#08-350: Oklahoma!

From the poster from the 1955 film version (Wikimedia)

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Note: This smash hit on Broadway and. later, on the "silver screen," brought us such memorable tunes as "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning!" and "People Will Say We're in Love."

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Get Ready: Did you know there was a historic conflict between those who raise crops (farmers) and those who raise animals (ranchers and herders)? Can you  imagine why this is?

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#08-342: Puff, the Magic Dragon

A cartoon dragon (probably not "Puff") (Wikimedia)

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Note: This sweet nostalgic story has been a favorite for generations--and it's fun to sing!

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Get Ready: What do we gain by growing up? What do we lose?

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#08-324: Porgy and Bess

Stage set of Catfish Row (Wikimedia)

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Note: Some of America's greatest tunes have come from the pen of George Gershwin; in popular music, this is his masterpiece.

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Get Ready: Do you like jazz music? Classical? How about when they are combined?

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#08-320: Swan Lake

Prince Siegfried and Odette (Wikimedia)

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Note: Few works of ballet have penetrated the popular consciousness like Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Here's the story it depicts.

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Get Ready: Have you ever been to a ballet, or watched one on a video? What's your impression?

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#08-188: The Panpipes

The water nymphs save Syrinx from Pan
(Getty Art Collection)

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Note: Panpipes are found the world over, but Greco-Roman mythology gives them a unique origin.

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Get Ready: Do you know the sound of panpipes? If not, what do you imagine they would sound like?

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#08-096: The Music Man

Poster from the film
(Wikipedia)

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Note: "Professor" Harold Hill comes to River City to start a boys' band--and scam the townsfolk in one of my favorite movies.

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Get Ready: If a person preys on the weaknesses of others, but is an idealist at heart, is he a good person or a bad person? In other words, do actions speak louder than words?

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#08-051: The Marriage of Figaro

Cherubino, the Count's philandering page, hides as the Count arrives
(Wikipedia)

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Note: Opera (the Italian word for "work") is famous for its grand compositions and bravura performances. But equally important to any great opera is the story.

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Get Ready: Do you enjoy listening to (European) opera? Have you ever been to a performance?

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#08-016: Peter and the Wolf

Peter, the Wolf, and the others in a short Disney cartoon
(Wikipedia)

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Note: In 1936, Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev debuted an unusual "symphonic fairy tale for children" that has delighted youngsters--and their elders--ever since. The piece, called Peter and the Wolf, features a narrator telling the story of a boy named Peter and what happens when he disobeys his grandfather.

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Get Ready: Have you ever heard Peter and the Wolf? Do you enjoy classical music? Why or why not?

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#05-026: International Jazz Day

Herbie Hancock performs on International Jazz Day in Havana, Cuba
(Wikipedia)

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Note: Find out how American jazz rose from its humble beginnings to become an important force in international relations.

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Get Ready: Do you like jazz? Do you think it's an important element in international relations?

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#05-021: Month-Long April Observances

Locksley Hall, inspiration for a line about love in the springtime
(Wikipedia)

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Note: It's spring! Write a poem, listen to some jazz, donate your organs, or volunteer!

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Get Ready: Have you ever written any poetry? Are you good at it? (Share some in the comments!)

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#05-015: Three More February Holidays

Memorial at the crash site, 2003
(Wikipedia)

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Note: Remember some musical greats, be nice for no particular reason, or chase away the winter "blahs" on these three days in February.

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Get Ready: What unexpected act of kindness could you do for someone right now, today?

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#04-023: The Tragic Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
(Wikipedia)

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Note: From the charming dances of the Nutcracker Suite to the bombastic 1812 Overture, Tchaikovsky's music has entertained us for well over a century.

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Get Ready: Can you hum anything by Tchaikovsky? (I'll bet you can--and you don't even know it!)

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#04-017: Richard Strauss, a Pretty Good Composer

Richard Strauss
(Wikipedia)

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Note: This great composer wouldn't be on the radar of most of us were it not for a couple of "classical pops" numbers still played today--especially the one from that space movie.

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Get Ready: Have you ever listened to Also sprach Zarathustra all the way through? If so, what was it like? (If not, do it!) Try Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks, too--lots of fun!

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#04-008: Aaron Copland, Dean of American Composers

Aaron Copland
(Wikipedia)

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Note: Born in humble circumstances in an immigrant community, Aaron Copland became the most American of composers. Follow his path to success.

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Get Ready: Which do you prefer, "serious" music or pop music? Or is there a proper time for each?

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#04-002: The Musical Handel

George Frideric Handel
(Wikipedia)

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Note: Though he was born in what is now Germany, George Frideric Handel rose to fame in England. Learn how he entertained two English kings with his compositions.

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Get Ready: What do you think composition entitled Music for the Royal Fireworks might sound like? Hum it!

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#03-015: The Fab Four

Clockwise from top left: John, Paul, Ringo, and George
(Wikipedia)

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Note: In 1964, America was struck by BEATLEMANIA! In that year, the Lads from Liverpool landed on our shores. Read about them and their impact on music history.

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Get Ready: Look at the picture of the Beatles above. Do you find their hairstyles shocking? Why or why not?

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