Terraced+Dynamics+for+Orchestra

My orchestra students were playing the Farewell Symphony by Haydn (arr. Mark Jasinski) and I wanted to infuse the idea of terraced dynamics with a little history and context. Haydn also composed a piece called the Surprise Symphony that used sudden dynamic changes to wake up the audience (audience members had a tendancy to fall asleep at some point through festivals/concerts). This story is both humerous and gives some history behind this composer. Farewell Symphony uses exaggerated terraced dynamics similar to the Surprise Symphony, and with this background the students had a good reference for playing the dynamics and the history lesson allowed it to sink in and understand a context for dynamic choices.

Subject: High School Orchestra Concept: Playing terraced dynamics National Standards: 2. Play; 6. Listen; 7. Evaluate; 9. History/Culture Materials: Farewell Symphony by Haydn (arr. Mark Jasinski) sheet music, recording of Surprise Symphony by Haydn Sequence of Activities: Warm up on F# harmonic scale in one octave- half notes (locking in pitches and trouble notes) Play scale again on quarter notes (while going up play a forte dynamic, when going down play piano). Play the scale a third time, this time ask the students to watch the changes in your conducting pattern (broader, smaller, faster, slower) and reflect it in their dynamics and tempo (this exercise ensures that they're keeping an eye for changes and not just going through the motions) Have students play the opening chord (F# minor) of the Farewell Symphony (lock in the tonality) Have students play beginning half of Farewell Symphony by Haydn, asking them to observe dynamics. Ask students to describe the dynamic shifts and changes in the music (terraced from piano to forte) --at this time provide the students with the term terraced dynamics and come up with a definition for the term with the students. Play recording of Haydn's "Surprise Symphony" for the students-Ask students to describe what they noticed in listening. Use guided questioning to lead topic to the terraced dynamic shifts. Explain the context of the surprise symphony and how the sudden dynamic shifts were used to scare the audience awake. This idea can be used to express the exaggerated nature of the dynamic changes. (Also ask students what some other reasons for Haydn's use of terraced dynamics could possibly be.) Have students play sections where these dynamic changes take place instructing them to exaggerate those instant dynamic shifts like in the recording of the surprise symphony. Have students play entire piece using dynamic ideas.