Begin the Beguine Lesson Plan Ideas 1. Using the melody sheet provided, have students label the pitches and play them on melody bells, keyboards, or orff instruments. 2. Listen to the piece. As students listen, they should list instruments heard. Then, using music supply magazines, the computer, or other research books, students cut pictures of these instruments and bring them to class. Then have them organize their pictures into a typical set up of a jazz band with saxophones in the front, trombones in the middle and trumpets in the top row. A keyboard, drum set, and string bass could be added to the side. Don t forget the soloist and conductor too. 3. Show pictures of the various instruments in a jazz band. Review what family each instrument is in, and how each is played. Then listen to the recording of Begin the Beguine. Students should be able to show how the instrument is played while they are listening. For example, if students hear a saxophone playing, they should hold an imaginary saxophone and play the keys. Or if they hear a clarinet, they hold a clarinet and play those keys. Once they hear the differences, divide the students into groups sitting in the correct places (see number two above) and have them only play their instruments when they hear it. 4. Using the listening map included, have students track with their finger each instrument as it is heard. An exact time listing is provided in this booklet to help you as the teacher follow where each instrument(s) enters. Note that not all clarinet entrances are shown-just the solo spots are included. 5. Begin the Beguine has a long, chromatic melody in the middle section of the song. Review the difference between major and minor scales. Then explain there is a scale that uses all the notes-the chromatic scale. Play the scale for the students or have them try it on melody instruments. A review of whole and half steps would be very helpful in explaining this scale. 6. Listen to various recordings of Begin the Beguine. The Andrew Sisters, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra have all made recordings of this song. Once students know Artie Shaw s performance well, have them describe what they hear in each. Divide a piece of paper into four sections. Play a portion of each recording having students describe what they hear. One time through each piece focus just on tempo and dynamics. Another time focus on timbre-not just the band instruments, but the voice as well. This could be done in one class period or over several to keep it interesting. 1
Begin the Beguine listening summary 0:00 trumpet and saxophone introduction 0:07 clarinet solo with A section 0:33 saxophone section repeats A section 0:58 clarinet solo with brief interlude 1:01 entire band with B section 1:07 saxophone section continues B section 1:13 entire band continues B section 1:29 tenor saxophone with A section 1:48 saxophone section continues with A section 1:52 clarinet solo with brief interlude 1:55 entire band with B section 2:16 clarinet solo continues B section 2:22 entire band continues B section 2:36 trombone section finishes B section 2:43 clarinet solo begins coda 2:47 entire band 2:50 saxophone section 2:57 clarinet solo 3:05 entire band finishes the coda Possible vocabulary words for Begin the Beguine beguine-a dance similar to a slow rumba, it came from the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, it is a slow close dance with a roll of the hips mute-a device that changes the timbre or reduces the volume of a musical instrument accent-various marks used to indicate a louder dynamic for a specific pitch solo vs. group-a soloist takes turns with the rest of the performers improvisation-spontaneously creating music while it is being played texture-the layers of sounds created by instruments melody vs. harmony-the solo or main pitches verses the layers of accompaniment jazz-a musical form that originated in New Orleans around the start of the 20 th century that includes improvisation, multi-layered rhythms, and syncopation big band-a popular performing group of the1930's and 1940's that typically included trombones, trumpets, saxophones, and a rhythm section swing-also known as swing jazz, it developed in the 1920's emphasizing the rhythm section at a medium to fast tempo 2
Cole Porter 1891-1964 Cole Porter was an American composer well known for his song writing used in films and Broadway musicals Porter was born June 9, 1891 and died on October 15, 1964 Porter began violin lessons at age 6, piano at age 8 Porter composed melodies for stage shows, amateur performances, high school and college dramas in college Porter composed football fight songs for the Yale University Glee Club several of Porter s songs were performed on Broadway Porter had many failures at first, this included his patriotic comic opera called See America First Porter went to Paris to distribute supplies after WWI; some thought he served in the 3
military, though this hasn t been proven Porter decided to stay in Paris where he continued to write music and perform at social gatherings Porter wrote Within the Quota-music for a ballet-it is considered one of the first examples of symphonic jazz writing Porter wrote with and for Fred Astaire and Ethel Merman He continued writing songs for song and dance musicals and for films Porter was injured in a riding accident in 1937 causing him to lose the use of his legs; later one leg was amputated A film biography was made of Porter in 1946; it was called Night and Day and contained fourteen of his songs In 1948 Porter produced his most well-known musical, Kiss Me Kate, which was based on Shakespeare s The Taming of the Shrew 4
Artie Shaw 1910-2004 Shaw s original name was Arthur Jacob Arshawsky Shaw played alto and tenor saxophone by age 13 then changed to clarinet at age 16 At age 16, Shaw left home to tour the country with a band Shaw s first well-known piece was Interlude in B-flat which was one of the first big band pieces to have solo clarinet backed only by rhythm and string sections During the swing era, Shaw performed many well known pieces including: Begin the Beguine, Stardust, Back Bay Shuffle and Moonglow Shaw signed Billie Holiday as his band s vocalist in 1938; she however was not treated well by some audiences in the South and the music company executives; she chose to leave Shaw was recognized as equal to Benny Goodman; he preferred to be known as a 5
jazz innovator rather than a clarinetist During the Great Depression, Shaw earned about $60,000 per week during the height of his popularity; this is while George Burns and Gracie Allen, on whose show his group performed, only earned $5,000 When asked to play old standards or audience favorites at concerts, he refused saying he preferred to be known as a creator of new music. All of Shaw s band members enlisted in the navy during WWII serving in the Pacific theater The band performed throughout their stay in the Pacific sometimes up to four concerts a day - often in battle zones Shaw received medical discharge after eighteen months from physical exhaustion Late in the 1940's Shaw performed classical music at Carnegie Hall with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under Leonard Bernstein Shaw formed a small group called Gramercy Five which included a harpsichord instead of a piano and electric guitar; he also crossed racial boundaries by hiring an African-American trumpeter Later in life, Shaw was known for being a precision marksman, ranking fourth in the United States in 1962; he was also known as an excellent fly fisherman Brigette Berman made a documentary called Artie Shaw: Time is All You ve Got in 1985; it won an Academy Award In 2004, Shaw was presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Shaw died of adult onset diabetes complications in 2004; he was 94 years old 6