Quartal+and+Mixolydian+Relationships+in+Jupiter


 * ** Teacher Name: ** || ** Jason Jerger ** || ** Date: ** || ** 04/27/2010 ** ||
 * ** Subject/Grade: ** || High School orchestra ||


 * ** Focus Concepts/Skills: ** || Mixolydian Mode, modal cadences, and quartal harmonies ||

|| Students will develop their skills and understanding with modal and quartal pitch sets and will be able to apply these to the piece Jupiter || || Warm-up 1. The students will begin with a G myxolydian scale 2. Next students will be asked to transpose this scale (without notation) to two additional keynotes 3. At this point, I will explain to the students how the opening string motive is a quartal harmony, they will demonstrate this by expanding and contracting these harmonies as they play through them note by note. Also explain to students how the quartal harmonies and mixolydian mode relate to one another Jupiter 1. Attempt to play the first two sections of Jupiter, focusing on dynamics and tempo as we have been the last few days 2. Begin work on the 3rd theme, stopping to analyze some of the new challenges in myxolydian 3. Work the third theme in small chunks, focusing on a light feeling triple meter 4. Students will be assigned to write a short paper on how Holst’s writing style is painting the picture of Jupiter through his use of mixolydian mode, quartal harmonies, etc. They could do this by comparing with these effects with other forms of media and art || || Informally assess the student’s ease in playing modal and quartal tonalities with good intonation. Formally assess students’, ability to articulate how these concepts apply to the picture of Jupiter that Holst is trying to create by reading their papers. ||
 * National Standards (put X before all that apply): **
 * || ** 1. Sing ** || x  || ** 2. Play ** ||   || ** 3. Improvise ** ||   || ** 4. Compose/Arr. ** || ** x ** || ** 5. Read/Notate ** ||
 * || ** 6. Listen ** || ** x ** || ** 7. Evaluate ** || ** x ** || ** 8. Related Arts ** ||  |||||| ** 9. History/Culture ** ||
 * ** Learning **
 * Objectives: **
 * ** Sequence of **
 * Activities: **
 * ** Assessment: **

I think this is a good lesson that would fit cleanly within a longer rehearsal scheme. The inclusion of a short paper assignment helps to even the field between the students who excell at playing the modal and quartal techniques, and the students who understand the concept but aren't technically proficient enough yet to execute the music. This can also help identify students that do not understand the concept at all. I might change the beginning of the sequence to begin with a C major scale and then move the G mixolydian to help students identify the connection between concert key signatures and the less frequently used modalities.