The History of Classical Music

Some of the music pieces discussed during the course include Almira, The Marriage of Figaro, The Prayer, and Dog Waltz which were composed by George Frideric Handel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, David Forester, and Frederic Chopin respectively. George Frideric Handel remains of the few famous baroque music composers of the 1600 to 1750 period (CMUSE par. 1). Handel’s love for music began during his childhood but his father adamantly opposed the idea of him pursuing music as a career. Handel’s father wanted his son to venture into something different but despite thwarting his son’s music talent, Handel continued learning music with the support of his mother (CMUSE par. 3). Handel’s success in music sprout after meeting Duke Johann Adolf, who was amazed by Handel’s talent and encouraged his father to hire Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow  who was a composer from young Handel’s local church. Zachow, instructed Handel how to play instruments and compose songs. The instructor also introduced Handel to different Italian and German Musicians so that he could learn more (CMUSE par. 5). Since then, Handel has composed several pieces of music including Almira, which been performed in several theatres throughout Europe.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a child prodigy born in 1756 and began to compose minuets and symphonies at the age of 5 and 9 respectively (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Biography par. 1). Mozart commissioned his first Pera known as Mitridate, Re Di Ponto at the age of 14, which remained one of the most significant achievements of the composer’s life. Mozart toured Europe and performed alongside his sister, which boosted his confidence tremendously. Mozart not only played the violin or composed songs but went further to surprise his family by learning to play the violin virtuoso (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Biography par. 1-2). Mozart also composed Marriage of Figaro, which became a successful hit but like many musicians, the composer had little financial knowledge that led him to debt because of poor planning. Mozart’s success also influenced Emperor Joseph II to hire him as the court’s sole composer, who played for the Emperor’s distinguished guests as a form of entertainment (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Biography par. 7). Overall, even though Mozart was a child prodigy, he practiced consistently to improve his craft and gained fame.

The 1949 Canadian born composer, musician, David Foster is famously known for working with successful artists such as Toni Braxton, Celine Dion, and Groban (The Story of David Foster par. 5). Foster is one of the 1900’s composer and his love for music has helped him succeed in his career. Foster’s loved music from a young age and worked hard to achieve his success as an illustrious composer. One of Foster's music pieces includes The Prayer, which has been performed by different artists including Celine Dion and Josh Groban. Foster enjoys carrying out charitable works to meet the needs of poor people, which led to the establishment of the Foster Foundation (The Story of David Foster par. 10). The composer has won approximately 16 Grammy Awards for his excellence and hope to receive more in the future (The Story of David Foster par. 6).

Frederic Chopin is another renowned composer of the Romantic Period: 1820-1900. Music of this era is considered expressive, orchestral, and dramatic, which was Chopin’s interest. Chopin was born in 1810, and during his childhood, he spent time watching folk songs and dances because it fascinated him and the experience influenced his music career (Bidnyuk and Tarasyuk par. 1). Chopin parents enrolled him at Conservatory composition class because of his talent and wanted to help him nurture it and become a professional in the future. Chopin’s instructor realized that the young Chopin mastered the art of playing the virtuoso and emerged as a classical composer, with impressive compositions of his own (Bidnyuk and Tarasyuk par. 3). One of Chopin’s compositions includes “Dog Waltz” which has been performed in various locations (Bidnyuk and Tarasyuk par. 4). Therefore, the history of Chopin depicted his s a music genius of his era, who used music to influence other people’s lives and earn an income.

Teaching Classical music in General

Classical music has existed for decades possible between the 1600s- 1920s. Persons who compose or play classical music rely on homophonic melodies mainly produced by instrumentals. Classical music exists in different forms including opera, Aria, chamber music, or concerto. Teaching classical music in the 21st century because most people in today’s generation have little to no knowledge of the music type following the transition to other types of music such as afro-beat.  Moreover, classical music is considered therapeutic, which explains why several dignitaries, accomplished personnel, or older adults listen to classical music as opposed to modern music, which is mostly loud. Different education institutions incorporate classical music in general education, and the approach has led to different cases of success among educators and students.

