By: Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
Week: 1
Lessons group musical instruments into five major categories: strings, keyboards, percussion, woodwinds, and brass. While Under the Home's second grade music lessons focused on strings, keyboards, and percussion, third grade features woodwinds and brass. Lessons first cover woodwind instruments, which musicians play by blowing to vibrate air within tubes. The next four weeks highlight a woodwind instrument called a flute. Flutists play by blowing across an opening to cause the air inside the flute to vibrate. Unlike other types of woodwinds, such as clarinets, flutes have no reed. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Flute Sonata in A Minor, H. 562,' by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, features a solo flute. As you enjoy the music, absorb the sounds of the flute. The Japanese woodblock print featured in this lesson entitled 'Young Man Playing Flute,' by Japanese artist, Suzuki Harunobu, features a Japanese man in traditional garb playing the flute.
By: Jules Demersseman
Week: 2
This lesson continues the study of the flute, a woodwind instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Fantaisie Originale, Op. 43,' by Jules Demersseman, features the flute. As you enjoy the music, identify the sounds of the flute. If desired, review the sound of the lone solo flute playing in Lesson 1.
By: Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
Week: 3
This lesson continues the study of the flute, a woodwind instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Flute Sonata in B Flat Major, H. 552,' by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, features the flute. As you enjoy the music, identify the sounds of the flute. If desired, review the sound of the lone solo flute playing in Lesson 1.
By: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Week: 4
This lesson completes the study of the flute, a woodwind instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'The Magic Flute, K. 620 - Overture,' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, features the flute. As you enjoy the music (The Overture is between 0:00-6:41.), identify the sounds of the flute. 'The Magic Flute' is an opera in which three ladies rescue a prince from a dangerous serpent. If desired, review the sound of the lone solo flute playing in Lesson 1.
By: Camille Saint-Saëns
Week: 5
The next four weeks introduce a new woodwind instrument called a bassoon. As with flutes, musicians produce sounds by blowing to vibrate the air inside the instrument. However, bassoonists play their bassoons with a reed. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Bassoon Sonata, Op.168,' by Camille Saint-Saëns, features the bassoon. As you enjoy the music, distinguish the sounds of the bassoon from the accompanying piano. The painting included in the lesson, 'The Bassoon Player,' by painter Hermann Kern, shows a man posing with a bassoon while two other men compare his pose to a picture.
By: Antonín Reichenauer
Week: 6
This lesson continues the study of the bassoon, a woodwind instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Bassoon Concerto in C Major,' by Antonín Reichenauer, features the bassoon. As you enjoy the music, identify the sounds of the bassoon. The painting included in the lesson, 'The Orchestra at the Opera,' by Edgar Degas, shows a bassoonist playing with an orchestra while ballerinas dance in the background.
By: Antonín Reichenauer
Week: 7
This lesson continues the study of the bassoon, a woodwind instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Bassoon Concerto in F Major,' by Antonín Reichenauer, features the bassoon. As you enjoy the music, identify the sounds of the bassoon. The painting included in the lesson, 'The Bassoonist,' by Hermann Kern, shows a whittling man sitting next to his bassoon.
By: Alberto Orefici
Week: 8
This lesson completes the study of the bassoon, a woodwind instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Adagio,' by Alberto Orefici, features the bassoon. As you enjoy the music, identify the sounds of the bassoon. The painting included in the lesson, 'Baroque Instruments' by Elias van Nijmegen, shows a jungle of instruments including a bassoon.
By: Carl Maria von Weber
Week: 9
The next four weeks introduce a new woodwind instrument called a clarinet. As with flutes and bassoons, musicians produce sounds by blowing to vibrate the air inside the instrument. Like bassoonists, clarinetists play their clarinets with a reed. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Grand Duo Concertant, Op. 48,' by Carl Maria von Weber, features the clarinet. As you enjoy the music, listen for the clarinet. The painting included in the lesson, 'A Clarinet Serenade for the Kitchen Maid,' by painter Carl Heyden, shows a man playing the clarinet for a kitchen maid.
By: Johannes Brahms
Week: 10
This week continues the study of the clarinet. Like flutes and bassoons, clarinets are woodwinds in which the musician makes sound by blowing to cause the air inside the instrument to vibrate. Like bassoons, clarinets are played with a reed. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Clarinet Quintet, Op. 115,' by Johannes Brahms, features the clarinet. As you enjoy the music, listen for the clarinet. The painting included in the lesson, 'Clarinet, Guitar and Compotier' by Georges Braque, shows a man playing the clarinet for a kitchen maid.
By: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Week: 11
This week continues the study of the clarinet. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622,' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, features the clarinet. As you enjoy the music, listen for the clarinet. The painting included in the lesson, 'Guitar and Clarinet,' by Spanish painter Juan Gris, shows a guitar, a clarinet, a goblet, a bottle, and some sheet music arrayed on a table.
