instrumental music that aims to represent something non-musical, such as a story, picture, scene, idea or emotion

a self-contained section of a large-scale musical composition, like a chapter in a book

lines, shapes, colours and symbols that represent the flow of the music

Eric Whitacre’s term to describe a small musical idea that is the core building block on which the whole piece is built

Check for understanding A

British English CC

Check for understanding B

Check for understanding C

Task B - Golden Brick example piece - audio

Composing programme music with a 'golden brick'

Music

Introducing programme music

The golden ratio and music

Inspired by Earth Choir

In this unit, pupils are introduced to the term, programme music. They study the programme music symphonic work, Deep Field, by Eric Whitacre and use this as their inspiration for composing, considering structuring around the golden ratio and the use of small music ideas called golden bricks.

Compose and create: cosmic programme music

Eric Whitacre discovers a {{}} and then uses this to create a whole piece.

Using a __________ can help us focus our listening and understand the journey of a piece of music.

{{}} music is music that has been inspired by something non-musical. For example, a story or a piece of artwork.

someone who plays in front of an audience

This is a French horn. Which family of instruments does it belong to?

the combination of different layers of sounds

the pattern of sounds and silences that we play and sing

the way the music is organised, ordering different sections of a piece

Match the musical element to its definition.

A __________ is a large-scale musical composition with distinct movements (usually four).

Starter Quiz

What is a composer?