I had a moment this week where the stars aligned — and it was beautiful, for me and for my students.
Our fourth graders are getting an overview of music from the Classical era and met Joseph Haydn the other day. Haydn, for those who don’t know, is called the Father of the Classical Symphony (his genre-defining symphonies number 107, compared to Mozart’s 60-ish or Beethoven’s nine), and was the teacher of both Mozart and Beethoven. Unlike the latter two composers, Haydn was renowned for his delightful sense of humor that shone through his music.
One of his most famous musical practical jokes? Symphony No. 94 in G Major: The “Surprise.”
Boy, do students get a kick out of practical jokes in music! (And, usually, a six-to-ten inch jump at around 0:42, which was Haydn’s goal!) Haydn becomes an instant favorite, because students suddenly realize that composers are allowed to be not-serious!
I do work hard to show the goal of each and every composer we study; and at times — when composers take themselves too seriously — it becomes easy for students to gloss over their work. It becomes easy for them to be concerned that I take it all too seriously! But when that human side of a composer (or a teacher) — the part that relates to a 10-year-old kid — shines through, we all benefit.
