Today we started our Music topic - Exploring Rounds.

We began by listening to Gnossienne No 3 by Satie.

Listen to Gnossienne No 3 here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_w_lckqz8A

Satie was a French composer who lived from 1866 to 1925.

Satie built his music using three different scales (sets of notes that we use to create melodies and chords).

We looked at the scales and then we made up chords (three or more notes played at the same time) from these scales.


In our groups we decided on different jobs for our task. One of us played the drone (a steady beat on the bottom note of the chord), while others in the group played the rest of the notes to build up the chord. One person became the conductor whose job it was to bring players in and out over the drone. We then rotated our jobs. We had to concentrate really hard, and use plenty of COMMUNICATION SKILLS.


Later, we added chords using different rhythms (timings).

Each group then performed their improvisations (compositions made up on the spot) to the rest of the class.

We discussed the sound of the chords and rhythms produced and their effectiveness.