Teacher’s Guide

Snakes! By Thomas Duffy

Publisher: Ludwig Music

Grade 2

Guide by Adrienne Etienne

Score Analysis

“Snakes!”

by

Thomas C. Duffy

Historical Background

About the composer: Thomas Duffy is currently Dean of the School of Music and Director of Bands at Yale University. He received his bachelor and masters degrees at the University of Connecticut. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition from Cornell University. Duffy has taught many places, including the Hartford Conservatory, the University of Connecticut, the Auburn Maximum Security Correctional Facility, Cornell University, as well as Yale University. Duffy has been heavily involved in the band world. He served as president of the New England College Band Association and president of the College Band Directors National Association, and publicity co-chairman for the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles. He is currently a member of the American Composers Alliance, BMI, and the American Bandmaster’s Association. Duffy is published by the American Composers Alliance, Ludwig Music, Hal Leonard, and Bourne Company Music Publishers. A few of his most recent compositions include A+: A Precise Prelude and an Excellent March (a grade 3 selection published by Hal Leonard, A Ceremonial March (grade 4, Ludwig Music), Crystals (grade 4, Ludwig Music), Gnomon (grade 5, Ludwig Music), Max the King! (Grade 4, Ludwig Music), Pilgrims’ Progress (grade 3, Ludwig Music), and Zephyrs (grade 3, Ludwig Music).

About Snakes!: Snakes! was commissioned by Barbara Tedeschi, Director of the Adams Middle School Band in Guilford, Connecticut in 1990. Its first performance by a middle school ensemble was in 1990, with the Nassau All-County Junior High School Honor Band. This piece is programmatic, signifying various different kinds of snakes and the sounds they produce. Some of the snakes described are cobras, pythons, and boa constrictors. Snakes! is a contemporary composition, using an aleatoric section and nontraditional sounds such as speaking and valve murmurs.

About 20^th century compositions: Twentieth century composers have used a wide array of experimental musical techniques. This piece does not use as many of those techniques as other 20^th century pieces. The 20^th century gave birth to the twelve-tone system, minimalism, atonality, and using traditional instruments in non-traditional ways. Snakes! has a section of aleatoric music, which is music which is played at random, with no specific tempo and is played for a certain amount of time. Snakes! also contains a section where traditional instruments are used in non-traditional ways.

Score Analysis of Snakes!

• The tempo is reasonably set at quarter note equals 90 for the opening. It starts off with the full band alternating with the percussion. The full band enters with a moderately chromatic motive in the rhythm of quarter note, and two eighth notes with the second tied to another quarter note, then the percussion takes over for two measures. This percussion interlude is moderately primitive. The shakers are being played, which sound like a rattler snake’s tail. The full band returns with the same harsh motive, then the percussion takes over for the next two bars. Again, the full band returns with the chromatic theme, then the brass expand upon the motive. In general, the motive is very accented and is tongued using a marcato articulation. In measure 12, the entire brass section has eighth note tone clusters which are quite dissonant. Then the brass diminuendo out, while the woodwinds pick up the chromatic motive expansion. So the motive moves from low voices to the upper voices. The full band has a hit at measure 17 which finally presents a sense of a strong downbeat. There is a time signature change at measure 18 from 4/4 to 2/4. At 18, the full band alternates rhythmic hits, first with alternating quarter note hits, then the hits occur faster, alternating eighth notes. The percussive hits ritardando for the next two measures. This ritardando prepares for the tempo change at A and makes the hits a bit more dramatic.
• There is another time signature change at rehearsal letter A (measure 22), where the time signature returns to 4/4. The tempo also changes to quarter note equals 120. The full band plays a sustained e minor chord, which is the first semblance of tonality in this piece. The percussion parts become quite busy at measure 26 with sixteenth note patterns which are alternated from maracas to snare drum. This differs from the wind parts quite a bit, since some of the winds are just sustaining whole notes. At B (measure 29), the low voices come in with a pattern which is disjunct rhythmically as well as melodically. The percussion section is still alternating sixteenth notes between the maracas and the snare drum, and the low voice part fits right in with this pattern. In fact, it seems as if the timpani and the low voices are communicating. Sometimes the timpani will mock the low voice part, and sometimes it will play with the low voices. This rehearsal letter B section is repeated at measure 36. At measure 37, the higher voices add in with an ascending eighth-note run which signifies the sliding and slithering of a snake. The tension builds as percussion parts are gradually added in. The rhythmic vocal part enters in measure 43 with changes of “python” and “cobra”. The section is repeated at measure 43. At measure 44, the wind instruments are out and all of the women hiss until beat four, where the men shout “snakes”. While this vocal work is taking place, the percussion parts grow as the bongos are added in.
• At section D (measure 47), the wind instruments are added in. The upper woodwinds have chromatic sixteenth note descending runs. This section is moderately chaotic, since the entire band is playing its own pattern. These patterns fit in together, but still create a feeling of randomness. The melody is present in the piccolo, oboe, tenor sax, and trumpet 1 & 2 part. The countermelody is presented by the trombones, euphonium, and trumpet 3 part. The slithering is presented in the chromatic sixteenth note descending run in the flutes, Eb alto clarinet, Bb clarinets, and alto sax part. The low voices continue with their previous rhythmic pattern. And the percussion section continues with their rhythmically driving pattern. The vocals return at measure 53 with rhythmic shouts of “python, cobra, snakes!” That D section is repeated at measure 54.
• The E section (measure 56) marks the beginning of the aleatoric section. Each measure lasts a certain number of seconds, rather than beats. This whole section is quite random and sounds as if the snakes are very close and are slithering nearer to the audience. Maybe the snake is agitated and is preparing to attack. The woodwinds are hissing, while the brass section is playing ½ valve murmurs. Trombones come in with glissandos at circle 2. At circle 3, some woodwinds enter with an ascending line until circle 4 where the woodwinds shake coins or keys. All of these sounds together create tension which should be projected to the audience. At measure 60, the tempo returns to quarter note equals 120. The percussion parts come back with their rhythmic driving force. At measure 61, all winds shout “snakes” on the downbeat of every other measure, while the percussion section diminuendos their pattern. In the final measure, the percussion section has died out and the winds say “snakes” and hiss and diminuendo into nothing.

