Wizards and Witches

Wizards and Witches

“Ah, music, a magic beyond all we do here!”

Albus Dumbledore (J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone)

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Design : Hélène Claise

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Context

Guided listening

Activities

Halloween

A brief history…

Traditions around the world

Magical instruments

Your turn to play

The history behind the Halloween tradition

Halloween originated in a Celtic feast that is more than 3000 years old: Samhain. The word “Halloween” is a contraction of “All Hallows’ Eve,” which means the “eve of all saints.” In 835, Pope Gregory IV designated November 1 as a celebration of All Saints’ Day (i.e., the day after Samhain).

Samhain

In Celtic lore, the year is divided into two seasons: the bright season and the dark season. The feast of Samhain marks the transition between these two seasons. The bright season was said to end when the last of the year’s crops were harvested, around the end of October. According to legend, on the last full moon night in October, the dead would return to visit the living. The feast of Samhain was originally a religious holiday with rituals meant to ensure a good year to come.

The history behind the Halloween tradition

Did you know?

Around the 19th century, many people from Ireland immigrated to Canada. To celebrate Halloween, they had a custom of carving turnips and rutabagas and lighting them with candles. But since in Canada, we have a lot of squash and pumpkins, the tradition continued using cucurbits. The hollowed-out pumpkin, carved like a skull, and lit with a candle, became the ultimate symbol of Halloween.

Which country is it?

In this country, people primarily celebrate the Day of the Dead, who return to Earth on November 1 and 2. Families light candles to guide the dead’s way back. They prepare alters, which they decorate with colourful “calaveras” and adorn with gifts.

Brazil

Japan

Ireland

England

Mexico

Which country is it?

In this country, people dress up as terrifying creatures. Halloween is celebrated with fireworks and bonfires.

Brazil

Japan

Ireland

England

Mexico

Which country is it?

In this country, it isn’t children who dress up in costumes, but adults! Manga-inspired costume parties and events are hosted on Friday and Saturday nights in late October.

Brazil

Japan

Ireland

England

Mexico

Which country is it?

In this country, Saci Day is celebrated on October 31. Saci is a prankster with only one leg, after losing the other one in a Capoeira fight. This little rascal makes fun of everything and likes to create whirlwinds of havoc.

Brazil

Japan

Ireland

England

Mexico

Which country is it?

In this country, Halloween was in olden days called “Nutcrack Night” or “Snap Apple Night.” Families would gather around a fire and tell stories, eating hazelnuts and apples. Poor people would be given cakes as gifts, which were called “soul cakes.”

Brazil

Japan

Ireland

England

Mexico

“Magic” instruments

Here are a few instruments that often illustrate magic in music. They are present in some of the symphonic works you will hear at the concert.

Glockenspiel

Tubularbells

Celesta

Harp

Your turn to play:

In the early 1900s, Halloween was associated with romance and love. True or false?

True

False

Your turn to play:

The world’s largest jack-o’-lantern weighs :

157 kg

548 kg

821 kg

Your turn to play:

Pumpkins float. True or false?

True

False

Guided listening

Preparing for the concert

Work 1

Work 2

Work 3

Work 4

Work 5

Work 6

Guided listening

John Williams, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: “Hedwig’s Theme”

Ensembles of 12 musicians or more can be called an orchestra. The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal has 90 musicians who are led by an orchestral conductor. Have you ever heard a symphony orchestra? If not in a concert, maybe you have heard one before in a movie! In the film music for Harry Potter composed by John Williams, you can hear the orchestra’s 4 main families of instruments:

Strings

Brass

Woodwinds

Percussions

Your turn to play:

John Williams, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: “Hedwig’s Theme”

Which percussion instrument do you recognize here?

The celesta

The glockenspiel

Tubular bells

Your turn to play:

John Williams, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: “Hedwig’s Theme”

Which family of instruments do you recognize here?

Bowed strings

Woodwinds

Brass

Percussion

Your turn to play:

John Williams, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: “Hedwig’s Theme”

Which family of instruments do you recognize here?

