Beethoven's+Motif


 * Motifs – Beethoven Tells His Story**  //This lesson is designed for Grade 6 General Music, but could be easily adapted for a variety of grade levels.//


 * Behavioral Learning Objectives** – Students will be able to aurally identify the “fate” motif in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, verbally define “motif” and describe how motifs are used to tell stories through music.
 * Materials needed** – recording of Beethoven’s fifth symphony and required media to play it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4IRMYuE1hI), worksheet (provided)


 * Main Concepts** - The idea behind this lesson is that the first movement of this symphony tells the story of Beethoven’s struggle as he lost his hearing and that the story is told using the famous “fate” motif - the first four notes of the piece.

“Development” is an important concept in this lesson, as changes in the motif indicate changes in the story. For example, when the motif is presented, it sounds very threatening and scary, perhaps indicating that Beethoven feared he would fall victim to an unhappy fate. However, the same rhythmic motif is changed (or developed) later in the work to sound triumphant. In this case, Beethoven could be telling us that he conquered his fear and took control of his own fate.


 * Sequence** - After a discussion of Beethoven’s life and struggle with hearing loss, the students will listen to the first movement of his symphony and it will be their responsibility to find out what the outcome is – who wins, Beethoven or his fate? To do this, the recording is stopped at several points during the piece at major mood changes to allow for discussion (stopping points are suggested on teacher’s worksheet). Students are asked to describe what each section sounded like to them and what that might mean in the greater story that Beethoven is telling us. They are also asked to make a check mark if they heard the motif in that section. During each periodic discussion, the class should discover more as Beethoven’s story unfolds.


 * Assessment** – Student responses on the worksheet will be used as a formative assessment of their understanding.


 * Notes** – I found it very effective to help students connect to this lesson by giving them concrete ways to relate Beethoven’s hearing loss to their own lives. For example, for student athletes – “What if I told you that your foot is going to fall off? I’m not sure when, but some morning you will wake up and not be able to run ever again. What would you be thinking about every morning when you woke up, or at night when you went to bed?” It took twelve years for Beethoven to lose his hearing completely.

Finally, at the end of the first movement, Beethoven’s “threatening” fate clearly wins. It is then important to inform students that there is more to the story. This is only the first movement, and at the end of the symphony is a happy ending. Beethoven continued to write music – some of his best – even after he was completely deaf. ,