Ben Cossitor Music 445W December 12, 2011 Unit Plan Assignment In this unit plan portfolio, the reader will find an invaluable resource for the preparation and performance of James Curnow s Rejouissance. As I prepare to graduate from Penn State with a music education degree, this unit plan will be used both practically in a classroom and as an example of the quality instruction I can perform. Rejouissance is a wonderful example of the fantasia form along with its numerous examples of variations on a theme (Ein feste burg). This piece will provide an instructor with myriad musical concepts to present to students such as form, shifting meter, hemiola, etc. After completing this unit, students will hopefully take away an understanding of how a theme is presented and varied in a fantasia. They will also be able to identify similarities in other fantasias, and be able to recognize the form. Lastly, and most obviously, they will be able to perform Rejouissance accurately and expressively for a valuable performance.
Conductor s Score Study Information Instrument Ranges: Flute- Db4 to Bb6 Oboe- D4 to C6 Bassoon- Bb1 to Eb4 Eb Clarinet- F4 to F6 Bb Clarinet- D3 to D6 Alto Saxophone- Eb3 to G5 Tenor Saxophone- A2 to C5 Baritone Saxophone- C2 to Eb4 Trumpet- G3 to Bb5 Horn- Bb2 to Bb4 Trombone- Eb2 to G4 Baritone- Fb2 to Ab4 Tuba- Eb1 to Ab3 Double Bass- F1 to F3 Percussion: Triangles, Suspended Cymbal, Bells, Vibraphone, Xylophone, Crash Cymbal, Chimes, Timpani, Tambourine, Mark Tree (or Bell Tree) Number of Players Required: 6 Unusual/Critical Instrumentation: Oboe and English Horn featured frequently in piece; English Horn solos are cued in the Alto Sax parts; Oboe solos are frequently cued in the Bb Clarinet parts Difficult Passages: 90-97 includes hemiola and a thick accompaniment Suggested Listening: Black Dyke Mills Band playing Variations for Brass Band by Vaughan Williams North Texas Wind Symphony playing Southern Harmony by Grantham U.S. Air Force Reserve Band playing On a hymnsong of Philip Bliss by Holsinger London Philharmonic Orchestra playing Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis by Vaughan Williams Other Resources: SATB Chorale arrangement of Ein Feste Burg from the Lutheran Hymnal
Smith Treasury of Scales- to work on the various keys in Rejouissance (Eb, Db, Bb) Lake Sixteen Chorales by J. S. Bach- to warm up and develop listening
About the Music As defined by the composer on the cover of the piece, Rejouissance refers to type of piece from the 17 th to 18 th century that was happy and short with a playful nature. The motives from this piece are based on the Lutheran hymn, Ein Feste Burg (a.k.a. A Mighty Fortress is Our God ) by Martin Luther. These free motives and the shifting meter and key of this piece make it a fantasia. The composer defines a fantasia as a free flight of fancy. The Oxford Dictionary of Music defines the fantasia as a piece where form is secondary in importance, sections of the piece are contrapuntal, and a common theme exists. Thus, the fantasia is an early form of variations. An unusual aspect to this piece is the fact that the theme (Ein Feste Burg) is not heard in its entirety until close to the end of the piece. Several other motives are heard first that are mutations of this theme. Furthermore, the instrumentation of this piece causes an overall bright, sparkling texture to this piece. The percussion section does not really act as a rhythmic element in this piece as much as a way to add color with bright triangle rolls and sustained mallet instruments. Trilling, high, woodwinds also add to this texture, while the brass sections provide the melody. In addition, solos are passed between the instruments of the band throughout the piece, giving almost every section a feature.
About the Composer James Curnow is composer-in-residence on the faculty of Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky. According to the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band, Vol. 7, (TMTPIB) Curnow is composer, president, and educational consultant for Curnow Music Press, Inc. He was educated at Wayne State University and Michigan State University. Curnow has been a teacher at all educational levels, in both public schools and universities. He has been the recipient of several awards including the National Band Association s Citation of Excellence, Composer of the Year (1997) by the Nation Music Teachers Association, along with several ASCAP standard awards. As TMTPIB states, Curnow has been commissioned to write over 200 works for concert band, brass band, orchestra, choir, and various vocal and instrumental ensembles. He has now written well over 400 works for such prestigious groups as the U.S. Army Band, the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (1996), and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra.
