical genius and began traveling all over
Europe to share his talents!

Handel was a highly esteemed composer

who wrote many pieces for royalty and also
composed over forty operas!

Towards the end of his life, Handel lost his

vision, but he continued to play the organ
and compose music by dictating it to a
friend who would write it down for him. He
died a wealthy and famous man.

SUGGESTED LISTENING:

Water Music
Messiah 32
© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC
 BAROQUE VOCAB
CHAMBER MUSIC
Music written for a small group of
instrumentalists, performed in intimate
settings such as a palace chamber.

ORCHESTRA
A large group of instruments from four
instrument families: strings, brass, woodwind
and percussion..

OPERA
A type of dramatic work that
combines text with music. Opera
singers are usually accompanied by
an orchestra when they perform.

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 LISTENING GUIDE
"SPRING":
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=E3NSVIIBNFO

Antonio Vivaldi was a Baroque composer who wrote a famous set

of violin concertos called The Four Seasons.

Listen to the concerto for "Spring".

Can you hear the beautiful stringed instruments?

Do you think Vivaldi is joyful or saddened by spring?

Is the tempo (speed) of the piece fast, slow or in the middle?

What springtime pictures do you see in your mind when you listen
to this piece?

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 Matching

Handel Had 20 children.

Germany Lost his vision.

Opera Country where Bach

& Handel were born.

Water Music Text plus music.

Baroque Famous piece by Handel.

Bach Grotesque

Harpsichord An instrument with

a plucking sound.

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 CLASSICAL PERIOD
1750 - 1830

REVOLUTION!
The classical period includes the time of the
French and American Revolutions. George
Washington, Thomas Jefferson and
Napoleon are famous people from this time
in history.

SIMPLE MUSIC
Classical music was elegant, and made up of
beautiful melodies. Instead of fancy,
decorative music (like the Baroque period),
Classical Music was simple, balanced and
orderly.

PIANOFORTE
An early version of the piano
invented by Barolomeo Cristofori,
this instrument allowed the
performer to play the keys with a
loud (forte) or soft (piano) touch.

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
1770-1827
Another German composer , Beethoven grew up in an
unhappy home . His father was violent and would say
mean things to him when he practiced piano , forcing
him to practice for hours and hours .

Beethoven had a reputation for being grumpy and on

the scruffy side . Much of his music is expressive and
intense .

Around the age of 30 , Beethoven began to lose his

hearing , but he continued to compose music .

Beethoven composed symphonies , an opera , chamber

and choral music , string quartets and piano music .

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 SUGGESTED LISTENING FOR
BEETHOVEN:

FUR ELISE
THIS BEAUTIFUL PIANO PIECE IS ONE OF BEETHOVEN ' S
MOST WELL - KNOWN . NO ONE IS QUITE SURE WHO
" ELISE " IS , THOUGH THERE IS SPECULATION SHE IS
SOMEONE WHO BEETHOVEN WAS IN LOVE WITH WHEN
HE WROTE THE MUSIC .

MOONLIGHT SONATA
THIS IS ONE OF BEETHOVEN ' S MOST BELOVED PIECES ,
AND WAS DEDICATED TO HIS STUDENT , COUNTESSA
GIULIETTA GUICCIARDI . THE PIECE WAS GIVEN ITS
" MOONLIGHT " NAME AFTER BEETHOVEN DIED , WHEN A
POET SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE MOONLIGHT SHINING
UPON A LAKE .

NINTH SYMPHONY
BEETHOVEN ' S FINAL COMPLETE SYMPHONY IS
CONSIDERED BY SOME CRITICS TO BE THE GREATEST
PIECE OF MUSIC EVER WRITTEN . THE FAMOUS FINAL
MOVEMENT (" ODE TO JOY ") HAS WORDS FROM A POEM
SUNG BY FOUR SOLOISTS AND A CHOIR .

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 OTHER CLASSICAL
COMPOSERS
WOLFGANG AMADEUS
MOZART 1756-1791
Mozart was a child star, and wrote his first
symphony when he was only 8 years old!
His father, Leopold, was also a famous
composer and Mozart's first piano teacher.
He composed over 600 works of music &
died at the young age of 35.

