Overture from the Nutcracker Ballet

Define overture to your students. An overture is an opening or beginning piece of music which starts out an opera, musical, or ballet. It sets the tone for the story which will follow. Students may write the definition on their vocabulary cards if you desire. Tell students they will be listening to the overture of the great ballet, The Nutcracker by Peter Tchaikovsky. I like to have younger children color pictures while they are listening to help them sit still and keep their hands busy!

**1 Vocabulary

overture ~ noun
1. an introductory proposal or offer; indication of willingness to negotiate
2. a musical introduction to an opera or other large musical work
3. an independent orchestral composition of varying form
4. any introductory section

Definitions from YourDictionary.com

Define and discuss ballet. What do the dancers do? How do they tell the story? Do they speak or sing? What do they wear? Begin a more thorough study of ballet if you wish. Resources, notebook pages, lapbook minis, and links to ballet units are listed at the main Nutcracker page.

What does the orchestra do? How do they help tell the story? What types of instruments make up the orchestra? What are the families of instruments in an orchestra? This Orchestra Lapbook Unit has a wide variety of resources for children to learn about the orchestra.

Who leads the orchestra? The Conductor
Read the article at Conductor 101 to learn about conducting patterns. Try your hand (or actually, arm) at conducting a two-beat beat pattern. The overture uses what musicians call 4/4 time signature. (We'll talk more about this later.) The time signature simply tells the musicians to count to four repeatedly in order to play the correct rhythms and to be able to play together at the same time. The conductor helps the group stay together by silently counting with the conducting patterns. A strong down on beat one always lets the players know when a new measure has started. If they get lost for a second, all they have to do is look at the conductor to know where they are.

**1 - 4 Vocabulary, Conductor, Patterns ~ Definitions may be written on the vocabulary cards or a notebook page. Use the conductor and conducting patterns mini books to notate and draw this information.

Definitions from YourDictionary.com

ballet ~ noun
1. an artistic dance form based on an elaborate formal technique, characterized by gestures and movements of grace, precision, and fluidity
2. a theatrical presentation of ballet dancing performed to music and presenting a story, idea, or mood, usually with costumes and scenery ~ the music for such a presentation
3. a company of dancers of ballet

conductor ~ noun
1. a person who conducts; leader; guide; manager
2. the director of an orchestra, choir, etc.

dance ~ verb or noun
1. to move the body and feet in rhythm, ordinarily to music
2. to take part in or perform (a dance)
3. to cause to move lightly, bob up and down, etc.
4. rhythmic movement of the body and feet, ordinarily to music
5. a particular kind of dance, as the waltz, tango, etc.
6. the art of dancing, esp. as performed in ballet or modern dance
7. a party to which people come to dance ~ one round of dancing at such a party
8. a piece of music for dancing
9. rapid, lively movement

orchestra ~ noun
1. in ancient Greek theaters, the semicircular space in front of the stage, used by the chorus
2. in modern theaters, the space in front of and below the stage, where the musicians sit in full orchestra pit
3. the section of seats on the main floor of a theater, esp. the front section ~ the main floor of a theater
4. a usually large group of musicians playing together; often, specifically a symphony orchestra
5. the instruments of such a group

Listen to the Overture (many repetitions make the music more familiar and likable) and listen for the main theme that occurs frequently in the piece. The main theme or tune of a piece that people recognize the most is called the melody. You will notice that the melody flows from one instrument part to another, from high to low and back. There are variations or slight changes in it at times, but it is always there. Without the recording, hum the melody together, then teach the words to the Overture theme. {No, of course Tchaikovsky did not write the words. These are just silly ones I made up to help the kids remember the concepts I wanted to teach them!}

Listen to the Overture again, find the recurring theme, and sing with it every time. I know it is silly, but it does help people remember details. My teenage child first learned this when she was a preschooler ~ to this day if you ask her who wrote the Nutcracker, she will sing the answer to you in the overture theme!

** 1,3,4 Vocabulary
** 5 Overture 'Lyrics'

Ballet, the Nutcracker was written by Tchaikovsky.
This is the Overture it starts the ballet off just right! (Repeat)

Definitions from YourDictionary.com

melody ~ noun
1. pleasing sounds or arrangement of sounds in sequence
2. musical quality, as in the arrangement of words
3. a sequence of single tones, usually in the same key or mode, to produce a rhythmic whole; often, a tune, air, or song
4. the element of form having to do with the arrangement of single tones in sequence
5. the leading part, or voice, in a harmonic composition; the air

Read a version or two of the story of the Nutcracker. E.T.A. Hoffman wrote the original story entitled "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". Alexander Dumas wrote a revision of it in French. Then Peter Tchaikovsky made his version in which we are familiar. Several variations are available on the net, libraries, and book stores. You will notice that some have a different name for the lead character along with other slight changes, but they all contain the basic themes though. If you want to learn more about Hoffman and Tchaikovsky, please check the Nutcracker Ballet Unit Introduction page where you will find several lessons and materials for study.

Discuss the artwork and illustrations of the book version you choose. What types of costumes or clothing are they wearing? What would be needed in the scenery, etc. to perform this story on a stage? Play the music softly in the background while you read the story.

If you read more that one version, you may want to compare and contrast the versions. Blank notebook pages are found at the "introduction page" if you would like students to take notes or write a comparison.

The New York City Ballet has a very delightful storybook version of the story featuring their dancers that you may want to view!

