FREE ESSAY ON MUSIC FOR CHILDREN

MUSIC FOR CHILDREN

Music For Children
Music is an important component for all people to posses in their lives. A child should
be introduced to music at a very young age. The introduction of every type of music from
classical all the way to modern rock is important. This gives a child the ability to form
their own opinion to what they might like the best. Classical music can teach a child
every aspect of music including, harmony, themes, dynamics, polymeters, and polyrhythms.
These are the components that are scarce in modern music today.
The three major components of variation are melody, rhythm, and meter. Variation is an
important key to teach a child so that they understand the there are many different ways
to approach music and life. The composer Lucien Caillet wrote many variations on the
theme "Pop Goes the Weasel". Most children have heard this tune in cartoons or songs at
school not realizing the classical context. This is a wonderful piece for children
because of the dramatic and calm instrumentals followed by the variations of the theme.
The music has a whimsical cheerful feel to it and is a perfect example for an
introduction, theme, five variations of the theme followed by a coda. These are all
important parts of a piece for a child to recognize.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a remarkable composer that all children should study. The
piece, "Ah, Vous Dirai-je, Maman" is perfect for a child in that it resembles a well
known nursery rhyme, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". This piece is also an example of
variations of theme. This begins as a simple melody transforming into a complex variation
containing a difference in meter throughout the variations with in an increase in tempo.
The composition has a very light and cheerful familiar sound to it and could easily
attract the attention of a child.
The use of sensory imagery in music, impressionism, is another form helpful to increase
interest and make music enjoyable. Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky composed a piece,
"Promenade, from pictures of an exhibition" solely around an art exhibition. This is a
dark and gloomy symphony that represents a marching soldier and paints a vivid picture of
an army. Another composer using imagery was Aram Khachaturian, he composed a work called
"Sabre Dance". This is an extremely energetic powerful piece that paints a definite
picture of a chase and catch situation. This can be found in many cartoons today which
allows a child to relate the classical music to a humorous situation. The piece is filled
with energy and caused my seven year old brother to dance and run around the room. He
enjoyed this piece the most and said it reminded him of a Tom and Jerry cartoon.. A
modern classical composer, Steve Reich wrote "Different Trains", this is a classic
example of sensory imagery. The composer uses many counts of ostinato, tempo, and meter
changes to portray the sounds of different trains in different cities. The sampled sounds
paint a colorful picture and make the piece very interesting and unique. The originality
yet classical makeup attracts children and adults to imagine moving trains. 
Dynamics, softness and loudness in music, is another important part of musical
composition. Franz Joseph Haydn wrote "The Surprise Symphony" that developed a variation
in the dynamic level. "This piece was written for a special after dinner concert. Haydyn
knew that many people used this time for an afterdinner nap so he used calm string music
to relax and secure his audience. He gave them just enough time to begin to doze and then
CRASH! The whole orchestra would play a chord as loud as possible" (Bond 59). This
humorous story and musical piece brings a sense of laughter and a delightful mood to the
music. Children seem to respond the most to the light and humorous feel to music. This
sets a good example of a soft dynamic level followed by a dramatically loud one. This
gives a sense a possible dynamic variety in one work. 
A rondo, musical form in which the first section is repeated several times with a
different section between each of the repeats (Staton 179), is a significant form a child
should be taught. "The Viennese Musical Clock" by Zoltan Kodaly performs a rondo in a
simple yet entertaining way. This piece is another example of imagery, the sounds of the
clock melody produces a picture of little figurines dancing around an old fashioned
clock. The mood is happy and joyful, very enjoyable for a child to learn. 
Narrative is a form of music that tells a story. "The Nutcracker is a narrative ballet
about a little girl's Christmas Eve in a time long ago, and the nutcracker that she
receives as a present" (Staton 92). This story begins with an overture, an introduction
played by the orchestra, by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. This introduction sets the mood for
the story. During the overture guests arrive for a wonderful party at Clara's house
(Staton 92). Clara receives a wonderful present from Herr drosselmeyer, a nutcracker in
the shape of a soldier. The girl's brother and friends are jealous of this present and
grab it, accidentally breaking it. Clara goes to bed but unable to sleep because of her
sadness. She goes downstairs to check on her precious broken nutcracker to find the
soldier come to life and march into battle against an army of mice. This scene leads into
"March" also composed by Tchaikovsky. Clara throws her shoe at the mouse king ending the
battle. The soldier turns into a beautiful prince and to thank Clara, he invites her to
the Kingdom of Sweets. "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" is the result of this. The prince
and Clara sit upon a great throne to watch as dancers perform the "Russian Dance",
dancing about in tall boots and hats. This is an energetic dance with an extremely fast
tempo. The various dances to follow are of many other great lands; Arabia and China. The
Arabian dance is much slower and flowing. The Chinese dance is delightful and uplifting.
"The Dance of the Reed Pipes" is a piece played predominantly on three flutes with light
background accompaniment of an orchestra. This also contains a repeat of the first
section but would not be considered a rondo. The instruments in the second section change
from flutes to horns, giving it a powerful energetic feel. The first flowing flute
section is repeated with a strong conclusion from the cymbals. The narration concludes
with "Waltz of the Flowers." This is when the sugar plum fairies call for all the flowers
to dance a dreamy final dance. This is a beautiful conclusion introduced by a harp and
many horns leading into a waltz. Clara leaves the Kingdom of Sweets filled with happy
dreams and thoughts. This narration is a wonderful work for children. This is filled with
a variety of dramatic and cheerful pieces to delight a child. The thoughts of Christmas
along with presents and a Kingdom of Sweets is enough to keep a child delighted.
Music in any form is important for all people to have in their lives. When a child is
introduced to various forms of music at an early age it helps to broaden their minds and
see the beauty outside of material things. It is important for a child to learn to have
an open mind before the mishaps of life have a chance to close them.
Bibliography
Bond, Judy and Vincent Lawrence. Share the Music Third Edition. Macmillan Publishing
Company, 1995. 
Bond, Judy and Vincent Lawrence. Share the Music Second Edition. Macmillan Publishing
Company, 1988.
Staton, Barbara and Merill Staton. Music and You Fifth Grade. Macmillan Publishing
Company, 1968.
Staton, Barbara and Merill Staton. Music and You Forth Grade. Macmillan Publishing
Company, 1978.