Thesis for History and Music Exams

Give us as much information as possible:

what school is it?

What are the other topics you will cover in your thesis?

What musical passions do you have?

Could you speak about the relationship between German composers/musicians and the Nazi regime, or how the Nazi regime appropriated the music of Beethoven, Brahms, Liszt, and especially Wagner.

Another proposal could be to talk about some conductors and how they lived through the war years (see Toscanini or Furtwängler or someone else).

For playing, something relevant could be Shostakovich's seventh symphony, which was composed during the siege of Leningrad.

This is obviously in general

... how does Shostakovich's seventh sound on the piano?!

thallo wrote:

... how does Shostakovich's seventh sound on the piano?!

But of course they won't play it... then it won't be mandatory to play ... and frankly I don't even know how productive it would be

but then why on earth did you tell him/her?!?!

Videoclip wrote:

You could talk about the relationship between German composers/musicians and the Nazi regime, or how the Nazi regime appropriated the music of Beethoven, Brahms, Liszt, and especially Wagner.

Another proposal could be to talk about some conductors and how they lived through the war years (see Toscanini or Furtwängler or someone else).

As for playing something, something relevant could be Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony, which was composed during the Siege of Leningrad.

This is obviously in general

Thanks for the ideas

I found this one for Shostakovich, I hope it's okay.

http://www.4shared.com/document/MbLNoibd/Shostakovich_Symphony_No7__Len.htm?aff=7637829

Videoclip wrote:

i don't even know how productive it is

...don't you think playing is a good idea?

thallo wrote:

Give us as much information as possible:

what school is it?

What are the other topics you will cover in your thesis?

What musical passions do you have?

And it's for middle school, I have a lot of freedom. I like history and I wanted to combine something with music.

I really like Chopin and Beethoven

It seemed like it was for high school.

I raise my hands, I have no idea what middle school curricula might be like

Tommaso wrote:

It's for middle school, I have a lot of freedom. I like history and I wanted to pair it with something involving music.

I really like Chopin and Beethoven

In principle, I agree with Thallo. However, I don't see great connections with Chopin and Beethoven (except regarding the performers).

The discussion can be extended immensely... it would be useful to know what you discussed in your music education class.

Of course, if he had attended a high school of ideas, there would be those who would have proposed them in large quantities. What does the level of education have to do with the relationship between music and the Second World War?

Excuse me, but one cannot suggest independently... it will then be Tommaso who evaluates (and I hope with his professor). He probably needs to have ideas that he could not reach on his own... and I doubt that a literature teacher can help him all the way, right?

For me, the performance is a detail; perhaps when talking about middle school it can even be appreciated. As long as they don't pass on concepts like....I play something sad because war is sad or similar nonsense

Videoclip wrote:

Of course, if he had attended

...

What does the level of education have to do with the relationship between music and the Second World War?

it makes no sense for a thirteen-year-old to listen to music written in the concentration camps, for example; it would be too complex, not at all relevant to his curriculum, and would probably be complex even for his music teacher.

... I suspect you don't know much about pedagogy, do you ...

Excuse me, but one cannot suggest independently ... it will then be up to Tommaso to evaluate (and I hope with his professor).

everyone with their own conscience. If Tommaso had a professor worthy of the name, he wouldn't have even come to the forum; he would have asked and received advice directly from him.

That being said, I do not know the third-year middle school curricula well enough to give real advice. Basically, I believe that the third-year middle school exam should not be too "complicated"; I don't think it is fundamental to ask for this kind of opinion on a forum; it is much better to ask one's own Music teacher or one's own piano teacher. Preparation for an exam for a thirteen-year-old should not be "so" autonomous; it should be guided by teachers and strictly connected to the curriculum.

Tommaso wrote:

I am new (congratulations on the forum), I have to write a thesis for my exams this year and I have chosen to talk about the Second World War.

I can't manage to find connections with music; could someone suggest something to me?

Also, since I play the piano, I would like to play something classical for my professor, but I wouldn't know what.

What do you say? Am I a hopeless case?

I suggest you leave the performance aside and try to take a look at Brundibar by Hans Krása. It is a small opera that was written in the Theresienstadt concentration camp and performed by children. The subject is a fairy tale, so nothing scandalous, but it is important that music was used to alleviate the stay of many very young people in the concentration camp. There are also some recordings: the music is really simple and the story is funny. It could be an idea.

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brundibar

Bye! Good luck with your exam.

Carlos wrote:

I suggest you leave the performance alone and try to take a look at Brundibar by Hans Krása. It is a little opera that was written in the Theresienstadt concentration camp and staged by children. The subject is a fairy tale, so nothing scandalous, but it is important that music was used to alleviate the stay of many very young people in the concentration camp. There are also some recordings: the music is truly simple and the story funny. It could be an idea.

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brundibar

Bye! Good luck with the exam.

Thanks Carlos :D :D

Effectively, facing that symphony I felt like I was facing a mountain; you are the second person to tell me not to play... so perhaps it is not a good idea.

thallo wrote:

If Tommaso had a professor worthy of the name, he wouldn't have even come to the forum; he would have asked and received advice directly from him.

In reality, I haven't spoken to him about this idea yet; it is not mandatory that it includes music. However, it seems to me that Carlos's intervention has given me a little hope... even if perhaps I cannot succeed in very difficult things, it can always be useful to learn new things. I didn't even know there was a composer named Shostakovich... in fact, if someone wanted to tell me how to pronounce it, I would avoid looking like an idiot too.

If you don't know Shostakovich, I deduce that you have done very little regarding twentieth-century music... so evaluate very carefully the opportunity of bringing something to class that you haven't covered!

I wasn't aware of the work Carlos pointed out; Schoenberg's A Survivor from Warsaw also comes to mind to make a thematic connection.

Melita wrote:

If you don't know Shostakovich, I deduce that you have done very little regarding twentieth-century music... so evaluate very carefully the opportunity of bringing something to class that you haven't already covered!

He is in eighth grade and he's not even in conservatory... In middle school, I used to play «Brother Sun, Sister Moon» on the recorder, come on...

Melita wrote:

I wasn't aware of the opera that Carlos pointed out; Schoenberg's A Survivor from Warsaw also comes to mind to make a thematic connection.

The "opera" I pointed out is a little opera that was intended for the children of a concentration camp and played by the musicians who were prisoners in that camp. It was sung by children and modeled on their abilities. That is why I suggested it to our friend, who, I repeat, is in eighth grade. I believe that "A Survivor from Warsaw" would be a somewhat exaggerated hurdle (and not just for him...).

PS Shostakovich is pronounced "Shos-ta-ko-vich"

I like you guys, what can I do about it... well done!

It's a bit OT, but the little opera reported by Carlos reminded me of Paul Hindemith and his educational works such as “Opera scolastica per insieme strumentale” from 1927, ”Musiche da cantare e suonare per dilettanti e musicofili” from 1931, and “Costruiamo una città” from 1930, a little opera for children.

Only that I don't actually know them, except by reputation... does anyone know them directly?