THEME AND VARIATIONS FRRE JACQUES Starts on C

THEME AND VARIATIONS

FRÈRE JACQUES • Starts on C • Work out how to play it • Why can’t you start on the lowest C? Can you work out how to play Frère Jacques by ear?

TEXTURE and HARMONIC variation FRÈRE JACQUES • Can you make an accompaniment using tonic and dominant notes? • Can you make an accompaniment using tonic and dominant chords? Can you add an accompaniment using tonic and dominant?

HARMONIC variation PLAY FRERE JACQUES IN D MINOR • Start on D. Remember to use Bb (B flat) not B.

MAHLER: SYMPHONY NO. 1 • This is from Symphony No. 1 by Gustav Mahler (1860 -1911) • What has Mahler done to Frère Jacques to make it sound different? Can you identify how a composer has varied theme?

RECREATING MAHLER’S VARIATION • Start on D to play Frère Jacques in D minor. You will need to use Bb • Where are there extra notes/altered rhythms? • Make an ostinato from tonic and dominant notes • Play as a round • Think about how you will build up the texture • Can you add the oboe countermelody? This is Frere Jacques in C major – you need to play it in D minor! Can you recreate Mahler’s version of Frère Jacques?

INTERVALS • Count the note you are starting from as 1. Then just count up or down to the other note, i. e. D = 1 so B = 6 • We call this interval a sixth (not a 6!) Can you calculate the interval between two notes?

TEXTURE variation PLAYING FRÈRE JACQUES IN PARALLEL MOTION • Play Frère Jacques in double layers • Experiment with different intervals • Which ones do you like/dislike? Can you play Frère Jacques in parallel motion?

TEXTURE variation CONTRARY MOTION • Contrary motion is the opposite of parallel motion • The parts are going in opposite directions. • Can you make a mirror-image version of Frère Jacques? Can you play Frère Jacques in contrary motion?

TEXTURE variation PARALLEL AND CONTRARY MOTION • Contrary motion: parts going in opposite directions • Parallel motion: parts going in the same direction Always the same distance (interval) apart Can you play Frère Jacques in parallel and contrary motion? Frère Jacques notes CDEC x 2 EFG x 2 GAGFEC x 2 CGC x 2

RHYTHMIC variation METRE CHANGE • Make a triple-time tonic-dominant accompaniment that goes C-G-G • Can you then adapt Frère Jacques to fit over the top? Can you play Frère Jacques in triple time?

Can you make a variation on Frère Jacques using some (or all) of these techniques? Texture variation Notes for F. Jacques: CDEC x 2 EFG x 2 GAGFEC x 2 C low. G C x 2 CONTRARY MOTION ACCOMPANIMENT CALL & RESPONSE PARALLEL MOTION ROUND DYNAMICS TEMPO Harmonic variation ACCOMPANIMENT MAJOR/MINOR ADD NOTES SEQUENCE Melodic variation TRIPLE TIME Rhythmic variation CHANGE RHYTHMS

Assessment Plan your variations using the sheet Can you create at least two contrasting variations on Frère Jacques?

1 Can you identify which techniques are used in each example? TEMPO Texture variation 2 COUNTERMELODY CONTRARY MOTION CALL & RESPONSE ACCOMPANIMENT ROUND PARALLEL MOTION DYNAMICS Harmonic variation ADD NOTES SEQUENCE ACCOMPANIMENT INVERSION MAJOR/MINOR RETROGRADE Melodic variation TRIPLE TIME Rhythmic variation CHANGE RHYTHMS

• Did you get it right? • Variation 1: minor key, accompaniment, call and response, parallel motion • Variation 2: triple time, accompaniment, changed rhythm, contrary motion, added notes • Notice how both these variations use quite a few techniques at once. This is what you need to do!

MELODIC variation PLAYING FRÈRE JACQUES IN A SEQUENCE • Take one bar of Frère Jacques, either in C major or D minor • Repeat it, moving it up or down one note each time • Can you play it in parallel motion and in a sequence, at the same time? Can you play Frère Jacques in a sequence?

INVERSION • Inversion is where you take out the original version of the melody, and leave behind the upside-down version • Can you make an inversion of Frère Jacques? Can you play Frère Jacques in inversion?

! c i s u So what does ‘retro’ actually mean? t s It’ s he e am m in ‘In past times’ or ‘backwards’

RETROGRADE • Try playing Frère Jacques backwards. • The last note will be first and the first note will be last! Can you play Frère Jacques in retrograde?

DEFINITIONS The melody everything is based on Changing theme to make it sound different A repeating rhythm or melody The 1 st and 5 th notes (or chords) of the key you are in Two notes at a time: always the same distance apart Repeating a little tune up or down one note each time Moving in opposite directions Play the tune upside down Play the tune backwards An extra tune on top

TEMPO Can you make variations on Frère Jacques using some (or all) of these techniques? Texture variation Notes for F. Jacques: CDEC x 2 EFG x 2 GAGFEC x 2 C low. G C x 2 COUNTERMELODY CONTRARY MOTION CALL & RESPONSE ACCOMPANIMENT ROUND PARALLEL MOTION DYNAMICS Harmonic variation ADD NOTES SEQUENCE ACCOMPANIMENT INVERSION MAJOR/MINOR RETROGRADE Melodic variation TRIPLE TIME Rhythmic variation CHANGE RHYTHMS

• Have you…. • Got two or three variations • Used dynamics? • Done something interesting with tempo? • Got one major and one minor variation? • Got one variation in triple time – and one that isn’t?