William Tell Overture is well-known for its fast-paced and exciting melody. Here is a listening map that will help guide you and your students through the song. You will notice that this song has a lot of little mini repeats. Rossini takes a phrase and repeats it before moving on. Some of these repeats are short and quick. For instance, the cheerleader and the leaping over the hurdles are both short sections that are repeated.
William-Tell-Overture-by-Rossini-PianoTels.pdf (465 downloads)
Teaching with William Tell Overture’s Listening Map
If I were going through this listening map with my students, I would have them listen through and see how much they can listen on their own and follow through. Then I would listen again, this time leading them through the map. For intermediate music students, I would suggest having the students add in dynamics above or next to the pictures. There are a lot of great dynamics throughout this song! Use dynamics such as piano, forte, fortissimo, crescendo and decrescendo.
Lastly, it is fun to have the students come up with their own story to this song. What exactly happens in the details? In what way can they “own” the song as they create their own version of the story laid out in this listening map?
Puppets with this Listening Map of William Tell Overture
Add to the fun of this activity, by giving the kids puppets to hold up during the song. You can either print out puppets for each student to hold up during the appropriate place in the song, or you can divide the puppets among the group. During their part of the song, they hold up their puppet.
If the students have created a story to go with the listening map, they can hold up the puppets while explaining the story during the song. This is fun for the kids!
These things combined will really make this an experience that will help the students to hear the different parts of the song. As I have gone through the listening map and done the puppets my students have definitely gotten to know this song well! There is no doubt that they know the parts of the song. It is fun to hear them repeat the story as they hear the song.
William Tell Overture Puppets from PianoTels.pdf (254 downloads)
Rhythm Sticks with the William Tell Overture
With rhythm sticks, the students can tap with the song and create an even more memorable experience! Rhythm sticks help the students to keep beat. It also helps the students in listening to the song. Thus, the listening map and the rhythm sticks pair very well together.
Check out this classroom’s use of the rhythm sticks to Rossini’s William Tell Overture.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF5Bs2yh2T0&feature=fvwrel
Tel loves her life as a piano player, a piano teacher, and a mom. Amid piano blogging, piano teaching, and piano playing, she loves a chance to fit in a good exercise class, volunteer at her kids’ school and at her church, and go on long dates with her husband. Full bio at About Tel.
