Dvorák in America
in search of the new world
a National Endowment for the Humanities project
with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
and Pacific Symphony Orchestra
by
Based on the notion that Antonin Dvorák, as a mediator, recommended that American
music should be composed with American material or theme, such as the negro
spirituals and American folksongs, this project would be focused on the use
of the spiritual, “Nobody
Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” and Stephen Foster’s song, “Susanna”.
First, the purpose of this project is to introduce various musical rhythmic
patterns to 4th through 6th grade vocal students by utilizing the spiritual, “Nobody
Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen”. Furthermore, by rewriting the lyrics
with their own lives and daily experience, students could bring the song closer
to their hearts.
When the process of the rhythmic patterns learning comes to an end, students
will be able to determine how many sounds (syllables) are there in each phrase.
Therefore, to rewrite the lyrics becomes an easy assignment. With the students’ own
experience, “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” will become
a 21st century song instantly.
The second part of this project, through Stephen Foster’s “Susanna”,
is to introduce the melodic system, the intervals (the distance between any two
tones) within the major/minor keys and pentatonic scales. After acquiring an
understanding of the intonation of “Susanna”, students will then
compose their own version with a new melody to accompany the original lyrics
of “Susanna”.
The musical rhythm is made with long and short silence and sound. Through these
activities, students will understand the differences between a basic unit of
one beat and its sub-divisions, and some of the variations. (See “Rhythm
Break Down”).
The melodic system involves intonations that repeat, ascend or descend in directions.
And, the tones can be arranged in unison (one tone repetition), step (neighboring
tones), or skip (two tones with one or more other tones in between them). Through
these activities, students will understand that a melody is simply made from
intonations arranged in a specific order.
The ultimate goal of these activities is for students to perform their compositions
during a school concert.
These exercises will address the following California State Standards according
to the Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards for California Public Schools:
| Strands | Grades | California Content Standards |
1.1 |
4 |
Read, write, and perform simple melodic notation in treble clef in major Keys. |
1.3 |
5 |
Read, write, and perform rhythmic notation, including quarter-note triplets and tied syncopation. |
2.1 |
6 |
Sing a repertoire of vocal literature representing various genres, styles, and cultures with expression, technical accuracy, good posture, tone quality, and vowel shape—written and memorized, by oneself and in ensembles (level of difficulty: 1 on a scale of 1–6). |
2.2 |
6 |
Sing music written in two parts. |
2.4 |
6 |
Compose short pieces in duple and triple meters. |
3.1 |
5 |
Describe the social functions of a variety of musical forms from various cultures and time periods (e.g., folk songs, dances). |
4.1 |
6 |
Develop criteria for evaluating the quality and effectiveness of musical performances and compositions, including arrangements and improvisations, and apply the criteria in personal listening and performing. |
4.2 |
4 |
Describe the characteristics that make a performance a work of art. |
5.1 |
6 |
Describe how knowledge of music connects to learning in other subject areas. |
The time required for these activities will be as followed:
1. Studying rhythmic patterns and intonations: 40 minutes (one lesson)
2. Practicing rhythmic patterns and intonations: 120 minutes (3 lessons)
3. Rewriting lyrics and melody: one week (assigned as homework)
4. Singing original spiritual and new version/adapted lyrics: 10 weeks
5. Performing complete work at a school concert
Language art and social study teachers could be invited to participate in this
project as a cross-curriculum activity. While studying rhythmic patterns, a
math component of division could be included as well.
| Steps | Sequence | Time/Minutes |
1 |
Start with physical stretching exercises | 2 |
2 |
Go through vocal warm-ups | 3 |
3 |
Do rhythmic patterns exercises | 5 |
4 |
Debrief certain daily topics | 5 |
5 |
Practice solfège singing | 5 |
6 |
Rehearse concert songs | 20 |
Rhythm
Time Signature
Measure
Sub-Division
Vibration
Tie
Syncopation
Straight/Shuffle
Interval
Ascend
Descend
Kodaly, Zoltan
Dvorák, Antonin
Foster, Stephen
Burleigh, Harry
Solfège
1. Pass out all required material for these activities to students:
a. Rhythm Break Down & “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen”
b. Melody Build Up & “Susanna”.
2. Have students look over each page and familiarize with the sheets.
3. Explain the function of time signature (C for this song).
4. Explain rhythm is made with long and short silence and sound, by using quarter
note as the basic unit and eighth notes are the sub-divisions.
5. Practice basic rhythmic pulse by clapping each quarter note once.
6. Practice sub-division evenly by clapping twice within the duration of a
quarter note.
7. Listen to “American Suite” 3rd movement (16th and 32nd notes)
opening and middle section (quarter and eighth notes). Ask students to determine
the note value in each example. Give answers to the above question.
8. Have students look at “Rhythm Break Down” to find the top line “Simple/Straight”.
Explain the concept of a measure (a fundamental unit of time into which all
music is divided, according to the number of beats).