On the next lesson, review overture theme and terms. Kids do not like to sit still and listen to classical music over and over again at first. I like to introduce a piece one day, and then review it over several lessons adding new concepts. Sometimes I introduce a new musical piece on the same lesson. Hearing a piece repeatedly over a longer span makes the piece more familiar each time. It becomes like a well-known friend! We like to listen to our piece of the week / month while we are drawing, riding in the car, or even doing household chores - just imagine the kids dancing pirouettes on their toes around the living room while putting away toys and dusting. It definitely is more fun that way!

Define staccato and accent. Identify them in a copy of sheet music. (I listed several sites where you can find sheet music below.) Hum or sing the main theme without staccato notes, then with staccato notes. How does it change the piece? Does it give a different feeling?

Listen to the overture again and add a drum part on the accents. Anything can serve as a homemade drum - oatmeal containers, coffee cans, boxes - whatever you can find to tap on! Have fun being creative. You will find many ideas on how to create homemade percussion instruments on the Percussion Lapbook Unit.

** 1,3,4 Vocabulary
** 6 Accent and Staccato Mini Books

Definitions from YourDictionary.com

staccato ~ adjective
1. Musical Direction with distinct breaks between successive tones: usually indicated by a dot (staccato mark) placed over or under each note to be so produced
2. made up of abrupt, distinct elements or sounds a staccato outburst of gunfire
3. to play or move in a detached or separate manner

accent ~ noun
1. the emphasis (by stress, pitch, or both) given to a particular syllable or word when it is spoken
2. in music ~ an emphasis or stress on a note or chord
3. a mark or sign showing this
4. rhythmic stress or beat
5. to mark with an accent
6. to emphasize

Piano Room Art Print
Bomhoff, Lee

Define meter. Listen to the stressed notes. Songs are broken up into small bites called measures. Each measure contains a certain amount of beats. 2, 3, and 4 are the most common number of beats in a measure, but there are other possibilities also. Beat one of every measure is usually played a little louder than other beats.

While listening to the Overture, listen for the stressed beats and count number one on each. Count the other beats. | 1 2 3 4 | 1 2 3 4 | ~ The Overture is in 4/4 time signature. Count 1 2 3 4 for each measure while listening. Tap hands on knees on beat one, and clap lightly on beats 2, 3, and 4 while speaking all four numbers. Review how a conductor would direct a piece with four beats in a measure. Check the pattern from your conducting mini book and conduct along with the music.

At the beginning of most sheet music you will find two numbers on top of each other on the top left staff. They look sort of like a fraction, but are not. These two numbers are called the time signature and tell musicians what the meter of the song is. The time signature helps musicians in many ways. It assists in counting the values or lengths of each note, and it helps to keep musicians together as a group.

The top number tells how many beats are in each measure. Notice I did not say how many notes in a measure, but how many beats in a measure. Notes that look different have different durations to play. There are many possible combinations to add up to 4. These combinations may include notes or rests (silence).

~ Whole notes look like circles or ovals ~ they are played for the count of 4 beats.
~ Half notes look like circles with little stems or lines going either up or down on one side ~ they are played for the count of 2 beats.
~ Dotted half notes look like a half note with a tiny dot located after them~ they are played for the count of 3 beats.
~ Quarter notes look like the half notes, but the inside of the circle is filled in ~ they are played for the count of 1 beat.

~ Whole rests look like a line with a small box underneath - 4 beats of resting or silence.
~ Half rests look like a line with a small box on top (like a top hat) - 2 beats of rest.
~ Quarter rests look like a little wiggly line almost the same size of the staff vertically - 1 beat of rest.

4 = the number of beats per measure
4 = every quarter note is played for one beat

4 measure | measure | measure | measure | measure | measure ||
4

| = bar lines = separate each measure into the required amount of beats
|| = double bar line = the end of the piece
measure = the space between bar lines containing the required beats composed of notes and rests

Another lesson and explanation on time signature and note values is found in the Mozart Lapbook Unit Scroll down to the section entitled "Math". Three related lapbook components are found by clicking "Mozart Unit Lapbook Components B" at the top of the page. Pages 31 - 33 in the PDF.

** 7 Note Values Mini
** 8 Note Values Mini Answers
Fill in the Note Values mini for the lapbook. There are two versions for you to use for your child depending on their age and previous knowledge of note reading.

**9 Count the Beats Game - Board, Cards, and Storage Pocket
Play "Count the Beats Game" to work on note values, music math, and time signatures.

Definitions from YourDictionary.com

meter ~ noun
1. rhythm in verse; measured, patterned arrangement of syllables, primarily according to stress or length
2. the basic pattern of beats in successive measures of a piece of music: it is usually indicated in the time signature

time signature
Music: a sign consisting of one number over another, esp. after the key signature, indicating the unit of measurement and the number of beats in the following measure or measures (Ex.: 3/4 means three quarter-note beats); also, a nonnumerical sign used in this way (Ex.: C is often used instead of 4/4)

staff ~ noun
Music: the horizontal lines on and between which notes are written or printed: the placement of a note on the staff indicates its pitch

measure ~ noun
1. a form of measuring
2. the notes or rests, or both, contained between two vertical lines on the staff

bar line
The lines which divide a staff into measure used to assist in rhythmic counting

double bar
Two lines after the last measure of a piece of sheet music to designate the end of the piece

For more information, lessons, and resources about learning how to read music, please visit the Reading Music webpage.

Orchestra at the Opera Giclee Print ~ Degas, Edgar