RHYTHM ACTIVITIES
The rhythm of the main theme of the "Russian Sailor's Dance" is basic enough for elementary students to read and perform. The most complex part of the rhythm is the syncopation (see blue-note measures) which students learn as early as third grade when using the Kodaly method. The main theme is made up of four basic motives or building blocks (see below). Gliere changed the rhythm slightly from variation to variation.
By studying the rhythm of this piece, students can learn about syncopation as well as possible ways to vary the rhythm of the piece. The activities listed below focus on these two concepts. Rhythm: Main Theme

Building Blocks: Main Theme

Activities and Procedure SYNCOPATION ACTIVITIES

Echo Clapping

1. T and S patch SB (steady beat)

2. T claps and speaks 8 beat phrases (inform S) beginning with simple rhythms, working toward more difficult rhythms further down the building blocks

3. end result: S echo-clap and speak the rhythms of sections A and B of the main theme

Speech Pattern

        Weak beats louder, the off-beats are stronger

        Yes that’s the way that the syncopation goes, yes

        That’s the way that the syncopation goes. Hey!

1. echo-teach speech pattern line-by-line, patching SB

2. speak through whole pattern together, patching SB

3. S follow rhythm of main theme (on the board) as T points, repeating step 2

4. S speak and clap pattern

5. S repeat step 4, walking SB in circles

Performing Rhythm on Body with Recording

1. S walk SB in circle and speak and patch rhythm of main theme

2. repeat step one without speaking the speech pattern; just patching and walking

3. put the rhythm in feet

4. add patching SB

Rhythmic Reading and Analysis

1. S read rhythm of main theme (on board), clapping and speaking the rhythm

2. S identify the four basic rhythm patterns used in the main theme (building blocks) from most basic to most difficult

3. S clap and speak each of the levels/blocks repeatedly at the direction of T

Rhythm Reading Exercise

1. number each building block (1-4) and calls out number of rhythm for S to clap (instruct S to clap 4 beats of each rhythm instead of the written 2)

2. S clap indicated rhythm, changing at next downbeat after T calls out new number

3. change number more frequently until S are able to do all combinations at a reasonable tempo

Body Score

1. clap quarter note

syncopated rhythm (eighth-quarter-eighth): snap clap snap

patch LR for two eighth notes

2. practice body percussion reading rhythm from board, speaking ta’s and ti’s

3. perform body percussion with recording

4. repeat step 3, walking SB

Listening for Off-beats (PART 1)
1. instruct S to listen for places in the music where an accented note falls on a weak beat (the strong beat is not the

steady beat)

2. T points to rhythm on board, S patch SB

3. S identify places where accented note falls on a weak beat

4. circle measures on board

Double Check Results; perform rhythm of main theme (PART 2)

1. divide into two groups

2. group 1 patches SB; group 2 lightly claps main theme

3. S listen for places where strong beat is not the steady beat (accents do not match up)

4. make any corrections on the board

Identification and Definition of Off-beats (PART 3)

1. "What is this rhythmic device called?" (syncopation)

2. define syncopation as the placement of rhythmic accents on weak beats or weak portions of the beat

Isolation of Syncopated Rhythm

1. S stand, walk SB in place, and clap measures 2 and 3 (containing a syncopated rhythm)

2. "Did you feel the syncopation? Describe it."

Rhythmic Ostinato

1. divide class into 2 groups

2. using the body score, group 1 performs main theme while group 2 performs the syncopated rhythm (eighth, quarter, eighth) as rhythmic ostinato

3. switch groups

4. repeat steps 2 and 3 with the recording

"Battle of the Beats"- syncopation drill

1. divide class into two groups

2. group 1 claps or patches SB

3. group 2 claps the off-beat (on "and")

4. switch

5. all together, walk and clap SB

6. clap SB and walk the off-beat

7. clap the off-beat and walk SB

8. perform 8 off-beat claps, then 8 SB (on-beat) while stepping the SB

Clapping - syncopation drill

1. clap SB

2. accent beats one and three

3. accent beats two and four

4. switch at T’s cue ("change")

Conducting Exercise

1. review 2 pattern

2. speak and conduct the speech pattern

3. conduct, reading ta’s and ti’s

4. conduct with the recording

5. note once again that the accented beats do not always match up with the strong beat

Performance on Rhythm Instruments

1. hand out rhythm sticks and hand drums (or tambourines)

2. rhythm sticks "play the floor" on eighth notes

3. drums play on quarter notes

4. read parts from main theme on board

5. add the recording

Variation Rhythm

Building Blocks: Variations

VARIATION/SYNCOPATION ACTIVITIES

Echo Clapping

1. T and S patch steady beat

2. T claps and speaks 8 beat phrases (inform S) beginning with simple rhythms, working toward more difficult rhythms further down the building blocks

3. end result: S echo-clap and speak the rhythms of sections A and B of the variations

Rhythmic Reading and Analysis

1. S read rhythm of variation (on board), clapping and speaking the rhythm

2. S identify the basic rhythm patterns used in the variation (building blocks) from most basic to most difficult

3. S clap and speak each of the levels/blocks repeatedly at the direction of T

Rhythm Reading Exercise

1. number each building block and calls out number of rhythm for S to clap (instruct S to clap 4 beats of each rhythm instead of the written 2)

2. S clap indicated rhythm, changing at next downbeat after T calls out new number

3. change number more frequently until S are able to do all combinations at a reasonable tempo

Body Score

1. clap quarter note

patch LR for two sixteenth notes

snap eighth notes (alternate LR when necessary)

2. practice body percussion reading rhythm from board, speaking ta’s and ti’s

3. perform body percussion with recording

4. repeat step 3, walking SB

Rhythmic Ostinato

1. divide class into 2 groups

2. using the body score, group 1 performs variation while group 2 performs the variation rhythm (sixteenth, quarter, eighth) as rhythmic ostinato

3. switch groups

4. repeat steps 2 and 3 with the recording

Isolation of Syncopated Rhythm

1. S stand, walk SB in place, and clap measures 2 and 3 on the board (containing a syncopated rhythm) over and over

2. "Did you feel the syncopation? Describe it."

Conducting Exercise

1. review 2 pattern

2. speak and conduct the speech pattern

3. conduct, reading ta’s and ti’s

4. conduct with the recording

5. note once again that the accented beats do not always match up with the strong beat (syncopation)

Performance on Rhythm Instruments

1. hand out rhythm sticks and hand drums (or tambourines)

2. rhythm sticks "play the floor" on eighth notes

3. drums play on quarter notes

4. read parts from variation on board

5. add the recording

Listening Exercise

1. T asks S "Listen and tell me if the tempo stays the same or changes"

2. S walk SB in 2 circles (one inside the other)

Compare/Contrast: Main Theme and Variation Rhythms

1. "How are the rhythms the same? Different?"

2. divide class: group 1 claps main theme while group 2 claps variation

3. again "How are the rhythms the same? Different?"

4. "How could this variation technique (changing rhythms) be used even more in this piece?" (S give examples of other parts of the rhythm that could be changed)

Description of Variations

1. S give suggestions of descriptions of the rhythms of each of the variations

2. S analyze to find rhythmic variation devices used by Gliere

3. S brainstorm to come up with other variation devices