Music on Monday

Autumn 2024

16th December

Carol of the Bells

Pentatonix

Pentatonix are an American ‘a capella’ pop group.  ‘A capella’ means to sing with out any instrumental accompaniment- no backing track or band, just voices!  Pentatonix are extra special because, as well as using their voices to sing unaccompanied, they also use their voices to create sound effects and percussion sounds (also known as ‘beat boxing’). KS1 will find this particularly interesting as they have been exploring ways in which to make music using just their bodies this term- Pentatonix are an excellent example of this!  When you listen to their songs, it’s hard to imagine that every sound is created using just their voices- if we didn’t know any better, we’d think they had a drum kit playing along!

This is their unique arrangement of ‘Carol of the Bells’- a popular Christmas carol, which is based on the Ukrainian New Year's song "Shchedryk". The music for the carol comes from the song written by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in 1914. The English-language lyrics were written in 1936 by Peter Wilhousky.  

If you enjoyed this unusual version of a well known Christmas song, why not have a listen to Pentatonix’s Christmas Album and hear some other clever a capella arrangements?  If you watch the 2018 film “The Grinch” this Christmas, you will hear the Pentatonix perform their arrangement of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”- staring as the Who Carolers, when they chase the Grinch!

9th December

Messiah (Hallelujah Chorus)

George Friederic Handel

We’ve all heard of the famous Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s oratorio (a large work for orchestra and voices)- it’s one of the most famous pieces of baroque music ever written, and is played regularly around the world- especially at Christmas.  But did you know that this masterpiece was written straight after its composer suffered a huge set-back which almost finished his career?

British-German composer George Friederic Handel collapsed at his London home in 1737 with what was probably a stroke, and his doctor said “He will never work again- we may be able to save the man, but we have lost the musician”.  However, Handel stubbornly ignored medical advice and literally dragged himself back to work, although it wore him out.  Until…

he read a new epic poem called Messiah and immediately he was filled with renewed energy!  The old Handel was back and he set to work composing Messiah, which was a huge success and became his most famous work.  When his doctor paid him a visit, Handel played him the whole oratorio!  He continued a very successful career as a composer creating other masterpieces such as the famous “Music for the Royal Fireworks” and much more.  Just think- he wouldn’t have become so famous that his music is still celebrated nearly 300 years later if he had just given up after his set-back.

2nd December

Speechless

Naomi Scott 

This song was written for Disney’s 2019 live-action Aladdin film.   It was composed by Alan Menken, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (who also wrote music for The Greatest Showman and La La Land).

“Speechless” is a solo song sung by the character Princess Jasmine, who is portrayed by actress and singer Naomi Scott.  The empowering lyrics are sung when her father’s kingdom has been seized by the villain Jafar.  She tells her father that after a lifetime of having people tell her that her opinion is worthless, she will not stay silent anymore.

“I won’t be silenced, you can’t keep me quiet, won’t tremble when you try it…all I know is I won’t go speechless”.  These powerful lyrics have a clear message- don’t let other people tell you that you’re worthless- you have a voice, so stand up for what you believe in.

25th November

Overture

Grazyana Bacewicz 

Born in 1909, Grazyana Bacewicz was a female Polish composer, at a time where women were often told they couldn’t compose music.  Not only was she brave in going against what society told her- deciding to compose music anyway despite being a woman, she also continued to compose music while war threatened to destroy her country.

During the second World War, Bacewicz continued to compose music, despite nursing her wounded sister and looking after her own family- a time when she must have felt very afraid.  She bravely organised secret, underground concerts of her new works- despite the fact that the Nazi occupiers of her country would have forbidden it.

This piece of hers, called Overture, was written in 1943 and first performed at the end of the second World War at a festival of contemporary Polish music in Krakow.  This helped establish her reputation as a renowned composer in Poland and beyond-which led to a successful career. 

In this piece, the sense of struggle and combat is never far away – with the snare drum striking up and the brass playing fanfares – but Bacewicz’s optimistic music seems full of courage and strength.

The work itself contains a musical message of hope, with the Morse code for ‘V’, symbolising victory, (dot dot dot dash) beaten out on the timpani during the piece.

That sense of victory drives the music forward, like a pounding heartbeat. Composed in a time of darkness, this is music blazing with light.

An Introduction to Overture

18th November

The Right of Spring

Igor Stravinsky

This week our theme is 'Trust your Instincts'.  Igor Stravinsky was a Russian composer, born in 1882 into a time-warped, backward looking society.  The society he grew up with wasn’t really open to embracing change and new ideas, however Stravinsky had a gut instinct that music needed to move in a new direction- away from the ‘pretty’ and more ‘conventional’ style of classical music.  Despite his father encouraging him to follow a career in law, Stravinsky followed his heart and began composing music- with some very innovative twists.