Works Cited Davis, P. G. (2009). Teacher Resource Guide: Rejouissance. In R. Miles (Ed.), Teaching Music Through Performance in Band (Vol. 7, pp. 572-581). Chicago: GIA Publications, Inc. Oxford University Press. (2011). Fantasia. Retrieved November 28, 2011, from Oxford Music Online: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/subscriber/article/opr/t237/ e3598?q=fantasia&search=quick&pos=3&_start=1#firsthit
Learning Goals By the end of the instructional period for this unit, the student will be able to: 1. Play his/her part to Rejouissance with technical accuracy and appropriate expressiveness- PAS 9.1; NS 2, 5 2. Demonstrate his/her knowledge of variations on a theme by creating his/her own variation on Ein Feste Burg- PAS 9.1; NS 2, 3, 5 3. Describe the characteristics of a fantasia and demonstrate this in a comparison/contrast essay on Rejouissance and another comparable fantasia - PAS 9.3, 9.4; NS 6 4. Express the original hymntune (Ein Feste Burg) on which Rejouissance is based and play it on his/her instrument- PAS 9.1, 9.2; NS 2, 5, 9 5. Identify each new recurring motive in Rejouissance that is based on Ein Feste Burg- PAS 9.3, 9.4; NS 5, 6 Student-Centered Materials 1. Create your own variation worksheet- See attached 2. SATB arrangement of Ein Feste Burg transposed for all instruments- See attached 3. Rhythm worksheet- See attached
Assessment/Evaluative Procedures and Tools 1. Performance-based Assessment- Each student will have to perform the variation they wrote for the Create your own variation worksheet. At the start of class on the day the worksheet is due, each student will have to play his/her variation on his/her instrument for the rest of the ensemble. Because of time constraints, only part of the band may perform on the first day, with the rest of the band performing in the next class. Rubric: Grade (out of 5 pts.) Description 5 Student follows all instructions on worksheet and performs variation with no errors within a given meter and tempo 4 Student follows all instructions on worksheet and performs variation with minimal (2 or 3) errors within a given meter and tempo 3 Student follows all instructions on worksheet and performs variation with multiple errors 2 Student completes the worksheet, but fails to follow instructions and then performs the variation. 1 Student turns in an incomplete worksheet or refuses to perform the variation 0 Student fails to complete/turn in the assignment 2. Students will listen to Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis by Vaughan Williams after being introduced to the idea of a fantasia. They will have some background knowledge from the teacher about variations and the free form of the fantasia from practicing Rejouissance. The students will then be asked to write a comparison/contrast of the two pieces. They will be specifically asked to recall what they know about variations on a theme and the fantasia, and they will be asked to explain their answers with examples (see the attached worksheet).
Possible answers the students might use: Comparison Both are fantasias- free form Both have a theme and variations Both have key changes Both have defined sections with tempo/instrumentation changes Contrast V.W is orchestral, Curnow is for band V.W. is much slower V.W. goes into triple meter at one point; Curnow stays duple Theme is presented towards end of piece in Curnow Rubric: Points (out of 5) Description 5 Completes assignment with valid points supported with examples 4 Completes assignment with valid points, but in need of more explanation or examples 3 Completes assignment with some valid points, but includes some unsupported, incorrect points 2 Completes assignment with some valid points, but fails to mention any examples 1 Turns in an incomplete paper or lacks any valid points 0 Fails to turn in assignment
Comparison/Contrast of Two Fantasias Now that you ve practiced Rejouissance for a while and you have learned about the form of the fantasia, you are going to listen to another fantasia by the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. This piece, Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, is a standard famous work for today s orchestras. After listening to this piece, you re assignment will be to write a 1-2 page, typed, comparison/contrast essay of Rejouissance and Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. What did you notice was similar between the two pieces and what sounded different? You might want to pay special attention to the themes and motives in the two pieces, and how they are varied. Other things you could write about is instrumentation, modality (is it in major/minor?), form, tempi, where the theme is presented, etc. Don t forget to use examples from both pieces to support your statements.
Ein Feste Burg Variation Assignment Now that you have learned a little about a theme and variations, it s time for you to create your own. Below you will see the melody of Ein Feste Burg. Your assignment is to create your own four measure variation based on this theme (just like Curnow did in Rejouissance). Feel free to be as creative as you would like, but you cannot just copy down the same melody or use one of Curnow s variations. You must vary both the notes and the rhythms of the theme for each note. Below you will see two options, one starting with the notes of the theme s beginning, and one ending with the theme s ending. You only need to pick one (and write in only one octave). After you are done composing, practice your variation and be prepared to play it on your instrument for the class!