1.1 Music expresses emotion

Arts and culture

Grade 8

Personal and social skills

Module 2

MUSIC

ACTIVITY 1 (individual and group)

1. Music expresses emotion by means of words

2. Music expresses emotion through the music itself

• Read “I Want to be Happy” and answer the questions:

1. Which emotion is expressed?

1. Which colour is linked to unhappiness in this song?

1. Which chord is used in the music to describe the unhappiness – major or minor? (Your educator could demonstrate the two chords on the piano.)

1. Is it possible for a person to make a decision about how he or she feels?

1. Which factors influence emotion?

1. Can I influence the emotional state of another person? (Motivate your answer.)

• Sing the song

• Read the following section of Close every Door from the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat . Your educator could help you by playing the melody.

What kind of emotion does this song evoke?

Here is a “wrong” rendition of the song, as far as the music is concerned. Your educator could play it while you are singing.

What is the difference?

The music of the first example is “sadder” (a negative emotion), because it is played in a minor key/tonality .When the music is played in a major key/tonality , it is more cheerful (positive emotion).

Underline the correct answer:

The song Only Hope , which expresses hope, should be written in a major/minor key/tonality.

• Sing “ I want to be Happy “ and “ Close Every Door “ once more.Identify the differences between these songs.

Activity 2

The musical “District Six” by David Kramer and Taliep Petersen can be regarded as a national treasure. It had its first performance in 1987 and deals with the history - politics, language, beliefs, etc. - of District Six, a residential area in the Bo-Kaap. This multiracial neighbourhood originally housed Coloured, Indian, Black and White inhabitants. When the area was declared “white” in 1966, everyone who lived there was forced to move out. As people moved out of the area, everything that was left behind was cleared away by bulldozers. Read about this neighbourhood, which had been in existence since 1867, and present your information to the class.

The musical describes people and events in District Six.Lyrics from the musical are provided below. Read them and listen to the recordings so that you will be able to complete the questionnaire:

• A musical comedy is a play in which man is portrayed through music in terms of his pettiness, stupidity and vanity. It includes acting, music, singing, dancing, décor and costumes.

My Broertjie my Bra’ from the musical District Six (David Kramer)

This song is the story of a nine-year-old newspaper seller who has to take care of himself – he has no home and no parents and steals from others to make a living.

New Year!

This is a typical rendition of the singing of the Cape Coons who always lead the way for the New Year celebrations in Cape Town, literally and figuratively. The processions are noticeable for brightly coloured costumes, singing and dancing. Instruments that are used traditionally are guitars, banjos, tambourines, etc.

• Listen to the songs and compare them in regard to the list that follows:

• Make use of the following terms: warm and cold, sound colour, light and dark, gradual, leaps, legato, staccato, dense and less dense (tenuous), forte, piano, etc.

• The class is to work as two groups to do research on the background to the musical “District Six” (Including the neighbourhood as such, and the history of the district).Each group subsequently has to discuss the songs with regard to the statements that are given below:

• The music reflects the character of the lyrics
• David Kramer and Taliep Petersen manage to evoke emotion, atmosphere and effect
• The song adds to the general description of “District Six”

• Also listen to excerpts from other musicals, e.g. Kat and the Kings , Fairyland (Kramer and Petersen); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; Cats (Lloyd Webber) and Grease , etc. (Films of several musicals are available on video).

• List the songs that you know (from the above-mentioned musicals) which express particular emotions, like anger, longing, fear, etc.

Assessment

Memorandum

Presentation of music in the classroom

Classroom organisation is important if music is to be presented successfully. Because we are working with sound, the lesson may frequently become rather noisy. Learners must be disciplined into keeping instruments (including their voices) quiet when they are not being played.

Assessment must also attempt to cultivate attitudes and values in the learners. When learners know that aspects such as the handling of instruments, as well as quiet listening, are assessed, they will gradually come to respect these aspects.