One of his most famous works is a ballet called “The Rite of Spring”.  It’s about the return of spring and the renewal of the Earth. The music is incredibly popular amongst classical performers today and is performed regularly by many of the major orchestras and ballet companies across the world. However, when the ballet was first performed- at the Theatre Des Champs-Elysees in France on the 29th May 1913, the audience disliked the music so much that it caused a riot! The audience simply weren’t ready for this new style of music which didn’t follow the conventional rules of classical music, and were outraged.  Stravinsky wasn’t put off by this, and stood his ground.  It’s said that Stravinsky developed a “waspish” resistance to the attacks that came with being under the spotlight. He realised that he was currently standing alone, but really believed in his music. In order to follow his instinct he had to be very defensive.  

It’s a good job that Stravinsky did stand up for himself and followed his instinct…gradually audiences became more accepting of this changing musical style, as society changed throughout the 20th century.  Stravinsky’s bravery and insistence on following his own instincts helped to revolutionise music and has led towards the popular modern music we know and listen to today. 

Here are a few videos to give you an idea of some of Stravinsky’s music….

Those in UKS2 will become familiar with this fantastic music, the “Firebird” when they study it in their music lessons later in the year…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ten-pieces/articles/zbsf3k7

Here’s the famous ballet which caused a riot on it’s opening night!

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/EkwqPJZe8ms?playlist=EkwqPJZe8ms&autoplay=1&iv_load_policy=3&loop=1&start=

And for those who want a greater understanding of why The Rite of Spring caused such a riot, here’s a video that talks a little more in depth about it….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FXA_8LR2IM&t=92s

11th November

With a Little Help from My Friends

The Beatles

"With a Little Help from My Friends" is a song recorded by English rock band the Beatles for their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It was written mostly by Paul McCartney with contributions from John Lennon, and is sung by drummer Ringo Starr.

Incredibly, there have been at least 50 cover versions of the song and it has achieved the number one position on the British singles charts three times: by Joe Cocker in 1968, by Wet Wet Wet in 1988, and by Sam & Mark in 2004.

The song’s simple message is that friendship and support is so important in overcoming life’s challenges.  What a great message to reaffirm ‘anti-bullying’ week at school.

4th November

Firework

Katy Perry

This week's song is very fitting for this time of year- many people celebrated the Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, last week and fireworks were part of their celebration. And this week, many of us will see more fireworks as part of Bonfire night celebrations. 

Firework is one of Katy Perry's best known songs, and fits our school theme this week because its message is extremely positive. In the song, Katy Perry encourages anyone who feels fragile or insignificant to rediscover that 'spark' within themselves which will bring them alive and show the world what they're capable of.  The positive words throughout the song are very uplifting and aim to lift the spirits of the listener. Positive words can help to build our self-esteem and confidence. When we hear these kinds of words, we are more likely to believe in ourselves and our abilities.  

21st October

We Are The Champions

Queen

The rock band Queen are known for their massive stadium anthems, and they don’t get any bigger than “We Are The Champions”

“We Are The Champions” was written by the band’s lead singer Freddie Mercury and released as a single in 1977. Freddie said that he wrote the song as a way to bring people together…”I was thinking about football when I wrote it. I wanted a participation song, something that the fans could latch on to”. The band’s guitarist, Brian May later said “We wanted to get the crowds waving and singing. It’s very unifying and positive. People love it because it’s uplifting”.

Despite being written as a song to cheer on football teams, the song can be interpreted in so many different ways to cheer on anybody from any walk of life, but the message is always the same- “We’ll keep cheering you on because we believe you are the champions!”

So this week, think about cheering people on, as true winners cheer each other on. 

14th October

Unwritten

Natasha Bedingfield

“Unwritten”, by Natasha Bedingfield was released in 2004 and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The song’s message is an important one- that we need to take control of our own lives and experiences as no one else can do it for us. Our futures are all still unwritten, and it’s down to us to write them!

“I am unwritten, can’t read my mind- I’m undefined

I’m just beginning, the pen’s in my hand, ending unplanned…”

We have picked this song as this week we are finding out about Britain’s trampolining gold medallist, Bryony Page, who had to spend an entire year re-learning how to trampoline after experiencing 'lost move syndrome'. We all have the power to change our story, our whole life isn't already 'written' for us and we have the opportunity to control where we go in life.  

7th October

Fight Song

Rachel Platten

Rachel Platten had a dream: she wanted to be a professional singer and songwriter. For 12 years, she tried to make her dream come true. She wrote a lot of songs- but not one was a big hit. She travelled from city to city, singing in clubs- but often had very small audiences.  She made CDs but didn’t sell many.  After 12 years, she took a break and thought maybe she should give up because she was tired of not succeeding. She took a year out to think things through, however she came to the realisation that she wanted to keep singing- “even if only five people come to hear me. I’ll keep writing songs even if I never have a hit.” She then wrote a song about her decision- the song was called “Fight Song”. This song became a huge hit- a few months later she sang this song in a concert with 50,000 people in the audience, which lead to the launch of a very successful music career!

