"Ten Pieces"

[Old Grumpy]

If, like me, you are simultaneously intrigued and irritated by the trailers for the Ten Pieces project for primary schools you may be interested to view the film. This is available on the iplayer until 2 November at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...ieces-03102014

The film can either be viewed by streaming, or can be downloaded.

I certainly found it an interesting approach. Being old and grumpy, I did not particularly take to the introductions by "slebs" (none of whom I recognised) talking over the beginning of each of the pieces, but I do consider it a brave attempt to expose children of primary school age to the treasure trove to be discovered on exploration of this music.

Bravo, BBC and for effort.

OG

[french frank]

Thanks for posting that, OG. Will watch it tomorrow.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I watched it when it first appeared, and though I applaud the effort, there is the assumption that children will not be able to concentrate for more than a few nano-seconds, so the music is wrecked by trying-to-be-cool voice-over, only allowing a short bit of the music to be heard properly after the "entertainment' has finished.

But perhaps this is just the beginning and better things will follow?

It isn't brave to play classical music to primary school children. In general, they like it if they are given the opportunity to hear it. The use of "slebs" with silly voices is yet another example of corporate cowardice.

[Mary Chambers]

I agree with everything Eine Alpensinfonie says. I watched some of it this morning, and although I think the choice of music is quite good, the film does seem to assume that all children are brought up on junk - which, sadly, I suppose most are - and the only way to engage their attention is by using a similarly 'junk' approach. This will become self-perpetuating.

However, better than nothing.

[french frank]

I think I'm more on OG's side in this. There were some clever ideas - but whether the film as whole worked I'm not sure - do they divide it up into the several bits? What will the schools make of it? I only spotted one sleb - Thomas Søndergård, who I nominate as the next Doctor Who. Possibly all the children will want to become conductors ...

I think it was good idea to associate the images and excitement with the music in the background; then move to the orchestra and the particular instruments making the sounds, though some of the bits went on a bit too long (for me) and I wondered whether the speech element had engulfed the music ... Not bothered about the short scraps of stuff - much better than nothing.

It was a reasonable spread of repertoire otw and I think I may be disagreeing with someone (?) who thought the Meredith piece didn't work. I thought it worked on several levels.

The film will be around for some time, but the material has to keep coming to build on the experience of the children as they grow older. I'm not sure that it will.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

However, better than nothing.

I wonder. Children being brought up on junk may be true in part, but we music teachers bear a massive responsibility too. So many seem to perpetuate the myth that children don't like classic music.

[MrGongGong]

TV is a visual medium

I haven't watched this yet though

Personally I wouldn't have done the whole CLASSICALmusic thing
(meaning that I wouldn't make such a big issue of the word as opposed to the music)

but I think the BBC IS responding to what many folks (and several in here) have been saying for many years.

[french frank]

So many seem to perpetuate the myth that children don't like classic music.

Isn't it more that they themselves think they don't like it? I was very aware of the battering home of the word classical and wondered ... But if they enjoy the film and feel they do like 'classical music' it might be a modest step forward.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

TV is indeed a visual medium. My concern is not with the images, but with the reinforcement of the idea that music is something in the background.
Ten Pieces, but you can't actually hear them properly.

And as long as we apologise for classical music, it will continue to be marginalised.

[MrGongGong]

In my experience
People don't like the WORD "Classical"
but they like music

I'm not sure that the word matters at all
MUSIC certainly does

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

as a pragmatist i would be curious as to their view on how they will know it has had a positive outcome ...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Isn't it more that they themselves think they don't like it?

This is true also, but it is perpetuated by so many teachers from Day 1.

Apologies to members of my profession if you feel I'm being disloyal, but it's been going on for many years, hastened by those who jumped in to control the first GCSE syllabus and the National Curriculum.

[hafod]

It isn't brave to play classical music to primary school children. In general, they like it if they are given the opportunity to hear it. The use of "slebs" with silly voices is yet another example of corporate cowardice.

Quite! In the mid-fifties at my primary school as a class of 9/10 year-olds, we were played classical music on a huge radiogram that looked like a chest freezer on wheels. I remember Furtwangler's Beethoven 6 and Cantelli's Brahms 1 as not only the music but the record sleeves made a great impression on me. A few years later I acquired both these LPs with exactly the same covers.

In those days "slebs" had not been invented and attention span was not an issue.

I (and the classical record/cd companies) have much to thank my class teacher for.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

In my experience
People don't like the WORD "Classical"
but they like music

I'm not sure that the word matters at all
MUSIC certainly does

It isn't a word I ever use in teaching.

[MrGongGong]

Quite! In the mid-fifties at my primary school as a class of 9/10 year-olds, we were played classical music on a huge radiogram that looked like a chest freezer on wheels. I remember Furtwangler's Beethoven 6 and Cantelli's Brahms 1 as not only the music but the record sleeves made a great impression on me. A few years later I acquired both these LPs with exactly the same covers.

In those days "slebs" had not been invented and attention span was not an issue.

I (and the classical record/cd companies) have much to thank my class teacher for.

I'm sure this worked for you (and many of the folks who post here)
BUT for most people, and as an educational strategy this simply doesn't work and never did

Often quoted on staffroom walls in schools i've visited

Our duty is to teach the children we have.
Not the ones we would like to have.
Not the ones we used to have.
Those we have right now.
All of them.