Bowed strings

Woodwinds

Brass

Percussion

Your turn to play:

John Williams, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: “Hedwig’s Theme”

Which family of instruments do you recognize here?

Bowed strings

Woodwinds

Brass

Percussion

Guided listening

Wagner, Der fliegende Holländer [The Flying Dutchman], WWV 63: “Overture”

Music feeds the imagination and intensifies our emotions. Richard Wagner said that “where speech stops, there the reign of music begins.”

The Flying Dutchman is a mythical opera. This work tells the story of a Dutch sailor who agitated the gods and so was condemned to sail the open sea for eternity, aboard a ghost ship. He was only allowed to return to land once every seven years, to find his soul mate, whose faithful love could undo his curse.

Guided listening

Saint-Saëns, Danse macabre, op. 40

Camille Saint-Saëns took inspiration from a poem by Cazalis to compose his symphonic poem (or tone poem) titled Danse macabre. A danse macabre, or dance of death, which brings together the dead and the living, inspired many artists, since it symbolizes human equality. It shows us that everyone, rich or poor, regardless of social status, is equal in the face of death.

Guided listening

Dukas, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Paul Dukas drew inspiration from a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe to write the music for his symphonic poem that tells the story of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. This piece is among those featured in Walt Disney’s Fantasia, where you can see Mickey playing the role of the sorcerer’s apprentice.

Guided listening

Dukas, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

An old master sorcerer asks his apprentice to fill the workshop’s water tank while he is gone. Not too keen on doing this chore, the apprentice decides to enchant a broom to do the work for him.

Listen to the trumpets being played with mutes, that depict the spell being cast by the young sorcerer

Guided listening

Dukas, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

The broom is set in motion!

Listen to the broom’s theme played by the bassoons.

Guided listening

Dukas, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

The sorcerer’s apprentice is bursting with pride, his spell worked brilliantly!

Listen to this joyful theme and the high sounds from the glockenspiel that represent the young sorcerer’s apprentice. Can you hear the strikes of the triangle?

Guided listening

Dukas, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

The apprentice loses control and cannot figure out how to stop the broom, which keeps fetching more and more water.

Do you hear the clashes of the cymbals? Can you pick out the broom’s theme, now played by the horns?

Guided listening

Dukas, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

The tank is overflowing! The sorcerer’s apprentice panics. He needs to find a solution. He grabs an axe, heaves it at the broom, and cuts it in half!

Can you hear the motif played by the brass that represents the magic words the apprentice repeats to try and stop the broom? Listen to the two chords played by the orchestra. They are punctuated by cymbal clashes representing chops of the axe

Guided listening

Dukas, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Disaster! Both parts of the broom get up, resume the chore, and flood the workshop.

Imagine the two parts of the broom gradually getting up again. The bassoon plays the broom’s theme again, followed by the clarinet, which represents the 2nd piece of the broom coming to life. The music’s rhythm speeds up: water is flooding the room!

Guided listening

Dukas, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

On his return, the old master sorcerer discovers the disaster. He says the right magic words and the spell is undone.

Listen to the timpani: the old master sorcerer is very displeased. Listen to the brass as they repeat the magic words in a loud dynamic! Did you hear the last strike of the timpani followed by a long silence? Those are the brooms falling to the floor. Order is restored in the workshop.

Guided listening

Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition: IX. The Hut on Hen’s Legs (Baba Yaga)

Modest Petrovitch Moussorgsky replicated in Pictures at an Exhibition the experience of visiting art an exhibition, where each stop to look at another painting starts a new piece of music. The Hut on Hen’s Legs is based on a drawing that depicts a clock in the shape of Baba Yaga’s house. In this piece of music, Mussorgsky describes not the hut, but the witch who lives inside. We can hear both sides of Baba Yaga’s personality, which the composer describes by playing with dynamics, timbres and tempo.

Guided listening

Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition: IX. The Hut on Hen’s Legs (Baba Yaga)

Excerpt 1

Listen to the instruments belonging to the brass family in this first excerpt. Mussorgsky wrote an alarming part for horns and trumpets. The dynamic is loud and the tempo is fast.

