His selections are Pablo Picasso and Gustav Mahler.
He loves Picasso and can't wait until we are able to see some in person....hopefully soon.
He does NOT like Mahler's music. Listen HERE.
(Click to the blog to see the YouTube selection he chose to share to illustrate a piece of Mahler's music he does not like.)
So what do you do when you have six weeks planned for music appreciation focusing on a composer that your child does not like at all? Here are a few choices we came up with that we are kicking around trying to decide on in our family.
- Choose another composer from the same time period or genre of music. We decided that after two weeks of listening if the child really doesn't enjoy the music, they can switch composers. They would need to complete the composer notebook page and listening log, including information on why they did not enjoy the music.
- Listen to a wider variety of pieces by the composer. Sometimes it just takes getting used to a composer's style before you appreciate their music. There could be a gem hidden in the list of selections. Give the composer a chance!
- Instead of focusing on the music itself, research more about the time period and the influences on the music. Ask your self questions about the composer. What was his life like and what was the political atmosphere when the music was written? Could the music be an expression of the composer's emotions or physical state?
- Focus on the instruments used by the composer. Perhaps it is not the composer but the sound of the instruments or how they put the composition together that is not enjoyable for listening. Analyze how the composer used the instruments to create a theme or emotion in the listener.
- Skip the composer for the present time and perhaps revisit them in the future. Sometimes our ear needs to develop before we can appreciate a particular composer or understand the sound of their music. This is usually what we do in our family when this situation arises but now that the boys only have a year or two left of formal homeschooling, they have less time to revisit a composer.
We haven't decided which choice we will use with Mr. A's study of Mahler. I am going to leave it up to him since he has covered so much ground with music appreciation over the years and has a pretty good grasp of music history. He is focusing on Modern Classical composers this year and there are a lot of composers with some rather odd ideas about music.
So what composers have you come across that you do not like or that your children do not like? I would love to hear some of your least loved composers....just for fun.
Barb-Harmony Art Mom
I just finished building a new reference page on Squidoo with my Top Ten Picks for a Beginning Classical Music Library. You may wish to check them out and bookmark for future reference.
6 comments:
Great post, Barb, with lots of good suggestions. This happened to us when BOTH my girls decided they did not like Liszt after about two weeks of listening to his music. I considered this an informed, educated opinion, and we switched composers!
I like option 3. I think that sometimes artists end up compelled to create something that provokes in order to stand out as a "new" thinker. Sometimes it works (impressionists) and sometimes it's just provoking.
Barb, before you give up on Mahler, may I suggest a recording of Mahler's Symphony No. 1, with commentary by Benjamin Zander? He links the Symphony to Mahler's wonderful 4-song set, Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (songs of a wayfarer). Mr. Zander's comments are so insightful and bring out listening points I would not have otherwise appreciated. Really great, if you can find it (our local library has a copy). Zander has done a similar recording of Bruckner's 5th (also wonderfully enjoyable and informative), but that's another composer for another day. Both are recorded by Philharmonia Orchestra (of Boston), if you're searching.
Blessings, Cindy
This is so excellent advise. I think some of it could be applied to other aspects of school as well. Sometimes my kids are bored by or turned off by a history reading or a painting or the like. Some of your options could be used for that too. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
I love it when you give us permission - along with all the practical options. Thank you :)
My almost fourteen year old son does NOT like Mahler! I continue to play it...I know sometimes a certain style needs to 'grow' on you. I have actually learned to like it.
I like it because it is so dramatic. My son hates it because it is so dramatic!
My son has begun to make up his own words, (making fun of) to the music.
We have four more weeks of Mahler that I can 'torture' him with!
Post a Comment