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ABOUT THE MUSIC
The music for
Alanna and the Tree was specially composed by Sally Davies. It includes
these music styles and instruments.
When you listen to the Alanna music, can you identify them? How do the
sounds made by the instruments contrast with the natural sounds of the forest?
DANCE AND
MUSIC STYLES
| Tango | Argentinian dance performed by couples at slow walking pace. Music is in simple duple time and with dotted rhythm |
| Samba | Brazilian dance. In the modern form it has simple duple rhythm. (Urban samba, sometimes known as samba-carioca, is a type of tango.) |
| American Square Dancing | Dance, with four couples facing inwards from four sides, to folk music in simple duple or quadruple time. |
| Waltz | Dance in three-four time. Popular throughout Europe for the past two hundred years. Found in 'light' and 'serious' music and occasionally in jazz. |
| Jazz | Derived from a melange of West African rhythms and European harmonies. Developed in North America. Usually syncopated and with a strong element of improvisation. Most influential music form of 20th century. |
| Rap | Monotone comment and/or story-telling on top of rock or Caribbean rhythm. |
| Frevo |
Fast
moving carnival dance from North East Brazil. |
BRAZILIAN
PERCUSSION
| Berimbau | A traditional Brazilian instrument with African origins. It resembles a large bow and arrow with a gourd attached to it and is played by striking the bow string with a small stick to create a drone-like sound and percussive effect. |
| Congas | Drums played by hand. |
| Queko | Drum-like instrument that makes a sound like a monkey! |
| Wood Block Claves | Pair of wooden sticks, used as the 'heart beat' of Samba music. |
MELODIC
AND ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENTS
Violin (fiddle)
Flutes
Accordion (the small accordion or concertina is popular in several types of Brazilian
music)
Trumpet
Electric guitar
Drum machine
OTHER PERCUSSION
Wooden football rattle Used for sound effects.
Swanee whistles
Goat bells
Nut shell rattles
Alanna
and the tree
The
story
The
songs
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about the music
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