Note to Teachers: Parts of the content of these programs may be found, in many communities, to be inappropriate for classroom use because of references, consistent with the era, portraying sexual, political, and violent lyrics and acts. Many sections, however, provide educational content to enhance the music and interdisciplinary curriculum. Please review this program before presenting it to your students and choose sections that enhance your curriculum and are acceptable for use in your classroom the culture of its decade. The popular music of the 80's reflected both a culture focused on conspicuous consumption and wealth as well as a generation addressing social change with the emergence of concerts and albums to raise money for famines in Africa and the economic plight of America's farmers.
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Behind
the Music 2000
VH1 Music Studio
Cable in the Classroom
Lessons for Middle and High School Music Classes
(Lessons can be adapted based on the level of students)
Lesson 1
Influences on Musical Styles |
Objectives
- Students will discuss music of other eras
- Students will discuss the influence of elements such as politics,
social events, etc. on music of the time
- Students will discuss the cause and effect of musical diversity
National Standards 6, 9 - Listening to, analyzing, and describing
music; Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Materials
- VHS VCR Player
- Television
- VH1 Behind the Music 2000, start at beginning of video, cut before
comments by Frank Lang
- Web-based lesson materials
- Teacher selected excerpts of recordings representative of various
eras in music, such as:
- Renaissance (Palestrina, Tallis, Monteverdi, Byrd, etc.)
- Baroque (Vivaldi, Handel, Bach, etc.)
- Classical (Mozart, Beethoven, etc.)
- Romantic (Faure, Debussy, etc.)
- Teacher selected excerpts of recordings of pop music from the year
2000 (i.e. Madonna, Jewel, Sting, etc.)
Procedures
- Play selected recordings of Renaissance, Baroque, etc. music in
the background as students enter the classroom
- As students take their seats, ask them to comment on the music that
has been playing. Who are the composers, and during which era were
the pieces written?
- Ask students how they might have found out about the Renaissance,
Baroque, etc. styles of music being played when they entered the room
had they lived in the time period during which the music was composed.
- Ask students to think about the year 2000 and recall some of the
pop artists to whom they listened. Ask students how they found out
about this music. Was it through the radio? Word of mouth? Television?
Live performances? Other means?
- Explain to students that various influences affect the styles of
music that are created and become popular (social events, political
events, personal experiences, technology, etc.) Create a chart such
as the following to be completed throughout the lesson:
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Influence
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Era
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Era
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Era
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Era
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Politics
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Society
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Technology
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Audience
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Styles
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NOTE: This lesson could easily be adapted for interdisciplinary use
by working in conjunction with history or humanities teachers. Musical
selections may be chosen to correspond to the time period(s) students
have, or are currently studying.
- Choose a genre of earlier music (baroque, classical, etc.), and
add it to the chart. Play selected excerpt from recording of music
for that style. Lead students in a discussion about the type of lifestyle
that would have been typical of that era, and fill in the chart. If
interdisciplinary elements of the lesson are being used, ask students
to recall what they learned about this time period in their History/Social
Studies class. Was the political structure as complicated? Were people's
lives complicated? What was the woman's role in society? What
technological or other means were available for disseminating music?
What audience might the composers have been able to reach?
- To complete the "Styles" squares in the chart, ask students
to list the various styles of music that may have been in existence
during that era. Suggest to students that the music they heard in
the recording was the "pop" music of the era. What type
of music might have been less "mainstream" (folk, wandering
minstrels, etc.)?
- Choose another genre of classical music, chronologically later than
the previous selection, play an excerpt, and repeat the discussion.
When filling in the chart, add the musical styles from the previous
genre to the current list, explaining to students that those styles
of music are still in existence, despite the emergence of new music.
What changes took place from one era to the next?
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Ask students to comment on the ways in which changes
(politically, socially, technologically, etc.) over the generations
have contributed to changes in music. (See History of Rock and Roll
lesson "Influences of Technological Advances on Popular Music" @
http://www.vh1musicstudio.com/supplies/specials/rr-history-7.html,
for additional resources.) Use the following as needed:
Our music mirrors us. It emerges from the social
fabric of our culture to speak directly to all our differences.
Taken piecemeal, it can be narrow in scope and limited in how well
it reflects us. Taken collectively, it provides a fairly accurate
picture of American life today. As our culture has become more visual,
so too has our music. As we have become more urbanized, our music
has changed to serve the dynamic juxtaposition of different ethnic
groups, classes, and lifestyles that abound in our cities. As our
culture has become more global, our music has absorbed and combined
musical elements from many cultures. Popular and classical music
have both reached out to communicate to a broader public, particularly
the younger generation, in all its variety.
Our music is becoming more democratized. In the vast diversity of
its styles it tries to accommodate everybody. The conglomeration
of people has produced an abundance of musical styles. No group
seems to be left out. There is something for everybody, and people
generally seek out their own musical common denominator. It is a
paradox of today's music that it reflects our narrow and separate
individualities and, at the same time, our broad and cosmopolitan
oneness.
Excerpted from Music! Its Role and Importance in Our Lives,
by Charles Fowler
- Draw students' attention to the earlier discussion about types
of music popular in year 2000, and tell them that they are now going
to view as segment of the VH1 program, "Behind The Music 2000."
Ask the students to make note of at least three popular music styles
and what the commentators say influenced the creation and popularity
of the music, and be prepared to discuss after viewing the video.
- Show Behind the Music 2000, starting at beginning of video, cutting
before comments by Frank Lang
- Ask students to identify the styles of music popular in 2000 that
were discussed in the program, create a "2000 era" column
on the chart, and add the styles. Play musical excerpts for students,
and complete the chart by discussing the political atmosphere of the
time, trends in society, technological developments, etc., as well
as the audience that could be reached and the various styles of music.
(Remember to carry the previous style list on to each era that follows.)
- Lead students in an analysis of the chart they have completed.
a. How has the political atmosphere changed (broadening of
political arena, expansion into world politics)? Has it become more
complex (numerous issues, many cultures)? How have the issues diversified?
Has this influenced the variety of music that is produced and becomes
popular?
b. How have society and the accepted norms changed? Have the
levels of economic status changed or broadened? How are women accepted
in society? In what ways have people and society diversified?
c. Discuss technological advancements and how they directly
affect the dissemination of musical styles and the audience that can
be reached. How does today's technology allow for broader recognition
of artists and their music? How does this help diversify music?
d. How do the elements of the chart sum up to an increase in
the number of musical styles? Why does each era also include the musical
influences of the eras before?
- In the video, differing ideas are expressed about the appeal of
pop music. Some feel that certain generations are "left out",
while others enjoy the many options available in music. Discuss this
thought with students.
- Explain to students that musical styles and choices are not limited
by the popular music of the day, and the music of previous generations
is still being performed and listened to in other arenas. Ask students
to list all styles of music that come to mind, encouraging them to
think outside the realm of pop music. Acceptable answers that might
not have been considered previously include: jazz, gospel, classical
(early music, vocal, instrumental, contemporary, etc.), musical theater,
new age, ethnic, dance, etc.
VH1, in partnership with Cable in
the Classroom, collaborated with
MENC: The National Association for Music Education to develop this series
of lessons.
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