Guided listening

Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition: IX. The Hut on Hen’s Legs (Baba Yaga)

Excerpt 2

Listen to the instruments belonging to the woodwind family in this second excerpt. The flute and the bassoon return the work to serenity. The dynamic is soft and the tempo is slower.

Guided listening

Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique, H. 48, op. 14: V. Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath

Hector Berlioz enjoyed great success with his Symphonie fantastique, which was uniquely modern in its time. In it, he tells musically of his love for an actress whom he deeply admired. The work is divided into 5 movements. Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath is the last one. In this movement, Berlioz imagines himself at his own funeral. He sees himself surrounded by shadows, sorcerers, and monsters. Strange noises, moaning, bursts of laughter, distant cries, a sombre melody, and church bells…

Activities

Magic spell

Origami

Concert review

Magic spell

For sorcerer’s and sorceress’ apprentices who want to take part actively in the master sorcerer’s lesson at the Maison symphonique, here is the incantation you must know:

Tarim Elooda Go Ila Tayroos Aba Kim Pala ...

Origami

Our master sorcerer needs your help! Follow our instructions to prepare the creation of your choice and bring your origami to the Maison symphonique so we can add it to our magic potion at the concert!

ORIGAMI

Intermediate

For beginners

Witch, wizard

Frog

Witch, wizard

To make your witch or wizard, you'll need two square sheets of paper. Traditionally, origami paper is white on one side and colored on the other. You can also use paper of the same color on both sides if you like.

Witch, Wizard

Let's start by making your character's head. Place the first paper on the table, colored side down, as shown in the photo.

Fold the paper in two.

Witch, Wizard

Open the paper. You have a fold in the middle.

Take the left-hand corner of the paper and bring it towards the fold in the center to form a right angle as shown in the photo. Fold the paper at this point.

Witch, Wizard

Do the same thing on the other side.

Unfold your paper.

Witch, Wizard

Take the left-hand corner of the paper and bring it towards the nearest fold. Fold the paper at this point.

Do the same thing on the other side.

Witch, Wizard

Bring both sides of the paper towards the center fold.

10

Make sure your paper is folded in both places.

Witch, Wizard

11

Take the top of the paper and bring it down.

12

Fold the paper as shown in the photo (corner on corner).

Witch, Wizard

13

Fold the black triangle upwards, as shown in the photo. This will be the character's hat.

14

Take the bottom of the hat and fold it in half (as shown in the photo).

Witch, Wizard

15

Turn the paper over.

16

Take the bottom of the paper and bring it up as shown in the photo.

Witch, Wizard

17

Take the left-hand corner of the paper and bring it towards the center as shown in the photo. Fold the paper at this point.

18

Do the same thing on the other side.

Witch, Wizard

19

Turn the paper over to the other side. Your character's head is finished.

20

If you want, you can draw a face!

Witch, Wizard

21

We're now going to make our character's body. Place the paper on the table, colored side down.

22

Fold the paper in half (from top to bottom).

Witch, Wizard

23

Take the top left-hand corner and bring it towards the middle of the paper. Fold the paper at this point.

24

Do the same on the other side. Your paper now has a triangular shape.

Witch, Wizard

25

Take the corner of the triangle shown in the photo and turn it outwards.

26

Do the same thing on the other side.

Witch, Wizard

27

Turn the paper over.

28

Take the left-hand corner of the triangle and open the paper there (as shown in the photos).

Witch, Wizard

29

Do the same thing on the other side.

30

Turn the paper over.

Witch, Wizard

31

Time to make the character's first foot. Take the piece of paper on the bottom right and turn it over diagonally.

32

Do the same on the other side, it's the second foot.

Witch, Wizard

33

Now you can glue your character's head and body together.

34

You can also draw patterns, arms or hands on the witch's or wizard's body.

Witch, Wizard

35

You can also make as many witches and wizards as you like, in any color!

FROG

To make your frog, you'll need a square sheet of paper in the color of your choice. Traditionally, origami paper is white on one side and colored on the other. You can also use paper of the same color on both sides if you like.