9. Compare the rhythmic pattern of the “American Suite” example
to “Symphony No. 9, ‘from the New World’” first movement
opening.
10. Clap each measure at least four times to secure the understanding of quarter
note and half note.
11. Explain the relationship between the quarter note and eighth note and clap
the eighth note measure, next to “Sub-Division”, at least four
times.
12. Explain the use of dotted rhythm and clap dotted half note follow by a
quarter rest or a quarter note.
13. Explain and clap syncopation (a rhythmic technique in music which the accent
is shifted to a weak beat of the measure).
14. Demonstrate “tie” with various patterns, as seen in “Nobody
Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen”.
15. Explain and compare dotted half and dotted quarter notes.
16. Explain how rhythmic patterns are simply made with manipulated long and
short silence and sound. Have students clap examples 1A through 7C at least
four times each measure, in order and/or randomly. Select individuals or small
group of students to clap for the class to check for understanding and accuracy.
This may serve as an on-going formative assessment.
17. Determine the numbers of notes (sound, syllables) in each phrase.
18. Explain the rhyming structure in the song.
19. Assign lyrics writing (with limited numbers of possible syllable change)
as a week-long homework. Put more verses on another sheet of paper if necessary.
20. When students return with the new versions, sing each new verse in class.
21. In the meantime, explain the melodic system involves intonations that repeat,
ascend or descend in any direction. And, the tones can be arranged in unison
(a single tone only repetition), step-wise (neighboring tones, such as major
and minor scales), or skip (two tones with one or more other tones in between
them), and analyze intervals, diatonic and pentatonic scales (See Melody
Build Up).
22. With Kodaly hand signs and solfège, have students sing each individual
tone first, then pairs of neighboring tones, and finally, all the different
intervals including all the skips.
23. Point out the difference between a half-step and a whole-step.
24. Listen to “American Suite” first movement opening for the pentatonic
scale. Point out the first diatonic moment. Explain the use of different intervals
in major and minor keys.
25. Listen to “Symphony No. 9, ‘from the New World’” fourth
movement opening for all the possible intervals that Dvorak used.
26. Have students look at “Susanna” to
follow the pentatonic scale and point out the diatonic moment (highlighted
in blue). Sing the first verse
of “Susanna”.
27. Assign melody writing (including extended range of tones and possible rhythm
changes) as another week-long homework. The new melody could be written on the
staff lines under the original melody.
28. When students return with the new versions, sing each new composition in
class.
29. Select several new verses to add to the originals and perform them in the
school concert. Now, arrange (by teacher) for two-part singing and rehearse
them!
1. Rhythm Break Down
2. Nobody knows the Trouble I’ve Seen
3. Melody Build Up
4. Susanna
Spirituals |
Folk Songs |
| Deep River | Old Folks At Home |
| Goin’ Home | Shenandoah |
| My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord | The Erie Canal |
| Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho | She’ll Be Comin’ ‘Round the Mountain |
| Every Time I Feel the Spirit | Ching a Ring Chaw (Minstrel-1833) |
| Music Down In My Soul | How Can I Keep From Singing? (Quaker) |
| My Lord, What a Mornin’ | Clementine |
| Oh, Freedom | Cindy |
| Follow the Drinking Gourd | Simple Gift |
| Ezekiel Saw the Wheel | Turkey In the Straw |
Et Exultavit (J.S. Bach)
If I Could Catch a Rainbow
Some Folks………………………………….4th
Grade
Humoresque, Op.101, No.4 (Dvorák)…...Elani Albright
Every Time I Feel the Spirit
Embrace the Music
Sasa Kroma………………………………….5th
Grade
American Suite, Op.98, No. 4…………….Howard Chang
Away From the Roll of the Sea
Shenandoah
Con Te Partiro………………………………6th
Grade
For We Wish You Music……………………All
Grades
“
American Folksongs and Spirituals” –Published by Hal Leonard
“
Stephen Collins Foster: Sixty Favorite Songs”, by Stephen Foster (Bill's
Music Shelf)
“
Symphony No.9, ‘From the New World’” by Antonin Dvorák
“
American Suite, Op. 98” by Antonin Dvorák
“
Dvorák in America”, by Joseph Horowitz
“
Classical Music in America”, by Joseph Horowitz
“
From the New World”, an interactive DVD, by Robert Winter & Peter
Bogdanoff
“Content Standards - Standards & Frameworks” (CA
Dept of Education) - https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/mumain.asp
“Antonin Dvorák”– Naxos Classical Music - https://www.naxos.com/person/Antonin_Dvorak/26024.htm
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - https://www.pittsburghsymphony.org
Pacific Symphony Orchestra - https://www.pacificsymphony.org
IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library - https://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page
Voices Across Time - https://www.voicesacrosstime.org
The American Spiritual Ensemble - https://americanspiritualensemble.com
Negro Spirituals - https://www.negrospirituals.com
Popular Songs in American History - https://www.contemplator.com/america
About the writer Kaii Lee
Copyright © 2010 Kaii and Friends Music