Music that tells a story

Many composers have written music based on stories.For example,yhe Russian composer Rimsky-Korsakov based one of his pieces on The Arabian Nights,a large collection of folk tales.The music is called Scheherazade,after the woman who first told the stories.

Scheherazade

Each movement has a title to tell the listeners which part of the story it represents.The first movement is called "The young prince and the young princess".

Scheherazade telling her stories

This type of music often uses specaial themes (melodies) for the main characters in the story.This helps listeners to recognize the people in the story when their themes are played.Sometimes it is also possible to tell the mood of the character.For example,if the theme is played very loudly,with drums in the background,it could mean that the character is angry. Another Russian composer, Tchaikovsky,wrote a piece about the war between Russia and France in 1812.He used parts of the Russian national anthem to describe the triumphant feeling of the Russian as they finally beat the French.The music even includes cannons to create the sounds and atmosphere of a war.The piece is called the 1812 Overture.

Tchaikovsky,wrote a piece about the war between Russia and France in 1812.

Imformation :Book name,Learn to Play more easy piano classics by caroline phipps

(ISBN 0-7460-1698-0)