Leila Hanley

MUS 4400

CMP Project

April 1st, 2024

Vesuvius by Frank Ticheli

Culturally Responsive Repertoire Choice Rationale

Vesuvius is culturally relevant to students because of its historical context. Students may

be learning about Pompeii in their history classes, and it can help give further understanding of

the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.

Broad Description

Frank Ticheli’s Vesuvius depicts an explosive, fiery dance in the final days of Pompeii

before Mt. Vesuvius would erupt. It features four unique themes scattered throughout the piece.

It was commissioned by the Revelli Foundation for the Paynter Project.

Background Information

Mt. Vesuvius is a somma-stratovolcano located in Campania, Italy. This volcano is most

famous for its historical eruption in 79 AD which destroyed the ancient city of Pompeii. Its

eruption was so massive that it blanketed the city in hot ash, leaving it still partially unrecovered

by modern archaeologists. Ticheli used this volcano as “an icon of power and energy in this

work.”
 Frank Ticheli is an American composer born on January 21st, 1958 in Monroe,

Louisiana. He began playing trumpet in the fourth grade. After graduating from L. V. Berkner

High School in Richardson, Texas, Ticheli went on to receive a Bachelor of Music in

Composition from Southern Methodist University, where he studied under Dr. Donald Erb and

Dr. Jack Waldenmaier. He continued his education at the University of Michigan, earning

master’s and doctoral degrees in music composition under Dr. William Albright, Dr. Leslie

Bassett, and several other notable mentors. Ticheli went on to become the Assistant Professor of

Music at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Later, he worked as the composer-in-

residence with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra in Orange County, California. He is now a

professor of Composition at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music.

Elements of Music

1. Form

a. The piece is broken down in Rondo Form, with the following sections outlined by

Ticheli:

i. Introduction: mm. 1-46. This section establishes the phrygian mode then

foreshadows themes 4, 3, and the transitional theme.

ii. A: mm. 47-103. Theme 1 is introduced followed by a bridge, a restatement

of theme 1, and then an introduction of theme 2.

iii. Modulating episode: mm. 104-139. A new texture is established, followed

by a quote of the Dies Irae motif, followed by an elaboration of the new

texture in different tonalities.

 iv. B: mm. 140-216. The music cadences in the A Major as theme 3 passes

around different sections, with an interjection of the bridge.

v. Transition: mm. 217-240. “Canonic episode moving to reprise of A

section.”

vi. A: mm. 241-279. Return of theme 1 with embellishments in the

woodwinds, with a section of theme 1 against theme 2.

vii. C: mm. 280-335. Finally, theme 4 is introduced and passes around the

ensemble, with an interjection of theme 4 against theme 3, until it

cadences in D minor.

viii. A: mm. 336-end. Canonic variation on theme 1, with further

embellishment and fragmentation of theme 1 until the end.

2. Tonalities:

a. Ticheli explores several unique tonalities, as laid out below (found in program

notes):

i. Intro: A Phrygian

ii. A: D Aeolian (colored by flat 5)

iii. Modulating Episode: D Aeolian, A Aeolian, B chromatic, E Phrygian

(with occasional chromatic inflection)

iv. B: A Phrygian, Aeolian, Dorian, Major, back to Dorian, then to D Major

v. Transition: A Phrygian

vi. A: D Aeolian (colored by flat 5), Bb Lydian (colored by flat 7), D Aeolian

vii. C: A Phrygian, C# Major and Minor, F Phrygian, D Minor

viii. A: D Aeolian (colored by flat 5), A Aeolian (colored by flat 5)

 3. Important rehearsal notes:

a. Ticheli emphasizes the importance of the continuous driving of the tempo, going

as far to say, “we found that the energy could be effectively heightened by

playing at an even faster tempo than is marked in the score.” In addition, he notes

that the piece should also be dramatic in terms of its dynamics.

Heart Statement

The heart of Vesuvius is the unrelenting, driving rhythms paired with unexpected modes,

which illustrate the frantic dances of a city that will soon cease to exist.

Lesson Plan #1: Skills

1. Time Needed:

a. 20 minutes

2. Materials Needed:

a. Score

b. Metronome

3. Learning Outcome(s):

a. After rehearsing with a metronome, students will be able to play the theme 2

rhythm with 80% accuracy in terms of vertical alignment.

4. Assessment Tools:

a. Listening for unified rhythms and articulations.

5. Personal Objectives:

a. Give clear and concise instructions

 b. Project to the back of the classroom

6. Procedures:

a. Greet the class

b. Lead students through warm up (5 min)

i. Scales (Bb, Eb, F)

ii. Tuning

c. Give an overview of what we are going to be working on: mm. 83-99 for vertical

alignment

d. Play through the section as it is, no metronome, listen for alignment issues

e. Everyone find a spot where they have theme 2 — sing it for them — then sizzle

through it

i. Focus on the accents and clipping the ends of slurred groupings

ii. Try it with metronome subdivision on

f. Play it with instruments, make it sound the way it sounded when you sizzled it —

repeat as needed with and without metronome

g. Play as written keeping that all in mind

h. Talk about handing off the theme and matching the section that played before you

i. Try it again

i. Move on to next piece

7. Closure:

a. Great job with unifying those rhythms! Let’s move on to *insert piece here*
Lesson Plan #2: Knowledge

1. Time Needed:

a. 45 minutes

2. Materials Needed:

a. Score

b. Lesson Plan

c. Worksheets

3. Learning Outcome(s):

a. After isolating each theme of the music, students will be able to label the sections

of Vesuvius in Rondo Form with 90% accuracy.