Probable Problems

• This piece contains a number of problems which can occur. First off, this is a percussion-centered piece, so the band should have a strong and large percussion section. The wind parts are also written so that they challenge the players. Altogether, this piece is written for 50 players. Nearly every instrument group has multiple parts. Therefore, every instrument group should have strong players playing each part. It is especially important in this piece, due to the difficult runs and thin texture in certain sections. It is also difficult to count rests, so the students must be counting consistently.
• Playing a piece with an aleatoric section could prove to be difficult. Students may not catch on to ignoring tempo and focusing on time. But this is a great concept about 20^th century music to teach.
• This piece has a very extensive range for being a middle school piece. The band would have to be well developed and trained. The trumpet part goes up to their high G (concert F) at measure 12, and plays it repeatedly. Unfortunately, the way this note is approached is by a skip, so that the trumpet section may have a hard time finding that G. A solution to this problem would be to slow the tempo down and practice playing from measure 11 to measure 12, to get used to the feeling of hitting that high G. The flute and piccolo parts go up to high concert G (four ledger lines above the staff) in measure 1. It is very difficult to start a piece with a good tone in that register. I would suggest to them to use a lot of breath support, so that the tone is not so airy, and to make sure their aperture is small enough to accurately hit this pitch.
• All throughout the piece, there are multiple staggered entrances and attacks (i.e. mm.13-17 & mm.18-21). Students should be able to count well on their own and not depend on others to count for them.
• There are difficult rhythms throughout the entire piece. For example, at rehearsal letter B, the low voices have a difficult rhythm and throughout the entire piece, and the percussion section has difficult rhythms throughout mm. 13-21 and mm. 29-54. Again, the students should be able to count well.
• There are many difficult runs in the upper woodwinds, for instance, mm. 37-42 and mm. 47-53.
• The brass section must learn how to play ½ valve murmurs for the aleatoric section. The students likely have not come across a technique such as this, so it will have to be explained.
• Vocals should be worked on to be enunciated clearly.
• The huge diminuendo at the end should diminuendo smoothly into nothing.

Content Map

• Measures 1-7: Introduction. Uses notes of C harmonic minor scale.
• Measures 8-21: Exchange of melodic motive from brass to woodwinds.
• Measures 22-28: Tempo change. Long tones in winds and percussion alternating sixteenth notes.
• Measures 29-36: Low voices and percussion.
• Measures 37-43: Upper voices add in with chromatic motive. Ends with shouts of “python” and “cobra”.
• Measures 44-46: Winds hissing with percussion imitating snake sounds.
• Measures 47-55: Full band, all with their own motives.
• Measures 56-60: Aleatoric section with valve murmurs and cymbal and maraca rolls.
• Measures 61-65: Vocals-“snakes” with full percussion diminuendoing

Activity #1: Historical background and cultural context

Worksheet answer key:

1. saxophone

2. Yale University

3. 1990

4. Adams Middle School Band

5. Big snakes, little snakes, cute snakes, writhing piles of snakes, swaying cobras, and dangerous snakes

6. program music

7. queries@duffymusic.com or Planktonpress@duffymusic.com

8. This question is subjective. Just make sure that the two snakes drawn are contrasting somehow.

National Standards Addressed:

No. 8- Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
No. 9- Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Activity #2: Rhythm: Create your own rattlesnake shaker!

Aid the students in creating their own rattlesnake shakers. Make sure the paper ends are taped on very well, so that no beans fall out. This is a nice break from playing all of class. This will also give students an opportunity to experience being percussionists.

Composition: Walk around the room to watch each students’ progress on his/her own composition. Make sure they are using the note values discussed (quarter notes, eighth notes, half notes, whole notes, and corresponding rests). The compositions should only be four bars in length with four beats per bar.

Evaluation: Is the composition four bars long? (5 points)

Are there only four beats per bar? (5 points)

Are the correct note values used? (5 points)

Was the composition performed correctly? (5 points)

Total (20 points possible)

Art Connection: Lead a discussion on the various patterns of the Higdon piece given in the student packet. Tie the art patterns in with the various rhythmic patterns in Snakes!

