Slideshow to accompany teaching materials for the RSNO Maestro concerts.

2. Bernstein Overture to ‘Candide’ Leonard

3. EXPLORE ‘ Candide’ is an operetta (a light, comic opera) premiered in 1956 based on a novel by Voltaire from 1759

4. EXPLORE ‘ Candide’ is an operetta (a light, comic opera) premiered in 1956 based on a novel by Voltaire from 1759 Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990) wrote the music and whilst the show was a flop, the overture was an instant success

5. EXPLORE ‘ Candide’ is an operetta (a light, comic opera) premiered in 1956 based on a novel by Voltaire from 1759 Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990) wrote the music and whilst the show was a flop, the overture was an instant success It is Bernstein’s most popular orchestral work

6. EXPLORE ‘ Candide’ is an operetta (a light, comic opera) premiered in 1956 based on a novel by Voltaire from 1759 Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990) wrote the music and whilst the show was a flop, the overture was an instant success It is Bernstein’s most popular orchestral work He was a conductor as well as a composer and conducted some of the world’s greatest orchestras

7. Listen to Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic on this recording of the Overture to ‘Candide’: click here EXPERIENCE

8. Listen to Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic on this recording of the Overture to ‘Candide’: click here EXPERIENCE Listen again to the beginning of the overture and you will hear two musical effects that feature prominently throughout the piece.

9. SYNCOPATION In this example you can see how Bernstein has moved the strong beat of the bar in the bass line parts to the last beat of the bar and tied the note across the bar line creating a very jazzy feel. This sets the character for the whole piece: Bar 10, six seconds in

10. HEMIOLA Bernstein uses this rhythmic device a lot to make the music sound as if it has changed from triple time to duple time. It happens very quickly as in the example below so be careful not to miss it! Bar 25, twenty seconds in You can see and hear how the syncopation from the beginning continues throughout this section.

11. RESPOND What is an Overture?

12. RESPOND What is an Overture? The music of four songs is used in the overture. Let’s call them A, B, C and D – listen again and write down the structure.

13. RESPOND What is an Overture? The music of four songs is used in the overture. Let’s call them A, B, C and D – listen again and write down the structure. Which musical form is this structure?

14. RESPOND What is an Overture? The music of four songs is used in the overture. Let’s call them A, B, C and D – listen again and write down the structure. Which musical form is this structure? Compare sections A and B – they are opposite in character. Which two words could you use to describe their characters?

15. RESPOND What is an Overture? The music of four songs is used in the overture. Let’s call them A, B, C and D – listen again and write down the structure. Which musical form is this structure? Compare sections A and B – they are opposite in character. Which two words could you use to describe their characters? Section B has two time signatures which alternate every other bar – what are they?

16. RESPOND What is an Overture? The music of four songs is used in the overture. Let’s call them A, B, C and D – listen again and write down the structure. Which musical form is this structure? Compare sections A and B – they are opposite in character. Which two words could you use to describe their characters? Section B has two time signatures which alternate every other bar – what are they? What words or phrases could you use to describe this music and the picture it paints?