FRANZ JOSEF HAYDN

1732-1809
This Austrian composer was a friend of
Mozart's and a teacher of Beethoven! He
started out as a singer in the choir before
becoming a musician and composer. His
music often reflects his sense of humor.

ANTON DIABELLI
1781-1858
Another Austrian composer, Diabelli
was a friend of Beethoven's. He sang in
the boys' choir at the Salzburg
Cathedral and was composing music by
the age of 19. He taught piano and
guitar lessons.

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 listening guide
Surprise Symphony
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=tF5kr251BRs

Remember - Haydn had a sense of humor.

Do you hear the "surprise"?

Do you hear the beautiful, balanced

melody in this piece (a mark of the
Classical period)?

Do you think the melody sounds playful or

serious?

What colors are in your mind when you

hear this music?

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 Fill in the Blank
Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart or Diabelli?

________________ composed a symphony as a

child.

_________________ was deaf as an adult.

_____________________ wrote "Surprise Symphony.

__________________________ taught piano and guitar

lessons.

________________________ had a mean father.

_____________________________ had a sense of humor

that came through in his compositions.

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 ROMANTIC PERIOD
1830 - 1910

INDUSTRY & WAR

New forms of transportation were invented,
the Civil War was happening in the United
States and the pianoforte (now known as
the piano) became larger and more
powerful with the use of steel and brass
materials.

BEETHOVEN PART 2
Beethoven is considered the last great
composer from the Classical period and the
first great composer of the Romantic Period.
His music's evolving style is what ushered in
the Romantic Period..

EMOTIONS
Romantic period music was
expressive. Pieces often had a
theme or told a story. The
composers were very free in
expressing their own style and
emotions in their music.

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 CLARA SCHUMANN (1819-1896)
Known during her time as an exceptional pianist, Clara married another
famous composer, Robert Schumann, against her father's wishes. She
was one of the first pianists to play music from memory. She wrote over
60 pieces of music.

JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833-1897)

A German composer, Brahms loved composing so much he sometimes
neglected his appearance, even forgetting to attach suspenders to his
pants from time to time, which meant he had to hold his pants up when
conducting! He was a lifelong friend of Clara Schumann's and sought
her musical advice often.

SUGGESTED LISTENING
Lullaby/Cradle Song (Brahms)
Hungarian Dance No. 5 (Brahms)
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 7 (C. Schumann)
Trio in G Minor, Op. 17 (C. Schumann)

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
1840-1893
A Russian composer, Tchaikovsky began piano lessons
at the age of 5. The death of his mother caused him
emotional trauma, but inspired him to write his first
piece of music - a waltz in her memory.

His family wished him to pursue a career as a lawyer,

but in 1861 he began studying at the Russian Musical
Society.

Tchaikovsky was inspired by Shakespeare and wrote

many pieces for his works as well as music for some of
the most famous ballets!

SUGGESTED LISTENING:
Swan Lake Theme Waltz of the Flowers

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 DANCE OF THE SUGAR PLUM FAIRY
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?
V=X0JEQEIDTPW

Do you hear the violins plucking gently at the

beginning of the piece ?

Do you hear the fairy - like sound of the celeste ?

Does the music sound heavy or light ?

Do you hear the contrast between the high notes of

the celeste and the low notes of the bass clarinet ?

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 ROMANTIC
VOCAB
ballet
T E C H N I C A L F O R M O F
D A N C E W I T H
M U S I C A L
A C C O M P A N I M E N T

waltz
A D A N C E W I T H 3
B E A T S P E R M E A S U R E

celeste
A P E R C U S S I O N
I N S T R U M E N T T H A T L O O K S
L I K E A S M A L L , U P R I G H T
P I A N O . T H E K E Y S
C O N N E C T T O H A M M E R S
T H A T S T R I K E M E T A L
P L A T E S .

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 Who said It?
Which Romantic Period composer might
have said the following statements
(Brahms, Schumann or Tchaikovsky)?
"But I don't WANT to go to law school!"
- __________________

"Almost finished memorizing this piece for my next

concert!"
-___________________

"It's been too long since I've read Romeo and Juliet!"
-____________________

"I think this piece needs a woman's touch..."

