Classical Music in Pictures Music in Pictures    

Lesson 21: Preludes, Op. 28 - No. 11 'The Dragonfly'

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's prelude, 'The Dragonfly,' evokes the joyous feeling of smoothly sailing through the air on a bright sunny day. You can picture a dragonfly soaring and hovering over an idyllic pond.

Vocabulary

Prelude: Short musical pieces that often introduce more complex pieces, although Chopin's preludes stand alone.
Dragonfly: A fast-flying long-bodied insect with two pairs of large transparent wings.
Joyous: Full of happiness and joy.
Sailing: Move smoothly and rapidly.

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, steady or changing?

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, Ambrosius Bosschaert's 'Flower Still Life'

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

• Pink Flowers
• Yellow Flowers
• White Flowers
• Flower Buds
• Bee
• Butterfly
• Dragonfly
• Wings
• Basket
• Table

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, Ambrosius Bosschaert's 'Flower Still Life'

Dutch painter Ambrosius Bosschaert painted many still lifes involving flowers, insects, and shells. 'Flower Still Life' features a basket of assorted flowers, a bee, a butterfly, and a dragonfly. A still life is a painting where the subjects are not in motion and are often posed or arranged.

Activity 4: Act Out the Music

Listen to the music. Can you imagine a dragonfly skimming over the water?

As you listen to the music, soar around like a dragonfly.

Review

Question 1

What is the title of the music?

1 / 3

Answer 1

The title is 'The Dragonfly.'

1 / 3

Question 2

Who composed the music?

2 / 3

Answer 2

The composer is Frédéric Chopin.

2 / 3

Question 3

Describe the motion of the dragonfly captured in this music.

3 / 3

Answer 3

The music captures the motion of a dragonfly soaring through the air.

3 / 3

❮ ❯

1. What is the title of the music? The title is 'The Dragonfly.'
2. Who composed the music? The composer is Frédéric Chopin.
3. Describe the motion of the dragonfly captured in this music. The music captures the motion of a dragonfly soaring through the air.

References

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

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