30th September

Go the Distance

Roger Bart

This song was written for the 1997 Disney film Hercules. The film follows Hercules’s quest to prove himself worthy of living among the Greek gods on Mount Olympus. In this song, Hercules sings of how he has the strength and courage to tackle any obstacle in order to reach his goal.

“And I won’t look back, I can go the distance,

And I’ll stay on track, no I won’t accept defeat

It’s an uphill slope

But I won’t lose hope, ‘til I go the distance

And my journey is complete.”

This week we are thinking about 'working hard enough' after being inspired by Keely Hodgkinson, the 22 year old British runner, who grabbed her first ever gold medal in the women's 800m track race in the Paris Olympics.  Having come second in the World Championships in 2023, Keely had narrowly missed out on any top spots in major tournaments until the Paris Olympics but her hard work has really paid off and now she is enjoying her success.   

23rd September

Try Everything

Shikira

Featured on the Disney film Zootopia, this song talks about tough times as well as good. It says that it’s normal to be scared and make mistakes- but it’s ok to feel that way, and if we fail just try again! “Try Everything” is a song for everyone- those who dream big, those who take risks and those who don’t give up.

“Birds don’t just fly, they fall down and get up,

Nobody learns without getting’ it wrong.

I won’t give up, no, I won’t give in

‘Til I reach the end, and then I’ll start again.

No, I won’t leave, I wanna try everything,

I wanna try even though I could fail”.

See if you can have a positive mindset this week,especially when things don't go the way you thought they would. If you believe  your talents can be developed through hard work, good strategies, and help from others you have a growth mindset. People with a growth mindset tend to achieve more than those with a more fixed mindset (those who believe their talents are innate gifts). This is because they worry less about looking smart and put more energy into learning.  

16th September

Because We Believe (Ama Credi E Vai)

Andrea Bocelli

Here is a video of famous Italian tenor, Andrea Bocelli performing “Because we believe” at the closing ceremony of the winter Olympics in 2006.  Andrea Bocelli didn’t start chasing his dream of pursuing a music career until he was in his thirties, but has since become one of the world’s most famous and successful classical musicians. He has since collaborated with a range of artists, from pop stars like Celine Dion and Ed Sheeran to classical musicians like Placido Domingo and Yo-Yo Ma. Bocelli has performed at the Vatican for the Pope and several other important events such as the Winter Olympics in Turin. He has sold over 90 million records worldwide, making him one of the best selling music artists of all time. Imagine if he’d thought that he was too old to start pursuing music- what a waste that would have been!

9th September

Clarinet Concerto - Second Movement

Mozart

This week’s Music on Monday piece relates to our theme because of the emotion the performer needs to perform it, and the emotional affect it can have on the listener.  As with any piece of music, emotion plays a vital role. Someone once said “music is how emotions sound”. Can you imagine a piece of music being performed with absolutely no emotion? It would be pretty boring and nowhere near as good to listen to! 

Therefore, showing emotions is certainly a strength to any musician- without that ability, we wouldn’t be able to do justice to wonderful pieces of music such as this one. 

Mozart’s clarinet concerto is one of the greatest classical compositions of all time (and certainly one of Mrs Harper’s favourites to play and listen to!) 

A concerto is a piece of music (usually in three parts- or ‘movements’) written for a solo instrument and orchestral accompaniment. This Clarinet Concerto was the last thing famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ever composed- and arguably one of the most beautiful. It was written in 1791, just several months before his death. Interestingly, did you know that the first thing Mozart ever composed (at the age of 5!!) was the tune we’re all so familiar with- “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”?! 

In the video link, you will see famous clarinettist Martin Frost performing the second movement. The second movements of concertos are usually the slowest and most emotional. Whilst listening, think about what kind of emotions this piece makes you feel……peaceful? Sad? Whistful? Also, notice how Martin Frost and the orchestra play from the heart- putting so much emotion into this wonderful performance. Then try to imagine if they had played it like robots, with no emotion…..it wouldn’t be anywhere near as good, would it? 

So the next times you’re afraid to show emotion, remember- all of the best musicians and performers do it well, and it really is a gift! 

2nd September

Hall of Fame

The Script

This is a great song to start of our term, where we will be focusing on aiming high in everything we do. This song sends a message to believe in the impossible and that you can be anything and do anything you desire with hard work and determination.  It encourages you to listen to your dreams and believe in yourself, reminding us that we will never succeed if we don't at least try. 

This term we are going to be inspired by Olympians' who competed in the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics and find out what motivated them to achieve their dreams.