Delve into the expressive elements of music and how they come together to convey ideas. These videos address tempo, dynamics, pitch, major and minor, and other ways to create mood and action. Click through each episode for full lesson plans.

MUSICAL OPPOSITES: TEMPO AND DYNAMICS

CHOPIN Prelude in E Minor, op. 28, no. 4 / Etude in C Minor, op. 25, no. 12 “Ocean”| MUSSORGSKY Ballet of Unhatched Chicks in Their Shells / The Great Gate at Kiev

We’ve learned a little about pitch—let’s learn more about music’s other building blocks, tempo and dynamics, in this episode!

MUSICAL OPPOSITES: PITCH

SAINT-SÄENS Bassoon Sonata in G Major, op. 168, mvt 1

How low can you go? Meet the bassoon, the lowest member of the woodwind family, in this episode!

DANCING SNOW

DEBUSSY "The Snow is Dancing" from Children's Corner

Can you hear the snow dancing? Find out how a composer can leave specific instructions to make special sounds on the piano!

SLEIGH RIDE

TCHAIKOVSKY "Troika" from The Seasons, op. 37b / ANDERSON Sleigh Ride

Join Buddy and friends on two different sleigh rides pulled by different animals!

THE PIANO TAKES FLIGHT: INSECTS

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Flight of the Bumblebee / SCRIABIN Etude in F-sharp Major, op. 42, no. 3 (“Mosquito”)

Buddy and friends explore how music can buzz and fly like these pesky insects!

THE PIANO TAKES FLIGHT: BIRDS & BUTTERFLIES

GRIEG “Butterfly” from Lyric Pieces, op. 43 / SCHUMANN “Bird as Prophet” from Waldszenen (“Forest Scenes”), op. 82

Buddy shows us how tempo and pitch can give the piano wings in this episode featuring two special guests.

TWO PUPPETS

RACHMANINOV Polichinelle, op. 3, no. 4 / VILLA-LOBOS O Polichinelo

Join Buddy and friends as they use tempo and more to demonstrate two very different puppet characters taking part in a race.

PICTURES YOU CAN HEAR: GNOMES

MUSSORGSKY "The Gnome" from Pictures at an Exhibition

What would music about gnomes sound like? Are the gnomes in this music nimble, lazy, or scared? 

HOW MANY HANDS: RACING DONKEYS

SAINT-SAËNS "Hermiones" from Carnival of the Animals

Two donkeys are off to a race! How fast can Buddy and his friend Evan play the piano? Who will be the winner?

PICTURES YOU CAN HEAR: THE OXCART

MUSSORGSKY “Oxcart” from Pictures at an Exhibition

Find out how pitch, tempo, and dynamics can show an animal at work! How heavy is his cart?

http://https://vimeo.com/500074485

FOOTSTEPS IN THE SNOW

DEBUSSY Footsteps in the Snow

Join Buddy as he explains how composers can describe a snowy scene through tempo and rests.

THE CAT AND THE MOUSE

COPLAND The Cat and the Mouse

Learn how tempo and articulation create character and action in this musical cartoon. You decide how it ends!

PICTURES YOU CAN HEAR: BABY CHICKS

MUSSORGSKY "Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks"

Explore how pitch, dynamics, and tempo create music of the baby chicks dancing inside their shells!

PICTURES YOU CAN HEAR: CONVERSATION

MUSSORGSKY "Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuÿle"

Meet two gentlemen with contrasting personalities as they have a musical conversation.