National Standards addressed:

2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
5. Reading and notating music.

8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.

Activity #3: Melody

Discuss with the students the nontraditional nature of using a voice in band compositions. Make the students feel comfortable with this assignment, making singing sound nonchalant. Emphasize that if the students do not feel comfortable singing, they can speak their compositions. Assign each student another student to work with that they can feel comfortable working with. Walk around the room to make sure students stay on task and to answer any questions.

Evaluation:

Are the compositions four bars long with four beats per bar? (5 points)

Are the compositions performed correctly? (5 points)

Did the group stay on task? (5 points)

Are appropriate snake names used with appropriate notation? (5 points)

Total (20 points possible)

Art Connection:

Lead a discussion about how the John Barton painting is not traditional. Its moderate abstractness is similar to Snakes!. Snakes! does not have one main melodic idea which is used. There are many ideas which are blended together, like the color in this painting.

Standards used:

1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
5. Reading and notating music.

6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.

Activity #4: Harmony

This activity, a class soundscape, requires the teacher to make some decisions as to how this composition will be formed. Give the students a couple of minutes to decide what kind of nontraditional sound they will make with their instruments. Once they have all figured out a sound, the instruction begins. The teacher can decide on a theme for the soundscape, for example a thunderstorm. In this case, the composition will begin quietly, crescendo to a peak in the middle, and fade out. So the teacher’s main role is to determine which instruments come in a various times. She can add and remove instruments from the soundscape to make particular effects. The teacher can also as for the students’ input as to what effect they want to make with their composition.

Evaluation: The main assessment tool here is visual assessment. Are all of the students participating and following the teacher’s directions? Are they all behaving? This can be a pass/fail activity.

Art Connection: The harmonies of this piece are obscure and dissimilar to other “classic” band pieces. This painting by Arico signifies the same thing. It is a painting which is different from “classic” paintings (portraits). It is chaotic, which many different ideas being joined together without becoming blurred. Snakes! is like this painting. There are a number of ideas which randomly form harmonies, but they do not blur together. Instead, they are their own entities, just used with other themes.

Standards used:

2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.

6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.

Activity #5: Form – You’re the artist!

In this activity, some technology must be used. A recording of Snakes! should be obtained to play for the students. Discuss the directions of the activity with the students and make sure each of them has a few markers or colored pencils with which to draw. The teacher must be attentive to the CD player, because only one section will be played at a time. Then the CD will be paused, so that the students can draw what they feel. The next section can then be played and paused, etc. Once done with their artwork, each student can share his/her masterpiece with the rest of the class and explain the creation of it.

Evaluation:

Did the student listen to each listening excerpt? (5 points)

Did the student follow directions and have five separate boxes? (5 points)

Did the student draw contrasting pictures? (5 points)

Did the student have reasons as to why he/she drew the pictures? (5 points)

Total (20 points poss.)

National standards:

6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.

ü Online music dictionary: http://www.dolmetsch.com/musictheorydefs.htm

ü Thomas Duffy homepage: www.duffymusic.com

ü Recording of Snakes!: www.peppermusic.com

ü Snakes! score: from Ludwig Music Publishing Company

ü Paintings of snakes: http://www.artistexpo.com/snake.html

ü Abstract painting: http://www.lookslikejoy.com/peace.html

Name:

Date:

1. In complete sentences, describe what a programmatic piece is.

2. What is unusual about the melodic structure of this composition?

3. What is the only diatonic scale which is represented in this piece?

4. What is aleatoric music?

5. What does niente mean?

6. How are snakes represented in this piece?

7. What are the similarities between the artwork “Trillium” by Hal Higdon and the rhythm of this piece?

1. Programmatic music: compositions with extra musical content that directs the attention of the listener to a literary or pictoral association. For example, Snakes! was written about various different types of snakes. One of the goals of this piece is to produce a mental image of snakes when hearing it played.

2. There is no definite melody throughout the entire piece. Instead, there are a number of various melodic motives which are used and combined within the piece.

3. c natural minor

4. Aleatoric music: Music in which the composer introduces the elements of chance or unpredictability with regard to either the composition or its performance (See measures 55-60). This type of music originated in the 18^th Century with dice music. Performers would roll the dice to see which measure they would play.

5. Niente is Italian for “nothing”. In this piece, Duffy uses diminuendos to niente (nothing).

6. Snakes are represented in the slithering melodic motives, in the rhythmic patterns, and in the vocal hisses.

7. “Trillium” is a piece of artwork based on a pattern. The rhythms in this piece are mainly based on patterns.

ü Is the student playing the rhythms correctly? (playing test)

ü Is the student playing the correct style?

ü Is the student playing the correct notes and noticing the accidentals?

ü Is the student participating in class?

ü Is the student finishing the homework assignments in time?

ü Is the student giving input in group assignments?

ü Is the student filling out a practice log?

ü Did the student score well on the written test and homework assignments?

ü Is the student focusing on a good tone quality?

ü Is the student aware of intonation?

ü Is the student participating in the vocal parts of Snakes!?

ü Is the student behaving during class?