By: Carl Maria von Weber
Week: 12
This week completes the study of the clarinet. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Clarinet Concertino in E Flat Major, Op. 26,' by Carl Maria von Weber, features the clarinet. As you enjoy the music, listen for the clarinet. The painting included in the lesson, 'Laughing Clarinetist,' by German painter Peter Kraemer, shows a clarinetist playing for a kitchen maid.
By: Hamilton Harty
Week: 13
The next four weeks introduce a new woodwind instrument called an oboe. As with flutes, bassoons, and clarinets, musicians produce sounds by blowing to vibrate the air inside the instrument. Like bassoonists and clarinetists, oboists play their oboes with a reed. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Chansonette,' by Hamilton Harty, features the oboe. As you enjoy the music, distinguish the sounds of the oboe from the accompanying piano. The fresco featured in the lesson, 'The Tomb of the Leopards - Etruscan Painting,' by an unknown artist, shows a man with abnormally large hands playing two bassoons at once. Note the laurel wreath on his hand, which symbolizes victory and honor.
By: Tomaso Albinoni
Week: 14
This lesson continues the study of the oboe. Like flutes, bassoons, and clarinets, oboes are woodwinds in which the musician makes sound by blowing to cause the air inside the instrument to vibrate. Like bassoons and clarinets, oboes are played with a reed. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Oboe Concerto in D minor, Op. 9, no. 2,' by Tomaso Albinoni, features the oboe. As you enjoy the music, listen for the sounds of the oboe. The painting included in the lesson, 'Unknown Oboist' by an unknown artist, shows a white-wigged musician holding his oboe and resting his arm on sheet music.
By: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Week: 15
This lesson continues the study of the oboe. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Oboe Quartet in F, K. 370,' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, features the oboe. As you enjoy the music, listen for the sounds of the oboe. The painting included in the lesson, 'The Oboe Player,' by painter Johann Zoffany, shows a white-wigged man posing with an oboe.
By: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Week: 16
This lesson completes the study of the oboe. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Oboe Concerto in C, K.314,' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, features the oboe. As you enjoy the music, listen for the sounds of the oboe. The painting included in the lesson, 'The Orchestra Beer Garden,' by painter Wilhelm Zimmer, shows a man posing with a bassoon while two other men compare his pose to a picture.
By: Giuseppe Maria Cambini
Week: 17
This lesson introduces the wind ensemble, a group of woodwind musicians who perform together. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Wind Quintet No. 2 in D Minor,' by Giuseppe Maria Cambini, features a quintet, or five musicians playing together. The picture included in the lesson shows a quintet of musicians.
By: Carl Reinecke
Week: 18
This lesson continues study of the wind ensemble, a group of woodwind musicians who perform together. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Wind Sextet, Op.271,' by Carl Reinecke, features a sextet, or six musicians playing together.
By: Ludwig van Beethoven
Week: 19
This lesson introduces the wind ensemble, a group of woodwind musicians who perform together. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Wind Octet in E Flat Major, Op. 103,' by Ludwig van Beethoven, features an octet, or eight musicians playing together.
By: Charles Gounod
Week: 20
This lesson completes the study of the wind ensemble, a group of woodwind musicians who perform together. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Petite Symphonie, Op. 216,' by Charles Gounod, features a nonet, or nine musicians playing together.
By: Antonio Vivaldi
Week: 21
This lesson shifts from the woodwinds to the brass family of instruments. Musicians play brass instruments by buzzing their lips against mouthpieces to vibrate air inside the instruments. Musicians change the sounds of brass instruments by altering their lip tension and pushing valves or slides to change the tube length in which the air vibrates. Many brass instruments, like trumpets and tubas, are made of brass, but others, like the didgeridoo, are made of wood. Confusing matters more, some woodwind instruments may be made of brass. This lesson introduces the trumpet, a brass instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Concerto for 2 Trumpets in C Major, RV 537,' by Antonio Vivaldi, features two trumpets. The painting included in the lesson, 'The Fifth and Sixth Trumpets, Revelation 9:1-12,' by Matthias Gerung, depicts a scene from the Bible in which angels blow their trumpets a fifth and sixth time to cue events of the apocalypse.
By: Johann Melchior Molter
Week: 22
This lesson continues the study of the trumpet, a brass instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Concerto for 2 Trumpets in D Major, MWV 6.30,' by Johann Melchior Molter, features two trumpets. The painting included in the lesson, 'The Last Judgment (portion),' by Michelangelo, depicts a scene from the Bible in which a group of angels blow trumpets or hold out books.
By: Franz Joseph Haydn
Week: 23
This lesson continues the study of the trumpet, a brass instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Trumpet Concerto in E Flat Major,' by Franz Joseph Haydn, features the trumpet. The painting included in the lesson, 'The Picnic,' by George Goodwin Kilburne, shows a group of well-dressed ladies and gentleman enjoying a trumpet serenade and a picnic on a lovely day.
