Audio Library Volume 2 “beat, subdivision & multiple”

by Françoise Lombard

THE PEDAGOGICAL GUIDE is included in the purchase of the volume.

It contains explanations and suggestions for the pedagogical development of each musical track.

TRACK 1 EDUCATIONAL CONTENT extract from the pedagogical guide

What type of approach do the style and tempo of this piece suggest? Walk the pulse (one sound = one step). To vary the walk: change direction with each new phrase, or alternate forward / backward, or walk alone or in pairs (triplets are good indicators of change). Identify the structure of the piece and adapt the movements in space to the musical form: return to the starting place when the first theme returns. One could imagine two contrasting movements for the first and second theme. In a small space: clap the pulse or the first beat on the knees, shoulders, in the hands. This piece lends itself to a variety of responses according to the specific goals of the teacher; for example, one could ask students to walk twice as slowly as the beat. Otherwise, one could create a simple choreography on this clearly structured piece of music. 

This material is intended to promote the learning of music through body movement, but it does not constitute a professional “music and movement” training. Therefore, its use does not authorise one to use the title of Dalcroze teacher. However, the experimentation of the Library could inspire and motivate a person to pursue a more advanced training of Jaques-Dalcroze Eurhythmics, with the option of obtaining, after several years of study, professional recognition.

Improvisations : Françoise Lombard 
© Les Éditions Adragante, Canada

Recording : Michel Comeau, Northmount Studio, Montreal

Mastering : TrueSound Louis Morneau

Cover photos : David Tucker    © ICDS

Cover photos : Michel Comeau    © Dalcroze Canada

Cover graphic design : Michel Comeau

Volume 2 is based on the notion of pulsation and develops the concept of division and multiplication of the basic pulsation. This naturally leads us to different speeds, in precise relation to each other. These relationships necessarily imply relations between the notions of time, space and energy, central subject of the Dalcroze pedagogy. The musician’s gestures such as the distribution/division of the bow, the placement of the breath, the anticipation of a jump on the keyboard, require a mastery of the time-space-energy relationship. All these gestures are essentially physical gestures, and therefore felt first in the body. It is the body that has to manage the modifications of energy, time or space in its gestures with the instrument.