This short piece is from a collection – A Prole do Bebé – which the Brazilian composer Hector Villa-Lobos started to compose in 1918. A Prole do Bebé‘s 8 pieces represent Brazil’s ethnic diversity, and each one describes a different doll. O Polchinelo is a version of Punch (as in Punch and Judy) and its fast and furious music captures the puppet character’s energy as he races across the stage, and the delight of the children watching!
Developing Active Listening Skills
Encourage the children to experiment and find ways to listen that best help them focus, which can be different for each person. There is no ‘right’ way to listen to music, and the more opportunities children have to practice active listening the more likely they are to weave music throughout their daily lives, supporting their health and well-being – reflecting, lifting, calming their mood:
- Eyes open, watching the screen as pianist Alexandra Dariescu plays the piece
- Eyes closed, either sitting upright or with their heads resting on the table or desk
- Drawing or making marks on paper – ‘painting’ the sound as they listen
- Listening to music as they colour in or draw freehand – this can help children who find it more difficult to focus develop active listening skills
Questions and prompts:
Ask the children to listen to the music without first telling them what inspired Villa-Lobos to write it, then once they’ve heard it ask them who or what they think the music is depicting.
Did the music conjure up any images for them while they were listening? Do they think it is telling a story?
OR
Before they listen, tell the children that Il Polchinelo describes the puppet character Punch. After they’ve heard the piece, ask the children what sort of a character they think Punch is? What do they think this piece of music tells us about him?
How did listening to this piece of music make the children feel? What descriptive language can they use to express their feelings?
Do they feel different after listening to it – has this piece of music changed their mood?