At the beginning of the school year, I announced to my class of grade 4 and 5 students that we would be listening to a lot of classical music during the year. Eight of the students were in my class last year and simply smiled. One of them had grown to adore the music throughout the year.
One boy, whom I did not have as a student last year, looked at me and said: "No offense, but I won't like this music - ever." Over the last month, he has teased me a bit about the music I play - never crossing the line of being rude or disrespectful. He even likes to announce that he enjoys a piece to get my hopes up and then quickly retracts by saying "just kidding Madame!" We'll call this boy Robert. He becomes a key figure shortly!
Last year, we did some structured listening of classical music. I introduced the class to Peter and the Wolf and Carnival of the Animals. This year, however, with an older age group, I wanted to implement something even more structured. With Glenn Gould's 80th birthday being celebrated (and remembering the 30th anniversary of his far too early death in 1982), Bach has been on my mind and heart. Moreover, the Vancouver Recital Society opened their phenomenal 2012-2013 season with Andràs Schiff playing Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, Book One at the Chan Centre for Performing Arts at UBC. This was one of the most memorable recitals I have ever attended. I was so incredibly moved by Schiff's playing that I knew immediately what I was going to do for a formal music listening program in my classroom.
I was going to play one piece from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier each day for the students. I was going to play it in the morning at 9:30 - directly after silent reading.
Normally, I play classical music during silent reading. However, this would be a different experience. All of the students would gather on the carpet area and have to listen silently - as if in a concert experience. In order for this activity to be successful, I had to explain to the students what was expected of their bodies, minds, souls, and hearts while they listened to the recordings of Bach. The class was completely co-operative and I could feel the positive energy of the children enjoying the glorious music of the C Major Prelude and Fugue on day one.
Their faces were reflective during the Prelude. Some, as if by instinct, bowed their heads and seemed almost prayerful during the Prelude. Some whose heads had been bowed or eyes closed during the Prelude began to smile when the Fugue with its catchy dotted-rhythm subject began to play. Many of the students play piano or violin in my class so a few were able to explain what it meant for a piece to be in C Major. The next day, the students reminded me that it was "le temps d'écouter" (the time to listen) and that they wanted to hear the piano music! Imagine how thrilled I was that they were initiating the proposition of listening to the music.
As the Prelude in c minor, BWV 847 began to play, a young girl in my class caught my eyes and began smiling. She did not speak but there was something in her glance that indicated that she had heard this music before and that it had a special place in her young heart. Indeed, she politely waited until Gould had finished playing the fugue when she rose her hand to tell me that her older sister was learning this piece for her grade 9 RCM piano exam. As an educator, it is my distinct joy to see students connecting content from class with the life they experience outside of school. Knowing this girl and her sister's close relationship, I sensed that the music meant a lot to her.
The next day, I had to again be reminded that it was time for our daily Bach listening. Off to the carpet we went in search of C-Sharp Major. I showed them on a large piece of paper what the key signature of C-Sharp Major looks like on the grand staff. I explained the anomalies of E-sharp and B-sharp which led to a discussion of semitones. Nonetheless, I played Andràs Schiff's version of the Prelude and Fugue in C-Sharp Major (BWV 849) first. The joy that is contained in this piece is truly remarkable. Schiff does an excellent job on his new and highly-acclaimed ECM recording. Then, I had an idea. Why not compare his interpretation (which uses no pedal, by the way) with Glenn Gould's interpretation?
Gould's tempo is considerably faster than Schiff's and his articulation is crystal clear. You hear every blessed sixteenth note with absolute precision. The energy is frenetic and at any moment one feels as if Gould might spin completely out of control. Of course, it's Gould and he remains as steady as a rock. His gentle ending with rolled chords is simply ironic and delightful considering the ordered chaos that preceded it. From the very first note that Gould played in the Prelude, a grin of disbelief spread across my face and I could see that their was a sense of wonder in the students' eyes as well.
After Gould's wonderful and rhythmic interpretation of the Fugue had finished, the class burst into applause! Oh, if only Mr. Gould had been in the room with us. He is said to have loved children. I asked the class to consider the two very different versions of this piece that they had heard and to tell me which they preferred.
You will never guess whose hand shot up into the air. Yes, it was Robert. He said without hesitation. "It's the Canadian player. His playing is so exciting." The other children nodded and added their own accolades to Gould's playing. Some comments included: "The Canadian player's playing makes me feel like I'm running through a forest and being chased but I'll be all right in the end." Another boy stated that he preferred Gould simply by default because he was Canadian! (Honestly, who am I to argue with such patriotism?) A few students could not decide between the two great pianists. Finally, one girl mentioned that she preferred Schiff's playing because she could better keep track of the notes and it sounded less "busy." I really wonder what the class would have thought of this harpsichord version!
After what must have been ten minutes of focused discussion and debate, the class decided that both pianists were fine gentlemen indeed and that "Monsieur Bach" would have been happy to have heard them play. I was simply delighted that my class had participated in such a wonderful dialogue about classical music. Moreover, I was highly encouraged by the fact that one of the participants was a student who initially resisted the idea of listening to or enjoying classical music. Okay fine, I was more than encouraged. I was beaming.
Why did I choose the Well-Tempered Clavier as our listening? Firstly, why not? It's phenomenal music. Secondly, as I listened to Mr. Schiff perform all of Book 1, I realized what a journey it was to go through each key signature's emotional landscape. Bach's genius for creating harmonies and counterpoint is fully exposed in the writing of the fugues. Thirdly, and most importantly, I have many memories of these pieces. Not only have I learned some of these preludes and fugues for RCM piano exams, but my dear friends have performed them at their various recitals. I have the fondest recollections of hearing my friends play Bach at the University of Alberta for their performances that were a graduation requirement. During Mr. Schiff's concert, my heart ached for those people and for that time in my life that was so full of music. Now, instead of missing those places and those special people, I have a chance to create new memories of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier with my class of eager, co-operative, open-minded students. Instead of being sad that I do not have people who share music with me, I will share music with them.
I am thrilled that my class looks forward to our music sharing time. It is with eager anticipation that I look head to sharing the rest of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier. We are only on c-sharp minor in Book One which means that we have forty-four more preludes and fugues to hear! When I started this activity with the children, it was mainly to take a break from our hectic day and simply relax during what was an extremely busy week for both teacher and pupils. Nonetheless, this ten minute activity of listening to Bach's glorious music has become more than a relaxation technique. It has become a shared ritual which, like Bach's music, carries deep importance and meaning.
