What is the goal of the Listening Set (3 CDs)? Should the student be able to name the pieces or tell which piece is by which composer?
It’s fun to be able to identify specific pieces and composers. And if your student(s) enjoy doing this, then great! But more useful is a student’s ability to analyze what is heard: to say “Hmm, that’s so . . . Baroque! Listen to that harpsichord and the high-energy, perpetual rhythm.” Or, “I can see why Louis XIV liked this kind of regal-sounding music in those gorgeous halls at Versailles.” Or, “I can just imagine Chopin, pounding out these notes at the piano, when he heard news of revolution back in his native Poland.” Such associations of music with history, architecture, literature, and current events is a primary goal of Discovering Music, particularly for older students.