4. Assessment Tools:

a. Checking music marking

b. Form outline worksheet

5. Personal Objectives:

a. Give clear and concise instructions

b. Project to the back of the classroom

6. Procedures:

a. Greet the class

b. Lead warm up (5 min)

i. Scales (Bb, Eb, F)

ii. Tuning

c. Discuss what form means in music

d. Introduce rondo form – ABACA

i. A is the main theme / refrain of the piece

ii. B is something different

iii. C is something different than both A and B

e. Translate to the music we are playing

i. Theme 1 (A), introduced in the alto sax solo, mm. 47. Ask the soloist to

play it for us so that everyone knows what to listen for.

ii. This is the A section

1. Mark it in your music.

iii. Play through the piece – when you hear theme 1 (A) come back, stop

playing and raise your hand. Have students write an A at the start of each

of these sections (47, 241, 336)

1. Rehearse as needed as we go
 iv. Go back to mm. 140 – is the theme here the same as theme 1 (A) or

different? Have oboes play the theme (theme 3)

v. If this isn’t an A section, what section should it be? (B)

1. Mark it in their music

vi. Mm. 280, horns play theme

1. Is this the same or different as A? B? So what is it? (C)

2. Mark it in their music

vii. Go back over what sections we had at what measures

1. A = 47, 241, 336

2. B = 140

3. C = 280

viii. Last 5 minutes of class to fill out form worksheet and pack up

7. Closure:

a. Great rehearsal today! Next rehearsal, we will dive deeper into each theme. Thank

you!
Name: __________________________________ Date: __________________

Rondo Form Worksheet

Section Measure Number

A
B
A
C
A
Lesson Plan #3: Affective

1. Time Needed:

a. 45 minutes

2. Materials Needed:

a. Score

b. Lesson plan

3. Learning Outcome(s):

a. After breaking down each theme of the piece, students will be able to assign their

own descriptive words to each section and illustrate the progression of the piece’s

story in their own words.

4. Assessment Tools:

a. Story outline worksheet

5. Personal Objectives:

a. Give clear and concise instructions

b. Project to the back of the classroom

6. Procedures:

a. Greet class, hand out worksheet.

b. Check what students already know about Mt. Vesuvius and Pompeii

i. Who knows what Mt. Vesuvius is?

ii. Where is it located?

iii. What is it famous for?

c. Read students the program notes given by Ticheli. Emphasize the words explosive

and fiery.
d. Think about other words we can assign to each section we will look at.

e. Lead warm up

i. Scales (Bb, Eb, F)

ii. Tune

f. Do a run through of the piece, asking students to think of some descriptive words

they might use for the piece.

g. Break down the themes

i. Theme 1:

1. Ask the alto soloist to play the theme (mm. 47) for us

2. Play through A section.

3. How does this line sound? How would you describe it? Take

answers from two to three people.

4. Ticheli describes this theme as quiet with urgent energy, with the

vocalizations hinting at ritual and mystery.

5. Let students fill in their descriptive words on the worksheet

ii. Theme 2:

1. Have everyone play at mm. 95

2. Play through the latter half of the A section

3. Same questioning

4. Ticheli describes it as aggressive and active.

5. Let students fill in their descriptive words on the worksheet

iii. Theme 3:

1. Ask the oboe soloist to play the theme (mm. 146) for us
 2. Play through the B section

3. Questioning

4. Ticheli describes it as a quiet oasis, sinuous and seductive.

5. Let students fill in their descriptive words on the worksheet

iv. Theme 4:

1. Ask the horns to play the theme (mm. 280) for us

2. Play through C section

3. Questioning

4. Ticheli describes it as constantly evolving, an intensifying struggle,

with battles between instruments.

5. Let students fill in their descriptive words on the worksheet

h. Second run through of the piece

i. Let your descriptive words and the words of the composer guide the way

that you play.

i. Give the last of class time to fill in the story column of the worksheet and pack

up.

7. Closure:

a. Great job with coming up with descriptive words for this piece! I will see you

tomorrow!
Name: ____________________________________ Date: ___________________

Storytelling Worksheet

Theme + measure Descriptive words What kind of story does

numbers this illustrate?
Theme 1 -

Theme 2 -

Theme 3 -

Theme 4 -
Culturally Responsive Teaching Explanation

My affective lesson is culturally responsive because it taps into the way students

interpret and engage with the music on an individual basis. It affirms a diverse way of engaging

in music because we are interacting with it in a subjective manner. It is also culturally relevant

because it connects to what students may be learning about / have learned about in their history

classes. It also may reflect the interests of students because the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius was a

unique historical event that students tend to gravitate toward more than other historical events.