FROG

To begin, place the paper on the table, colored side down.

Fold the paper in half.

FROG

Fold the paper in half again to make a square.

Unfold the paper to obtain a rectangular shape with a fold in the middle, as shown in the photo.

FROG

Take the top left-hand corner of the rectangle and bring it towards the middle fold. Fold your paper there.

Open your paper again to return to a rectangular shape.

FROG

Take the top right-hand corner of the rectangle and bring it towards the fold in the middle. Fold the paper at this point.

Open your paper again to return to a rectangular shape.

FROG

Take the top of the rectangle and bring it towards the center line, using the folds you've just made in the paper to create a triangular shape.

10

Fold your paper tightly at this point.

FROG

11

Take the bottom of the paper and bring it towards the bottom of the triangle.

12

Fold the paper at this point.

FROG

13

Turn your paper on its side. Lift the bottom of the triangle and pick up the paper underneath in your fingers, as shown in the photos.

14

Fold the paper in half.

FROG

15

Do the same thing on the other side.

16

Turn your paper over. It should look like a little house.

FROG

17

Take the bottom of the paper and bring it towards the middle (at the base of the triangle).

18

Fold the paper at this point.

FROG

19

Open the bottom of the paper (where you've just made the fold). Take the right-hand side and open it so that it meets the bottom of the triangle. You can watch the video to help you.

20

Bring the bottom of the paper towards the bottom of the triangle and fold the paper there.

FROG

21

Do the same on the left-hand side of the paper. You can watch the video again to see this step.

22

Your paper looks like a boat at this point.

FROG

23

Take the right-hand corner of the boat (the bottom one).

24

Bring it down and fold your paper.

FROG

25

Take the left-hand corner and bring it down too.

26

Fold the paper at this point.

FROG

27

Take the bottom right-hand corner of the paper in your fingers.

28

Turn it over diagonally along the fold. This is a frog's leg.

FROG

29

Take the bottom left-hand end of the paper in your fingers.

30

Turn it over diagonally along the fold. This is another of the frog's legs.

FROG

31

Take the top-left corner and bring it back on itself diagonally.

32

Fold the paper at this point. This is the frog's third leg.

FROG

33

Take the top-right corner and bring it back on itself diagonally.

34

Fold the paper at this point. This is the frog's fourth leg.

FROG

35

Your paper should look something like this.

36

Fold the paper in half where the 4 legs meet.

FROG

37

Take the piece of paper you've just folded and turn it inside out.

38

Fold the paper at this point (the paper is now thicker and harder to fold).

FROG

39

Your frog is finished. It should look like this (this is the back of the frog).

40

You can turn it over and draw a face if you like.

FROG

Your frog can jump just like in the photos! You can also have fun making a little collection :)

Tempo

Cazalis’ poem: Zig, zig, zig, Death in a cadence Striking with his heel a tomb, Death at midnight plays a dance-tune, Zig, zig, zag, on his violin. The winter wind blows, and the night is dark; Moans are heard in the linden trees. White skeletons pass through the gloom, Running and leaping in their shrouds. […] Zig, zig, zig. What a saraband! They all hold hands and dance in circles. Zig, zig, zag. You can see in the crowd The king dancing among the peasants. But hist! All of a sudden, they leave the dance, They push forward, they fly; the cock has crowed. Oh what a beautiful night for the poor world! Long live death and equality! An excerpt of the poem Égalité-Fraternité part of Cazalis’ collection Heures sombres.

Paul Dukas was a French composer who was born in 1865 and died in 1935.

Johan Wolfgang von Goethe was a German poet who was born in 1749 and died in 1832.

True! People even put images of Cupid up for Halloween parties, to encourage romance.

