Classical Music in Pictures Music in Pictures    

Lesson 19: Preludes, Op. 28 - No. 7 'The Polish Dancer'

by Frédéric Chopin

Performer: Ivan Ilic

Directions

Study the musical selection for one week.

Over the week:

• Each day, listen to the musical selection.
• Read the synopsis.
• Review the vocabulary terms.
• Read about the composer and practice reciting his or her name and the composition title.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Study the review questions.

Synopsis

Written between 1835 and 1839, Chopin's 24 Preludes, Op. 28, are a set of short piano compositions. Preludes are short musical pieces that often introduce more complex pieces. When Chopin wrote the Preludes, which are stand-alone versus introducing other pieces, critics criticized them for being too short and lacking structure. Chopin was from Poland, and many of his works were based on traditional Polish dance (mazurkas). You can imagine the precise steps and graceful swirls of dancers as you listen to this prelude.

Vocabulary

Prelude: Short musical pieces that often introduce more complex pieces, although Chopin's preludes stand alone.
Poland: A country in central Europe.
Polish: Of or from Poland.

Composer

1. Frédéric Chopin was born in 1810 near Warsaw, Poland. See his picture below.

2. Zoom in and find Chopin's country of birth on the map of Europe below.

3. Chopin started piano lessons at an early age. It quickly became obvious that he was a child prodigy. By the time he was seven, Chopin gave concerts and wrote his first two piano compositions.
4. In his early thirties, Chopin suffered from serious health problems. He died of an unknown illness in 1849 at the age of 39.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Describe the Music

Listen to the music, and close your eyes and let yourself imagine. What do you picture as you listen to the music?

• After listening to the music, describe and discuss what you heard.
• Is the tempo of the music fast or slow? Do you image dancers moving in a slow, dignified manner or a lively, energetic manner?

Read the list of adjectives. Select those that describe the music or think up additional adjectives.

• Cheerful
• Mournful
• Soft
• Noisy
• Vivacious
• Soothing
• Eerie
• Threatening
• Surreal
• Whimsical
• Rhythmic
• Grand

Activity 2: Study the Painting, Korneli Szlegel's 'Polonaise Under the Sky'

As you listen to the music, find the following in the painting:

• Harp
• Ladies
• Gentlemen
• Fans
• Dress
• Flowering Plant
• Log
• Sword
• Huts

After you study the painting, narrate the scene shown in the painting aloud using your own words.

Describe how the painting relates to the music.

Activity 3: Read About the Painting, Korneli Szlegel's 'Polonaise Under the Sky'

The painting 'Polonaise Under the Sky' by Korneli Szlegel shows a gathering of well-dressed people dancing the Polonaise, a common dance of the time, outside on a lovely day. A woman strums a harp, and a man plays a flute.

Review

Question 1

What is the title of the music?

1 / 3

Answer 1

The title is 'The Polish Dancer.'

1 / 3

Question 2

Who composed the music?

2 / 3

Answer 2

The composer is Frédéric Chopin.

2 / 3

Question 3

Where was Frédéric Chopin from?

3 / 3

Answer 3

Frédéric Chopin was from Poland.

3 / 3

❮ ❯

1. What is the title of the music? The title is 'The Polish Dancer.'
2. Who composed the music? The composer is Frédéric Chopin.
3. Where was Frédéric Chopin from? Frédéric Chopin was from Poland.

References

'Frédéric Chopin.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Preludes (Chopin).' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.