-_______________________

"Robert! Can you watch the kids while I practice piano?"

-_____________________

"Goodness! I've forgotten my suspenders again!"

-______________________

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 CONTEMPORARY
1900 - present

ACCOMPLISHMENT
So many things have been developed during
the contemporary period, including the
automobile, airplane, space shuttle and
computer. We even sent a man to the
moon!

ANYTHING GOES
Music is all over the place during this current
period! Rhythms have become more
complex, harmonies more dissonant (they
might sound a little "wrong" or unresolved),
and there is a wide range of dynamics..

OPPORTUNITY
While male European composers
dominated the scene in earlier
periods, the 20th century saw
many female and American
composers rise to stardom.

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 JOHN WILLIAMS
1932-
An American composer, John Williams was born in 1932
in Long Island, New York. He studied composition at
UCLA, served in the air force and then studied piano at
the Juilliard School of Music.

If you like movies, chances are that you have heard some
of John Williams' compositions! He has written some of
the most famous movie themes, including film scores for
Harry Potter, Jaws, ET, Jurassic Park, the Star Wars
Trilogy and Indiana Jones along with theme songs for
some of the Olympic games and the NBC News.

Williams directed the Boston Pops Orchestra from

1980-1993. He has received 5 Academy Awards and 50
Academy Award Nominations, making him the second
most nominated individual after Walt Disney.

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 MANY STYLES OF
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
(HERE ARE A FEW)
JAZZ
The birth place of Jazz is New Orleans in
Louisiana. It has strong but flexible rhythms
and instrumentalists often solo with
improvisation (making up a tune on the
spot!). Famous jazz musicians include Louis
Armstrong and Duke Ellington.

RAGTIME
Ragtime was a popular style of music during
the early 1900s. The rhythm is syncopated or
"ragged", and began as dance music in
American cities such as St. Louis and New
Orleans..

BLUES
Blues has its roots in African
American folk music, but found
winder audiences as blacks
migrated to the cities in the 1940s.
It often includes a "call and
response" form.

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 SCOTT JOPLIN
1867-1917

Scott Joplin is an American composer . While his

mother would clean houses , Joplin was allowed to
play piano in one of the homes she cleaned , which is
how he taught himself to play the piano !

As a teenager , Joplin began to play piano in saloons

and later played cornet in a band for the World ' s Fair .
Eventually he moved to St . Louis , where ragtime
music was popular . He continued to play and
compose there , and also taught piano lessons . In 1907
he moved to New York City and wrote an opera ,
Treemonisha .

Scott Joplin was best - known for his famous piano

rags , and dubbed the " King of Ragtime " .

SUGGESTED LISTENING :

Maple Leaf Rag

The Entertainer

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 BILLY THE KID:GUN BATTLE
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM
/WATCH?V=MB4ZDDCCSAK
Aaron Copland was an American composer who wrote
music for the ballet , Billy the Kid .

Do you hear the drum sounds , played by the kettle

drums ?

Do you think this music is exciting or peaceful ?

Does the music get louder ( crescendo ) or softer

( diminuendo ) at the end ?

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 MY REPORT ON THE
CONTEMPORARY PERIOD OF
MUSIC
The contemporary period of music was from _____________ to
____________. Many things have been invented and the music
reflects the advancements of society. Rhythms have become
more __________.

Jazz, _________ and blues are all types of music from the
contemporary period. __________ ___________ is a famous composer
who is considered the King of Ragtime. He wrote ______________ and
______________.

_____________ ____________ is known for his film scores, and has

written music for films such as ________________ and ____________.

_____________ ____________ is an American Composer who wrote Billy

the Kid. The ______________ make a sound like gunfire in the song
"Gun Battle".

There are many accomplished composers in the Contemporary

Period with unique styles. Maybe I will be the next great
composer of the Contemporary Period of music!

© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC

 VISIT
WWW.BUSYKIDSDOPIANO.COM
FOR MORE RESOURCES
© 2020 Busy Moms Do Piano LLC