Sticker Earning Opportunity: Handel Flute Sonata

Answer the following questions, and then find the words in the word search I have created. Turn in the word search by the end of the semester to earn up to one sticker per word found. 

1. What was Handel's first name?

2. In what month was Handel born?

3. In what era did Handel compose his music. (Hint: eras are time periods such as the Renaissance period, the Classical period, etc.) 

4. What is the name of Handel's oratorio that is in English and takes it's text from the King James Version of the Bible. (Hint: one of his most famous pieces of music. Probably the first thing that pops into someone's head if you say Handel's name. Starts with an M and has 7 letters.)

5. What is the name of the keyboard instrument that is in the recording above?

6. Some say that Handel may not have composed this sonata. Before historians became doubtful as to who the true composer is, they thought that this sonata was composed by Handel when he was a boy living in a certain city. What is this city? (Hint: Another name of this piece is the _______ Sonata No. 1)

7. This sonata is in the key of A _______. (Fill in the blank)

8. What is the title of the first movement of this Sonata?

9. In what month did Handel die?

10. Handel is buried in ____________  ____________ in London.

DMS Honor Band flutists' solo for solo and ensemble

The honor band flutists will perform the Handel Sonata in a minor, movement IV. Listen to the solo in it's entirety in the two videos below. 

Movements I & II

Movements III & IV (Start at 1:58 to hear mvmt IV)

I have had several students listen to this performance and describe differences between his performance and theirs. Most replied, "His is faster!" Some eyes got really wide and they would ask, "Do we have to play it that fast?" to which I replied, "You do not need to play faster than you can play well."  Yes, we do want to pick the tempo up, but it doesn't do anyone any good if you miss notes all over the place. 

Some noticed that he played his notes shorter, cleaner, more sparkly, more energetic, that he did not crack notes, that he sounded happy in his playing. These are great qualities to try to emulate! 

I started to ask questions about the composer and about the piece in general and I got blank stares. You could just hear this:

Dear Students:

To avoid the awkward silences and to sound like we know what we are talking about a little bit, I have created a sticker earning opportunity for you! Click here. Good luck!

Why you should practice your flute every day

This.