The Beauty Of 8 – activities: Morf
About 'Morf'
Composed by Ian Cleworth
This solo is essentially an exploration in sound and texture rather than rhythm, hearing how many different sounds that could be made by moving the bachi over different areas of the cow-skin’s surface, tuning the shimedaiko to an extremely high pitch and employing multiple-bounce effects.
View 'Attachment 1: 'Morf' composer notes for more information.
To print out the following activities and attachments, please select the 'Print this page' button at the bottom of this page.
Teaching materials
- Video of Taikoz performing The Beauty Of 8
- Attachment 2: "Musical Morphing" score
- The Beauty Of 8: Glossary
- The Beauty Of 8: People
- The Beauty Of 8: Taiko
- Small percussion instruments (see below)
Instruments
Suitable instruments are:
- maracas (and other shakers of various description)
- suspended cymbals
- congas
- bongos
- tom-toms
- concert bass drums
- tam-tams
- guiro (and other scrapers of various description).
Instruments with sharp attacks such as snare drums (with snares on) and woodblocks are not so appropriate. An assortment of soft beaters, wire brushes and hands/fingers for drums is recommended. Instruments can be duplicated, although it will work best if players like instruments are not seated next to each other.
Syllabus outcomes
demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through exploring, experimenting, improvising, organising, arranging and composing
demonstrates an understanding of the musical concepts through improvising, arranging and composing in the styles or genres of music selected for study
demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through listening, observing, responding, discriminating, analysing, discussing and recording musical ideas
demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through the analysis, comparison, and critical discussion of music from different stylistic, social, cultural and historical contexts
demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through aural identification and discussion of the features of a range of repertoire
demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through aural identification, discrimination, memorisation and notation in the music selected for study
demonstrates an appreciation, tolerance and respect for the aesthetic value of music as an artform
demonstrates an appreciation, tolerance and respect for the aesthetic value of music as an artform
demonstrates a developing confidence and willingness to engage in performing, composing and listening experiences
demonstrates a developing confidence and willingness to engage in performing, composing and listening experiences
improvises and creates melodies, harmonies and rhythmic accompaniments for familiar sound sources reflecting the cultural and historical contexts studied
recognises and identifies the concepts of music and discusses their use in a variety of musical styles
observes and discusses concepts of music in works representative of the topics studied
demonstrates a willingness to participate in performance, composition, musicology and aural activities
improvises and composes music using the range of concepts for familiar sound sources reflecting the cultural and historical contexts studied
demonstrates a willingness to participate in performance, composition, musicology and aural activities
composes, improvises and analyses melodies and accompaniments for familiar sound sources in solo and/or small ensembles
creates, improvises and notates music which is representative of the mandatory and additional topics and demonstrates different social, cultural and historical contexts
analyses and discusses compositional processes with stylistic, historical, cultural and musical considerations
stylistically creates, improvises, arranges and notates music which is representative of the mandatory and additional topics and demonstrates different social, cultural and historical contexts
demonstrates a developing confidence and willingness to engage in performing, composing and listening experiences
Activities
Activity 1
Learning intention
Students observe changes in rhythm and/or texture.
Success criteria
Students make an action when they identify a change within the musical texture.
Syllabus outcomes
- 4.7, 4.8
- 5.7, 5.8
- Music 1: P4, P6, P10, H10
- Music 2: P3, P5, H5
Resources
- Video of Taikoz performing The Beauty Of 8
Listening activity
Watch the complete performance of Morf (21:30 – 28:42)
- Observe the ‘morphing’ process and students make an action when they hear a change in the rhythm and/or texture
Activity 2
Learning intention
Students improvise using Taikoz rules regarding structure and tone colour.
Success criteria
Students take part in an improvised performance, each student following specific rules to create a morphing of structure.
Syllabus outcomes
- 4.4, 4.11, 4.12
- 5.4, 5.11, 5.12
- Music 1: P3, H3
- Music 2: P4, H4
Resources
- Attachment 2: "Musical Morphing" score
- Small percussion instruments.
Playing activity
Students compose a piece of music in real time based on the concept behind Morf – i.e. ‘morphing’ one sound/texture into another
- At least 10 students take a small percussion instrument and sit in a circle
- Choose a player to begin the piece – we’ll call this player Player 1
- Player 1 makes a sound/texture/short rhythm
- Keep all sound/texture/short rhythms to a general pp to mf, with only occasional f dynamics
- Player 1’s sound/texture/short rhythm is played back (imitated) by the person sitting next to them (Player 2), but with one musical change made (i.e. improvised) by that player (see score for examples)
- It is important that each player’s musical contribution is related to the previous player’s by changing only one or (at most) two elements; e.g. a dynamic, adding or subtracting a sound, slightly changing the rhythm or tempo etc.
- Player 1 keeps playing their sound/texture/short rhythm as Player 2 enters
- Player 2’s sound/texture/short rhythm is played back (imitated) by the person sitting next to them (Player 3), again with one or two changes made by the player
- Players 1 & 2 keep playing their sound/texture/short rhythm as Player 3 enters
- Player 3’s sound/texture/short rhythm is played back (imitated) by the person sitting next to them (Player 4), again with one or two changes made by the player
- Players 2 & 3 keep playing their sound/texture/short rhythm as Player 4 enters
- Player 1 fades out, so there only 3 players playing at one time (Players 2-4)
- Player 4’s sound/texture/short rhythm is played back (imitated) by the person sitting next to them (Player 5), again with one or two changes made by the player
- Players 3 & 4 keep playing their sound/texture/short rhythm as Player 5 enters
- Player 2 fades out (so there only 3 players playing at one time: Players 3-5)
- Keep moving around the circle for as many cycles or two changes – essentially, until all ideas have been exhausted
- The musical idea behind the piece is that the sound produced at the beginning by Player 1 is gradually transformed (‘morphed’) upon each player’s entry by the changing of one or two musical elements of the previous player’s musical material
- Remember that it is an exercise in listening with mindful attention to the musical concept (transforming sound)
- See score for musical examples
Attachments
Attachment 1: 'Morf' composer notes
How and why I composed Morf
Composed by Ian Cleworth
Surprisingly, this solo for the taiko called shimedaiko is essentially an exploration in sound and texture rather than rhythm per se. I composed Morf after spending many hours seeing how many different sounds I could make by moving my bachi over different areas of the cow-skin’s surface. I also deliberately tuned the shimedaiko to an extremely high pitch to give a very fast and precise rebound of the bachi. By employing multiple-bounce effects, I was intrigued to discover I could produce many finely nuanced sounds, which ultimately helped shape the work. As I had only recently recovered from spinal surgery, I found this a gentle, relaxing, and somewhat meditative approach to finding my way back into playing taiko.
The title is a reference to the piece’s structure: slowly moving sounds/textures gradually ‘morphing’, one into another. As to the spelling? That’s just pure contrariness!
Attachment 2: "Musical Morphing" score