Educators use classical music in general education to welcome students to class. For example, education institution comprises of students from different backgrounds and teachers may not know about their private lives unless they learners talk about them freely. The challenges experienced by learners differ, and sometimes their problematic situations may cause emotional damage. In such a case, teachers use classical music to help their students encounter a calm and peaceful environment as they prepare for their morning sessions. Even though the music may not solve their problems, it could help reduce it by calming their nerves and helping them forget their troubles. For example, teachers can play The Hour or Etudes as examples of classical music that enhance a calming environment.

Teachers use classical music to inform learners about drama and other performance arts. Classical music and instrumentals are used significantly in theaters. Students who pursue or want to study theater in the future may use this platform to understand the requirements and expectations of theater performance. Classical music also supports dramatization of ideas while communicating or discussing a social problem to the viewers. Consequently, it shows that teachers can help such students become a better version of themselves with the help of classical music.

Teachers also use classical music to train learners who want to become singers or composers. Some students may want to learn or improve their singing talent, but they may not have the resources outside of the school to perfect their craft. In such a case, teachers can use classical music such as an Opera to help the learners understand different music notes and pitches. It also helps them identify their vocal ranges because the composers created such music for professional performers. Consequently, such a strategy can apply to all education levels depending on music learners identify their skills and can craft it in different stages of their lives.

Educators can use classical music to help students concentrate and study well. Some students may sleep in a quiet room because of the dull atmosphere. Even though some individuals argue that music distracts people’s attention, it can be argued that the choice of music can either divert or increase levels of concentration. In such a case, some teachers encourage students to create smooth classical music instruments and play them on the background with very low volume as it prompts the “Mozart Effect.” Such an effect calms the brain and motivates a learner’s mood to study longer and more productively.

Finally, educators can use classical music to educate university students how to be creative. For example, persons interested in the production of movies should learn different types of music including the classical ones such that they can identify a suitable choice to incorporate in a movie as a soundtrack. Experimenting with classical music can help such students improve their critical thinking performance, which can be useful not only in film production but also in other aspects of life.

Incorporate a Piece of Music into a Lesson Plan for a General Education Class

There exist different types of pieces of music that have existed since time immemorial. Example of pieces of music includes Allegro, opera or cantata. People who chose to play allegro music should understand that it is sung or played quickly. For example, “Self-Destruction” and “Someone Else” are examples of Allegro music that teachers can incorporate in their lesson plan to for a general education class. I would include it as an afternoon activity before starting the lesson because most students feel sleepy after eating lunch and such a feeling could impact their attention. The learning objective includes of incorporating allegro music would be to exercise the body and mind for an active for the afternoon lesson. Students can demonstrate their response to the music by dancing to the beats or singing the lyrics as they mimic the singer.

Another piece of music suitable for general education is the Opera. I believe that most students do not enjoy opera because they lack an understanding of the music and its significance in different aspects of life. I would incorporate the piece into a lesson plan when teaching different musical notes. Some examples of opera music pieces that I would consider include the Flower Duet and the Marriage of Figaro. I will take the music pieces to train the learners how to differentiate various notes on the violin or piano by practicing the aloud.

Moreover, I will use the Marriage of Figaro to teach theater performance. For example, the opera allows the inclusion of Aria, which refers to a piece performed by a solo artist and focuses on exhibiting the characters emotion as part of the performance. The learning objective of using Opera music will include boosting learners’ confidence while performing for a crowd and enhance their understanding of the different notes. Students will benefit from the music because they will learn performing tactics and perfect their vocals or strengthen their skills of playing the instruments. The students should participate voluntarily since continues practice improves performance. Overall, I believe that this active learning strategy will increase student performance levels in other areas of their lives.

Works Cited

Bidnyuk, Anna and Tarasyuk, Elena. Frederic Chopin: Some Facts from the Life of a Genius.

National Technical University of Ukraine, 2015, https://kpi.ua/en/node/10277. Accessed 6 December 2018.

CMUSE. Handel Biography-History of George Frideric Handel, 2018,

https://www.cmuse.org/handel-biography-george-frideric-handel-composer-history/ Accessed 5 December 2018

The Story of David Foster. David Foster, 2017, http://davidfoster.com/story/ Accessed 6

            December 2018

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Biography. Kentucky Opera, 2016, https://kyopera.org/ovations-

            wolfgang-amadeus-mozart-biography/ Accessed 6 December 2018