Welcome!

ABOUT THIS SITE:
Who?
    This web page was created by Virginia Kurtz, a music education student at West Chester University of Pennsylvania.  It is especially for music educators and their students.
 
What?
    The contents of this page revolve around a composition; "Russian Sailors' Dance" from  The Red Poppy, by Reinhold Gliere.  I have included a lesson plan, several activities that can be done with this piece, and guided listening examples.
 
 


ABOUT THE COMPOSER:
    The Soviet composer Reinhold Moritsevich Gliere was born in Kiev, Ukraine on January 11, 1875.  He was a conductor, composer, professor, pianist, violinist, musicologist (someone who studies music), and a bit of a politician.  He was respected by his contemporaries and he held offices in several organizations and received several awards for for his compositions   He wrote mostly large works such as operas, ballets, and symphonies.  His compostitions were usually in the style of the Russian nationalist school which was most popular at that time.  He is known for his expressive, beautiful melodies.
    There are two things that Gliere is known for in the music world.  First, he had a keen interest in the folk music of his country and was one of the first musicians to write compositions based on the folk culture.  Secondly, he is considered by many to be the father of Soviet ballet.  Gliere died in Moscow on June 23, 1956.

click here to read more about Reinhold Gliere
 


ABOUT THE WORK:
      "The Red Poppy" was composed by Reinhold Gliere (1875 - 1956).  It is a ballet that was first performed in 1927.  It is also known as "The Red Flower" because the title was changed to break the association with opium, a widely used drug at the time.  By changing the name, the piece became "politically correct."
    This piece generally follows the Russian romantic tradition, but he gives it an "Oriental" feel by using a lot of pentatonic melodies.  The basic (and over-simplified) plot is as follows:  a female Chinese dancer falls in love with the captain of a Soviet cargo ship.  She gives him a red poppy as a sign of her love for him.  Her manager instructs her to kill him by giving him poisened tea, but she refuses.  She is later killed by her manager when a revolt breaks out among the dock-workers.  As she dies, she gives another red poppy to a little Chinese girl as a symbol of the love and freedom.
    The piece that is focused on here is "Russian Sailors' Dance," from the end of the first act.  It takes place in a restaurant and is a dance of celebration performed by the Soviet captain's soldiers.

 click here to listen to "Russian Sailors' Dance"


  RHYTHM:
     The rhythm of the main theme of the "Russian Sailor's Dance" is made up of quarter and eighth notes.  The most complex part of the rhythm is the syncopation (see blue-note measures).  The main theme is made up of four basic motives or building blocks. Each motive is written below in a different color. Gliere changed the rhythm slightly from variation to variation.
    By studying the rhythm of this piece, you can learn about syncopation as well as possible ways to vary the rhythm of the piece.  The activities listed below focus on syncopation.
 

What is syncopation?
 
    Syncopation is the placement of rhythmic accents on weak beats or weak portions of the beat.

Translation :)
    Usually the strong beat (accented beats) fall at the same time as the steady beat.  However, a rhythm is syncopated when the strong beats and steady beats do not happen at the same time.

TRY THIS:
    Find a friend to do this experiment with you:
        1. get your friend to tap a steady beat (all quarter notes, keeping the same speed)
        2. count out loud as your friend claps: "one and two and three and four and," saying the
        numbers when your friend taps and saying the "ands" between each beat (subdivision)
        3. here's the tricky part: while your friend is tapping the steady beat (tapping on the
        numbers) YOU clap on the weak beat, or the "ands"

This is what you should hear:
Counting: "1     and  2    and  3   and   4   and"
Person 1:  Tap       Tap       Tap       Tap
Person 2:        Clap      Clap      Clap      Clap
 

The clapping happens on the off-beat (weak beat). This is an example of syncopation.

Listen to "Russian Sailors' Dance"  and follow the rhythm below.
Click here to listen.
 
Teachers: click here for activities to teach rhythm using this piece
 
Click here for a lesson plan on syncopation


MELODY:
    This melody is based on repetition and variation.  There are three motives that make up the main melody.  The first motive, A, is four measures. Is followed by the B motive which is repeated.  Therefore, the melody of the main theme is made up of three parts; A, B, and B.  The first statement of the melody is played in unison; there is no harmony until the first variation.

    The melody is varied slightly in each repetition. This piece  demonstrates that repetitisn can be an effective tool for compostition; especially repetition with slight variation.  One method of melodic variation that is used here is adding a note between thirds to create steps with a more complex rhythm instead of skips with a more simple rhythm.

Teachers: click here for activities to teach melody using this piece.


HARMONY:
    This piece is in the minor mode.  It does not sound sad, as is often associated with minor music.  There is no harmony in the first statement of the main theme, but harmony is introduced in the first variation.  Gliere uses the addition of harmony as a variation device. The harmonic progression does not change in the different variations, although that is an element that can be changed to create a variation.  Gliere does not use this variation technique, however.
    The harmonies used in this piece are not unusual.  It sounds comfortable and familiar to our ears.  Click here to listen to the main theme and the first variation.  Notice how the addition of harmony changes the flavor or mood of the piece.
 


FORM:
    The form of this piece is theme and variation.  What that means is that the main melody is played once and then it is repeated over and over again.  Each time the melody is repeated it is varied or changed.Theme and Variation is a form in which a main theme is stated, then changed using devices such as rhythmic variation, melodic embellishment, and tempo and timbre changes.
    In "Russian Sailors' Dance," Gliere uses the following variation techniques:
        -rhythmic variation (adding more complicated rhythms, but keeping the notes similar)
        -melodic variation (adding steps between the skips)
        -harmonic variation (adding harmony, varying the harmony)
        -textural variation (changing the instruments that are used, changing the number of instruments)
        -tempo (speeding up, slowing down)
 
 
Teachers: click here for activities to teach form using this piece

Teachers: click here for a music technololgy lesson that teaches theme and variation form


EXPRESSIVE ELEMENTS:
    Gliere uses tempo, dynamics, and timbre as  variation devices.  For example, the tenth variation is quite a bit faster than the main theme.  Click here to listen to the main theme.  Then click here to listen to the tenth variation.  Notice the difference in the tempo as well as the difference in the instrumentation.
 

CLICK HERE TO TEST YOUR COMPREHENSION

note: this background was found at