By: John Stanley
Week: 24
This lesson completes the study of the trumpet, a brass instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Trumpet - Voluntary, Op. 7 No. 5,' by John Stanley, features the trumpet. The painting included in the lesson, 'Anthony Van Corlaer,' by Charles Loring Elliott, depicts the Dutch trumpeter, Anthony Van Corlaer, famous for his bulbous, shiny red nose, playing his trumpet, while the townsfolk look on with admiration.
By: Henry Fillmore
Week: 25
This lesson introduces the trombone, a brass instrument. Like the trumpet, the trombone is made from yellow brass. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Lassus Trombone,' by Henry Fillmore, features the trombone. The fresco included in the lesson, 'Detail of Trombone-Playing Angel,' by Filippino Lippi, depicts an angelic trombonist.
By: Johann Christoph Pezel
Week: 26
This lesson continues the study of the trombone, a brass instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Sonata in C Major, WP 4.75,' by Johann Christoph Pezel, features the trombone. The painting included in the lesson, 'New Concerto,' by Leonello Spada, shows a trombonist removing his outer slide, a man handing out music, a lutenist and violinist holding their instruments, and a recorder player pointing to music held by a young boy.
By: Nicolaus à Kempis
Week: 27
This lesson continues the study of the trombone, a brass instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Canzon à 2,' by Nicolaus à Kempis, features the trombone. The painting included in the lesson, 'Paradise,' a painting on an altar located in the Church of San Paolo Maggiore, by Ludovico Carracci, depicts a group of angelic musicians, including one holding a trombone.
By: Vassil Spassov
Week: 28
This lesson completes the study of the trombone, a brass instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Trombone Trio,' by Vassil Spassov, features the trombone. The painting included in the lesson, 'Concert,' by Francesco Rustici, shows a group of musicians, including a trombonist.
By: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Week: 29
This lesson introduces the French horn, a brass instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Horn Concerto in D Major, K.412,' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, features the horn. The painting included in the lesson, 'Still Life with Musical Instruments,' by Nicolas Henri Jeaurat de Bertry, depicts a special kind of still life painting called 'trompe-l'oeil,' which means 'deceive the eye.' Trompe-l'oeil artists use optical illusions to create two-dimensional paintings with the appearance of three-dimensions. The painting prominently features a horn hanging from a black hook, as well as a cello, a violin, bows, an oboe, and a trombone.
By: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Week: 30
This lesson continues the study of the French horn, a brass instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'French Horn - Horn Concerto in E-flat major, K.417,' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, features the horn. The painting included in the lesson, 'Baroque Instruments,' by Elias van Nijmegen, features a horn, viola da gamba, violin, lute, chamber organ, recorder, oboe, bassoon, flute, panpipes, bagpipe, hurdy-gurdy and triangle.
By: Aleksandr Glazunov
Week: 31
This lesson completes the study of the French horn, a brass instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Rêverie, Op. 24,' by Aleksandr Glazunov, features the horn. The painting included in the lesson, 'Violin and Other Instruments,' by Godefroy, depicts a horn, a violin, bagpipes, a drum, sheet music, and a vase with flowers.
By: John Philip Sousa
Week: 32
This lesson introduces the tuba, a brass instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Sound Off,' by John Philip Sousa, is underscored by the weighty boomp of the tuba. Listen to a lone tuba playing in Activity 5 for reference. The painting included in the lesson, 'Instruments de musique,' by Hippolyte Perrin, shows a jumble of instruments including a cello, two trombones, a tuba, a French horn, a tambourine, a trumpet, an oboe, a clarinet, a flute, a violin, a triangle, a bassoon, bagpipes, an instrument case, a bow, a ribbon tied around a laurel wreath, and sheet music.
By: John Philip Sousa
Week: 33
This lesson continues the study of the tuba, a brass instrument. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Hands Across the Sea,' by John Philip Sousa, is accompanied by the low boomp of the tuba. Listen to a lone tuba playing in Activity 5 for reference. The painting included in the lesson, 'The Musical Experiment,' by German artist Adolf Schreitter von Schwarzenfeld, shows a woman playing a tuba for a man in uniform and a woman covering her ears.
By: Johan Halvorsen
Week: 34
This lesson completes the study of the tuba, a brass instrument. Portions of the musical composition for this lesson, 'Entry March of the Boyars,' by Johan Halvorsen, are accompanied by the tuba. Listen to a lone tuba playing in Activity 5 for reference. The painting included in the lesson, 'Der Tubaspieler (The Tuba Player),' by Josef Kinzel, shows a gentleman clenching a pipe between his lips and holding his tuba.
By: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Week: 35
This lesson introduces the brass ensemble, a group of brass musicians who perform together. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Overture to the Marriage of Figaro, K. 492,' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, features a brass ensemble playing the overture to the opera, 'The Marriage of Figaro.'
By: Johann Ernst Altenburg
Week: 36
This lesson completes our course of study on woodwind and brass instruments. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Various Pieces for Brass,' by Johann Ernst Altenburg, features a brass ensemble. The picture included in the lesson shows a brass ensemble playing in matching uniforms.
About
Curriculum
Navigation