Cazalis’ poem: Zig, zig, zig, Death in a cadence Striking with his heel a tomb, Death at midnight plays a dance-tune, Zig, zig, zag, on his violin. The winter wind blows, and the night is dark; Moans are heard in the linden trees. White skeletons pass through the gloom, Running and leaping in their shrouds. […] Zig, zig, zig. What a saraband! They all hold hands and dance in circles. Zig, zig, zag. You can see in the crowd The king dancing among the peasants. But hist! All of a sudden, they leave the dance, They push forward, they fly; the cock has crowed. Oh what a beautiful night for the poor world! Long live death and equality! An excerpt of the poem Égalité-Fraternité part of Cazalis’ collection Heures sombres.

What is origami?

The word origami is a combination of two Japanese words: "ori", which comes from the verb to fold, and "kami", which means paper. Origami is aptly named, as it involves folding paper to create shapes such as objects, characters and even animals!

An opera is a theatrical work set to music, performed by solo singers, a choir, and an orchestra

The symphonic poem (or tone poem):

While poets play with words to create sounds that give us impressions or sensations, musicians play with sounds to tell stories. Symphonic poems (or tone poems) are written based on a literary text, one the composer seeks to recount to us musically, guiding our imagination with music that is said to be, “descriptive.”

821 kg, that’s more than two Siberian tigers.

The Celts

The Celts lived mainly in what is now the United Kingdom, Ireland, a large part of France, and other countries in Europe. Celtic culture is still present today in some of these regions. Each one has its own distinct Celtic language that is upheld as part of a valuable heritage.

*Image : Wikipedia

True! In northern California, you can swim in a pool of floating pumpkins to choose one for Halloween.

Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga is a witch (or ogre) from Slavic folklore who lives in a magic hut hidden deep in the forest. She is depicted in various stories as both benevolent and wicked. She might help, trap, or even eat anyone who crosses her path.

Illustration : Ivan Bilibin

The Halloween pumpkin used to be more commonly called a jack-o’-lantern.

Jack is a character from Irish legend, a man who meets the Devil and invites him out for a beer. This man, sometimes referred to as “Stingy Jack,” was indeed very miserly and refused to pay for the Devil’s beer. So, the Devil turned himself into a gold coin. Jack picked up the coin, slid it into his pouch, making the Devil his prisoner. Jack freed the Devil in exchange for his promise that he would never lead Jack to Hell. On the day he died, he went to Heaven, but was turned away since he had been too mean and deceitful. Not knowing where to go, he made his way to Hell. But the Devil, intent on keeping his promise, gave Jack a burning ember and sent him away. Jack placed the ember in a hollow turnip to light his way. It is said that Jack is doomed to roam the earth forever, guided only by the light of his lantern.

John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist born in 1932 in New York City.

Timbres

All Saints' Day

In the Middle Ages, worshipping saints was a central part of the Christian religion. It was believed that praying to saints would help the dead to enter heaven more quickly. Because of this, All Saints’ Day soon became a celebration of the dead just as much as the saints. Today, many Christians visit cemeteries on this day to place flowers on the graves of their deceased loved ones.

Richard Wagner was a German composer who was born in 1813 and died in 1883.

This instrument belongs to the percussion family and is an idiophone. It has metal bars that a percussionist strikes with mallets to produce sound.

All Saints' Day

In the Middle Ages, worshipping saints was a central part of the Christian religion. It was believed that praying to saints would help the dead to enter heaven more quickly. Because of this, All Saints’ Day soon became a celebration of the dead just as much as the saints. Today, many Christians visit cemeteries on this day to place flowers on the graves of their deceased loved ones.

CelestaHave you ever heard it in the Harry Potter movies?

Also known as tubular chimes or orchestral bells, this instrument, an idiophone, belongs to the percussion family. It consists of a series of bells (shaped like metal tubes). The longer the tube, the lower the sound of the bell. Most of the time, a percussionist will strike these bells with a hammer.

Harp

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Camille Saint-Saens was a French composer who was born in 1835 and died in 1921.

Hector Berlioz was a French composer who was born in 1803 and died in 1869

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Dynamics

Steps 19-20-21-22

Modeste Petrovitch Moussorgski was a Russian composer who was born in 1839 and died in 1881

Johan Wolfgang von Goethe was a German poet who was born in 1749 and died in 1832.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Steps 19-20-21-22