Names of Notes
English C D E F G A B
¯ Put each of the following words and phrases in the correct place in the passage below.
musicians bow bows string conductor instruments score keys baton audience concert hall
While the (a) ——— was filling up and the (b) ———were taking their seats, the (c) ————were tuning their (d) ———. The famous (e)————entered. He gave the audience a low (f) —————, picked up his (g) ————, looked briefly at the (h) ———— which lay open in front of him, and raised his hands. The pianist placed her fingers ready over the (i) ———— of her piano. The (j) ———— section of the orchestra (violinists, cellists, etc.) brought their (k) ———— up, ready to play. The concert was about to begin.
¯ Instructions as above.
group vocalist live stage number one fans concert lyrics top ten recording studio
After the Beatles, the Rolling Stones have probably been the most successful (a) ———— in Britain. Most of their records have gone into the (b) ———— and they've had many at (c) ————. But their records have usually been made in a (d) ———— and I always wanted to hear them (e) ——— at a (f) ————. I wanted to see them perform on (g) ————— in front of thousands of excited (h) ————. And I did, at Earls Court in 1983. It was great. And Mick Jagger, the (i) ————,sang all the old favourites. I couldn't hear the (j) ————— very well because of the noise, but somehow it didn't matter.
¯ How many musical instruments do you know? Describe them. Which ones do you specially like?
¯ Which musician could use these words to talk about his musical activities? music stand the stage tube conductor the score to improvise to practise notes brass to rehearse the baton to blow Which of these words could also be used by a violinist to describe his/her activities?
¯ Explain the difference between...
(a) an orchestra and a band (b) percussion instruments and wind instruments (c) a concert and a rehearsal (d) a composer and a musician
¯ Put one of the following words in each space in the sentences below.
by in at on
(a) What record is ————— number one? (b) Their new record is ————— the top ten. (c) This music was written ————— Chopin. (d) I haven't seen this group ————— stage. (e) Who is the guitarist —————— that group?
¯ Complete each sentence with one of the words given.
brass chorus lyrics organ string choir concert opera percussion woodwind
(a) I went to a rock —————— held in a large football stadium. (b) The ——————— section of the orchestra needs a new violinist. (c) Marianne had a good voice and joined the school ———————. (d) Keith wanted to learn a ——————— instrument so took up the clarinet. (e) Their music is really great, but I can't understand the ——————. (f) As we entered the church, the ——————— began playing a solemn tune. (g) I used to play the trumpet in the local ——————— band. (h) You need a good voice and acting ability to perform in a/an ——————. (i) I'll sing the first verse, and everyone will join in for the ———————. (j) Nowadays it is possible to simulate most ———————— instruments electronically, so drums are not always needed.
¯Choose the most suitable word for each space.
Until the early part of this century there was certainly a distinction between popular music, the songs and dance (1)—————— of the masses, and what we have come to call (2) ——————— music. Up to that point, however, there were at least some points of contact (3) —————— the two, and perhaps general recognition of what made a good voice, or a good song. With the development of (4) ——————— entertainment, popular music split away and has gradually (5) ——————— a stronger life of its (6) ——————, to the point where it has become incompatible with (7) —————— classics. In some respects, it is now dominated by the (8) ——————— of youth culture, so that a concert by Elton John is just as much a fashion (9) ————, and other artists may be promoting dance styles, or social (10) ————————. For this reason, it is impossible to talk about popular music as if it were a unified art. The kind of music you like may (11) ——————— on what kind of person you are. Curiously, there are now classical musicians and operatic singers who have (12) ——————— the status of rock stars, and have been marketed in the same way. This seems to suggest that many young people enjoy classical music, but do not wish to be associated with the (13) ———————— of those who are traditionally supposed to enjoy it. Or it may simply be that recording companies have discovered that there is an insatiable (14) ———————— for ''sounds'', and that classical music is beginning to sound exciting to a generation (15) ———————— on rock but now settling into affluent middle-age.
1 halls tunes musicians artists 2 rock modern underground classical 3 with between by of 4 mass live recorded the 5 founded lived developed suggested 6 supporters self fans own 7 other the some further 8 promotion discovery tendency survival 9 as however event design 10 service grace protest science 11 depend identify suppose be 12 lost admired penetrated achieved 13 number dislike lifestyle meaning 14 desire sale interest outlet 15 raised carrying dependent listening
¯ Talk to a partner and find out --what sort of music he/she enjoys listening to --for what reason and when he/she listens to music --if he/she has ever learnt to play a musical instrument --which instrument he/she would like to be able to play and why
¯ Use the topical vocabulary in answering the following questions.
