Benjamin Britten

Born: November 22, 1913  England
Died: December 4, 1976 England

   Britten was one of the most famous 20^th century British composers. He wrote mostly works for singers including 11 operas. You may have heard his famous piece, Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, which was written for a movie. It introduces the listener to each instrument of the orchestra.

Listen to it:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR9nDnyIhAU
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi0DQNd6bCc

Britten wrote many choral works like: Ceremony of Carols. You can hear excerpts of it:
Wolcum Yole: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwFkfHHVEGk

This Little Babe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV27dCFxY18

See Britten play as an accompanist in a song by Schubert:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqgvp751if4

a. viola  (answer)
b. timpani (answer)
c. trombone (answer)
d. xylophone (answer)
e. oboe (answer)
f. cello  (answer)
g. flute (answer)
h. trumpet (answer)

Melody
Look through the pieces you have learned. Do any of them have a melody in an unusual place? Listen to these examples of melodies that are not simply in the right hand while the left plays the accompaniment.

Melody in the left hand - Happy Farmer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCA9Vugml5I

Melody hidden in chords - Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8kiB3n3cWo

Melody hidden between many other notes - Chopin, Etude in Ab major, Op. 25, No. 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C90Mz4hvAzI

A cappella
Listen to some a cappella singing here
A college a cappella group singing some Christmas music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUc3fm0mDnk
A barbershop Quartet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c17zTkdACs

Musical Periods
If you know when a composer lived, it tells you a lot about what his music sounds like. See if you can identify what period each of these composers lived during.

a. J.S. Bach (answer)
b. Beethoven (answer)
c. Frederic Chopin (answer)
d. Franz Joseph Haydn (answer)
e. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (answer)
f. George Gershwin (answer)
g. Franz Liszt (answer)
h. Domenico Scarlatti (answer)
i. Muzio Clementi (answer)
j. Felix Mendelssohn (answer)

Good Posture
There is more to playing the piano than just hitting the right keys. Your whole body needs to work together. Read the article on posture in this issue and then check how you sit when you play. Check your head, shoulders, knees, and feet before you play, and then look at them again when you stop. Did you start hunching your shoulders over or cross your feet?