Lower Elementary Goes to France

Lower Elementary is exploring music from all around the world from now until winter break. For the first three weeks, we have been in France.

Songs

Tête, épaules, genoux et pieds (Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Feet)
Un éléphant se balançait (One Elephant Was Swinging on a Spider Web)
J'ai perdu le do de ma clarinette (I Have Lost the C of My Clarinet)

Listening
Django Reinhardt, "The Best of Django Reinhardt"
Claude Debussy, "Debussy: Images 1 & 2 and Children's Corner", pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Claude Debussy, "Debussy: La Mer & Prélude À L'après-midi D'un Faun", Boston Symphony Orchestra
Camille Saint-Saëns. "The Carnival of the Animals
Eric Satie, Gnossienne, Nos. 1-3; Gymnopédie nº 1, pianist Patrick Cohen
Maurice Ravel, "Bolero", New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein


All listening music is available as part of the listening library in the classroom. We listen during music lessons and the students are encouraged to listen on their own. 

Books
Django 

We read this delightful book in class last week. The children were interested in Django's story and how he came back from a horrific injury to his left hand to become one of the world's greatest guitar players.


The Carnival of the Animals
This book, with new verse by Jack Prelutsky, and illustrations by Mary GrandPré, has a companion CD. This will be our book for class on September 28.

Strange Mr. Satie

 Hilarious depiction of one of the first "surrealists."


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