1 What musical genres do you know and what role does folk music play in all of them? 2. What is meant by the terms classical or serious music, pop, rock, jazz and contemporary music? 3. Do you think the different musical genres named above are strictly separated or do they overlap in some ways? 4. What role does music play in your life? Do you want music just to make you happy or does the music that you prefer vary with your mood? How does it vary? 5. Do you think that at school music should be given the same emphasis as subjects such as maths, literature, etc.? 6. Of which instruments does a symphony/chamber orchestra consist? What are the most popular instruments of pop groups, jazz or rock? 7. Why has the guitar become a very popular instrument in recent years? Do you prefer V. Vysotsky's performances with an entire orchestra or simply with a guitar? 8. What is your favourite instrument? Can you play it? Does it help you to understand music? 9. The human voice is regarded as a most refined instrument the proper use of which requires a great deal of training. How do you feel about this characterization? Who are your favourite singers? 10. Do you like opera? Do you agree with the opinion that operas are hard to follow while musicals are more up-to-date and easier to understand? What other forms have appeared of late? 11. How can you account for the large scale popularity of rock? Is it only an entertainment to young people or does rock music represent their values? 12. Why are some rock fans less interested in the music of the past? Can you think of any similar examples when people attracted by a new style of music forget about the past? 13. What do you know about videos? How do they affect music?
¯ What are your feelings about the following kinds of music? opera jazz rock-n-roll disco classical falk country pop
¯ Give your impressions of a concert (recital) you have recently attended. Use the topical vocabulary. Outline for giving impressions:
1. Type of event. 2. What orchestra, group performed? 3. Programme. Were the musical pieces well-known, popular, new, avant-guard, etc.? 4. Who was the conductor? 5. Was the event interesting and enjoyable in your opinion? ^. Name the soloists. 7. What did critics say about the event? Do you share their points of view? 8. What impression did the event make on you? Did you take a solemn oath never to attend one again?
¯ Imagine you have been to a concert. Write a report about the concert for your local newspaper. Give some details about the music, the musicians and the people in the audience.
¯ Check if you know the names and what you know about the musicians listed below: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Robert Schumann (1810-1856) Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin (1810-1849) Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Bela Bartok (1881-1945) Franz Liszt (1811-1886) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Charles Gounod (1818-1893) Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) Cole Porter (1891-1964) Richard Wagner (1813-1883) Sergei Rachmaninow (1873-1943) Johann Strauss (1825-) Hector Berlioz (1803-) Vincenzo Bellini (1801-) ¯ Prepare a report about one of the famous composers.
¯ Read the story and think up the continuation of Nick's dialogue with his mother.
(Nick tells his mother of his visit to a friend.)
Yesterday I spent a most wonderful evening with Peter and his family. Peter is so gifted. To begin with he speaks English like a born Englishman. He plays the piano, the accordion and what not. Besides, he knows all types of music that exist in the world. He is especially fond of folk music. Peter’s father has a large collection of all kinds of folk music, well, you know, European, Asian, African, there is even an album of Maori war dance music from New Zealand. Well, yesterday they had a big day. Somebody gave them a brand-new record of Scottish folk music. I can’t say I liked it at the very first hearing. When Peter saw how puzzled I look, he gave me a whole lecture of what Scottish music is. As a matter of fact the Scots have quite an original musical tradition. They like various wind instruments like horns, flutes, trumpets; but of course their national pride is the bagpipe. It seems improbable but they manage’ to play all sorts of music on the bagpipe, like military marches,. monotonous songs, lyric love songs and marvellous ballads of the past times. Some of these ballads are ancient, some are modern ones, but they are always tuneful and often vivacious. The musicians play by ear, or they may play by notes. Often the musician is the poet at the same time. He composes a poem and sets it to music, or better still he composes a poem while he is playing the tune. This is a tradition that goes back to Middle Ages to the famous Scottish bards who glorified the immortal Robert Bruce and the Beautiful Mary of the Stuarts, the Queen of Scots. I wouldn’t know it if Peter hadn’t told me. And believe it or not, I began to really like the Scottish music after I learned all this. Would you care to listen to it, Mummy?
¯ Discuss the following.
Phuoc Tien (‘Tony’ to his friends) lives in Melbourne, Australia. He is a very good dancer. He only listens to dance music. ‘If you can’t dance to it, what’s it for? I like Prince, Hammer, and quite a lot of good new bands, like Silverfish.’ Tony can’t go to discos, because he’s not old enough. But he and his friends do a lot of dancing. ‘Some of my friends have really nice parents. They just go out and leave us alone so we can make a bit of noise. Or sometimes we put our money together, buy some batteries for the cassette player, and go dancing in the park. That’s OK. Other kids join in, and you make new friends!’ Maggie, from London, isn’t very interested in the latest fashions in music.. She hasn’t got pictures of Silverfish on her bedroom wall. She doesn’t like rap or indie groups. She prefers her parents’ record collection, and she knows a lot about the history of rock:’ ‘My all-time greats are Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and The Beatles.’ Lee, from Liverpool, follows the latest fashions in music; if it’s not new, it’s no good. Two years ago a lot of American groups were doing really well. But that’s all finished, right? The only good music now is coming from new British bands like Primal Scream, Nine Inch Nails and Mega City Four. They’re Called ‘Indie’ bands. That meant ‘independent’ — not with big record companies like Polygram and EMI. But not many people appreciate them. Old people just think they’re dangerous.
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