Year 4 - Music
Introducing programme music
Compose and create: cosmic programme music
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this optional unit, pupils are introduced to the term, programme music. They study the programme music symphonic work, Deep Field, by Eric Whitacre and use this as inspiration for composing, considering structuring around the golden ratio and the use of small music ideas called golden bricks.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to create a short piece of programme music as an ensemble and know that programme music aims to represent something non-musical, such as telling a story.
Key Notes
- Programme music is music that has been inspired by something non-musical. For example, a story or a piece of artwork.
- Absolute music is music that is not inspired by anything else. It focuses just on the notes the composer wishes to use.
- A movement is a self-contained section of a large-scale musical composition, like a chapter in a book.
- A symphonic work is a large-scale musical composition with distinct movements (usually four).
- Deep Field composed by Eric Whitacre is a symphonic work in four movements that is an example of programme music.
Vocabulary To Learn
- programme music: instrumental music that aims to represent something non-musical, such as a story, picture, scene, idea or emotion
- absolute music: instrumental music that does not try to represent anything other than the music itself, focusing purely on the musical elements
- symphonic work: a large-scale musical composition with distinct movements (usually four)
- movement: a self-contained section of a large-scale musical composition, like a chapter in a book
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Musicians are always trying to tell a story with music.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Programme music is music that has been inspired by something non-musical. For example, a story or a piece of artwork. Absolute music is music that is not inspired by anything else. It focuses just on the notes the composer wishes to use.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'programme music'
instrumental music that aims to represent something non-musical, such as a story, picture, scene, idea or emotion.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Musicians are always trying to tell a story with music. Correction: Sometimes music is created for music's sake and may not have any deeper meaning than what the listener creates for themselves.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 4 Music guide library.