Tag Archives: music education

Arachnophonia: Back to Band

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record(s) for the item(s) in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Eliana (class of 2024) and features books on musical technique for clarinet, oboe and flute. Thanks, Eliana!

Back to Band

Were you a band kid in high school that hasn’t picked up your instrument since you arrived at Richmond? If so, here’s your chance to get back into the swing of things! I played the clarinet – so I’m partial to upper woodwinds – but here’s a few books for late beginner/intermediate woodwind players that might help reinvigorate your love for your former instrument.

A Tune A Day For Clarinet

A Tune A Day For Clarinet

This book offers some initial lessons on tonguing, finger placement, and scales and also has accompanying pieces to work through that utilize the skills practiced. If you finish it and feel like a pro, volume two (also available at Parsons Music Library) has some more difficult songs and arrangements for even more growth.

Belwin’s Oboe Method

Belwin's Oboe Method

Also divided into multiple books, Belwin’s Oboe Method is a great way to return to the basics of oboe playing. It divides songs into keys, has some necessary scales and talks musical terms. If you move on to volume two, the songs get a little more complex and you learn all about syncopation.

Foundation to Flute Playing

foundation to flute playing

Foundation to Flute Playing takes a lesson-based approach; the book is divided into 59 lessons that get progressively more challenging, and the back is filled with some fun songs to try your hand at after making your way through the lessons. From the chromatic scale to cadenzas, this book doesn’t leave anything out!

If you played a different instrument and wanted to check out some books or scores for it, just ask any associate at Parsons Music Library and they’d be happy to help you find what you’re looking for!

Arachnophonia : Benjamin Britten “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Colin (class of 2021) and features Benjamin Britten‘s The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. Thanks, Colin!

Benjamin Britten

The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra

YPG Britten

“I expect you all know the sound of trumpets. And I expect most of you know about a trumpet player’s personality as well…”

The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, composed by Benjamin Britten, is an educational piece of music that combines the second movement of the Abdelazer suite, “Rondeau,” with commentary by Eric Crozier describing the instruments within an orchestra. Originally commissioned for a British educational documentary titled Instruments of the Orchestra, this piece is unique for its use of a common theme throughout each instrumental section and the conductor’s description of each section aloud before they play the theme.

Britten - Young Person's Guide

Not only does each section in the orchestra perform its own perception of the theme, every individual instrument is highlighted in multiple variations throughout the 17-minute piece. Variation C is led by the clarinets when the narrator states “clarinets are very agile. They make a beautifully smooth, mellow sound.” In accordance with the description, Variation C is played in a moderato tempo where the clarinets have many slurred sixteenth-note runs to emphasize their smooth sound. The piece continues to highlight each instrument individually and multiple sections in pairs until it culminates in a triumphant ending led by the piccolos and flutes. The brass begins to play in half time, 6/8, compared to the rest of the orchestra playing rapid eighth notes in a 3/4 pattern, creating a dynamic between fast and slow that ends the composition in a glorious fashion.

Benjamin Britten

Portrait of British composer Benjamin Britten circa 1949

Young Person’s Guide was also featured in the coming-of-age film by Wes Anderson, Moonrise Kingdom. The piece is played throughout the film to add to the values of wonder and adventure present in the movie, and synonymously contribute to the performances of the child actors.