{"id":15604,"date":"2023-09-27T11:46:55","date_gmt":"2023-09-27T16:46:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/?p=15604"},"modified":"2026-03-31T15:05:56","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T19:05:56","slug":"dynamics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/dynamics\/","title":{"rendered":"Dynamics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I wonder if some of the other musical subjects are envious of \u2018dynamics\u2019. It\u2019s very name sounds like a superpower. How about the others? \u2018Duration\u2019 sounds world weary; \u2018Augmentation\/diminution\u2019 feels like a medical procedure. \u2018Meter\u2019 sounds like something a bureaucrat made up. But \u2018dynamics\u2019? It\u2019s very name is brimming with life-force energy. (Note: the image above is AI-generated after typing in “dynamics music superpower”. A little creepy, but I decided to keep it.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can sometimes feel a let-down if I need to define the word in class. Loud or soft? Is that all it means? When dynamics are reduced to a set of symbols (f, mp, p, etc.), it definitely does not live up to its own hype. The labels themselves are fuzzy. Just how do I know if something is \u2018medium soft\u2019 (i.e. mezzo piano) anyway?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I spotlight this subject in the beginning of the year because actually every Dalcroze class is about dynamics. Subtle changes of energy at just the right time are what makes music sound expressive and nuanced. Rhythmic subjects like phrasing, meter, duration and pitch subjects like harmony, melodic shape and phrasing all hinge on careful control of how loud or soft we are playing or singing at any given moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If forced to reduce the difference between a music theory class and a musicianship class, you could do worse than simply saying, \u201cDynamics.\u201d But in my own private instrumental lessons they were added on to the cake like icing or decorative flowers after the notes and rhythms were learned. In the musicianship class (which is what a Dalcroze class usually is), they can earn their rightful place as a subject of study. Because they can be mapped on use of weight, use of space, balance, interaction with others, and speed, they are the real meat and potatoes of the movement class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Activities:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Teach a group of elementary-aged kids to make a circle and change the size from very large to very small. This could take a session or two depending on the group. Then play or put on some music that has lots of changes of dynamics. Brahms\u2019 Hungarian Dance No. 5<\/a> has a fun kinetic energy that kids seem to enjoy, but there are many possibilities. Whether I am improvising or using a recording, it\u2019s especially fun when there is a good deal of predictability with just enough surprises to bring out giggles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To strengthen independence in children, I use an activity I have taken to calling \u201cOrchestra\/soloist\u201d in my lesson plans. One child moves as they like (I try to encourage locomotor movements such as walking, skipping, lunging, etc.) and I accompany them matching their tempo and dynamics as best I can on the piano using a single-voiced melody while the rest of the group watches and waits to move. When I bring in both hands (and all ten fingers), the rest of the group knows to join in the same movement. What tells them? Dynamics. I aim to develop a dialogue between soloist and orchestra that feels like a concerto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards the end of the year, we play the same game but I\u2019ll start by putting on the board a big list of tempo terms (from slow to fast), dynamics terms (from soft to loud), and kinds of articulation (staccato, legato, marcato, etc.). Soloists choose their own combinations (\u201cbuild your own sandwich\u201d), for example, soft\/slow\/legato or quick\/light\/legato. I bring in as many musical terms as is appropriate for age and institution. Once someone chooses a particular combination, it\u2019s crossed of the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For early childhood, I have been doing a ball passing experience with the second movement<\/a> of Hadyn\u2019s Surprise symphony for years. I have to wait until I feel like most of the kids will willingly roll a ball back to me soon after receiving it. We sit in a circle with kids (3-4 years old) and their adults. This piece has many hilarious changes of dynamics usually built the same way: soloists, trios, full orchestra. When it is calm and quiet I have one ball that I am rolling to different children. As the activity speeds up I add a second. When things really get moving I add up to three or four balls. And of course that ridiculous surprise early on gets its on large bounce from me out of nowhere. It\u2019s a long movement (almost 10 minutes in some versions), but kids almost always stay engaged with the drama (and the comedy). Who will get the next ball? When will we add more? Why is he holding on to them now? The right group will stay amazingly focused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dynamics play a role in the overall form of all my kids classes. Especially in early childhood they will tire quickly and need frequent rest periods. Some kids are good at self-regulation: they\u2019ll just lie down in the middle of a class when they need a rest. As long as they are not in the middle of the room where they might pose a safety risk, I never mind this. But I try to build a couple peaks of activity during every class so that everyone (even me) gets some rest. I follow each peak with complete relaxation on the floor. I often use the same rest music (Schumann\u2019s \u201cFar Away Places<\/a>\u201d and Ravel\u2019s \u201cSleeping Beauty<\/a>\u201d Pavanne are my two go-to pieces for rest). The kids come to expect these rests and drop to the floor willingly. (Sometimes I encourage slow melting.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adults and older kids often need specific techniques they can use to adapt to changes in dynamics, which often accompany changes in tempo. Here are some possible things to explore:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Stride length \u2013 larger steps for louder dynamics, shorter for smaller (with implications for exploring the interrelationships of time, space and energy).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Body parts: which body parts are more suited for expressing the louder dynamics? Which for the softer?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Size of group = dynamic: solo, duo, trio, full group<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Resistance: use of elastic bands, or simply pushing against or pulling a partner can capture the dynamic arc of a phrase<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Balls are effective ways to explore the dynamic subtleties of each beat in a measure: bounce, catch, pass, toss each might have their place in a meter of four.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    All of the above have direct application to music that closely maps our experience of being weighted beings subject to the force of gravity. Jaques-Dalcroze used this physical experience to create a theory of rhythm that can be applied remarkably well to many kinds of musical situations. (He even created \u2018rules of nuance<\/a>\u2019 in an effort to teach musicality.) But I believe we can also benefit from exploring the many ways that musical reality might differ from our own physical capabilities. This is why I sometimes like to decouple the usual pairings of tempo and dynamics: slow and loud; soft and fast. What about loud and fast? Soft and slow? Music is large enough to contain these realities, too, even if they don\u2019t come as naturally to us as movers. It can present and interesting question to explore in the adult classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n\n

    Live in New York City? Like music and dance? Interested in improvisation? Come see my group Locomotors<\/a> with special guest Marty Ehrlich at the Mark Morris Dance Center October 27th, Friday, 8pm. Tickets and info<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    I wonder if some of the other musical subjects are envious of \u2018dynamics\u2019. It\u2019s very name sounds like a superpower. How about the others? \u2018Duration\u2019 sounds world weary; \u2018Augmentation\/diminution\u2019 feels like a medical procedure. \u2018Meter\u2019 sounds like something a bureaucrat made up. But \u2018dynamics\u2019? It\u2019s very name is brimming with life-force energy. (Note: the image […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[128],"tags":[121,117,131],"class_list":["post-15604","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dalcroze-reference","tag-children-subjects","tag-dalcroze-practice","tag-subjects"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s9ohMj-dynamics","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10688,"url":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/1st-2nd-grade-skills-and-objectives-associated-with-rhythm-part-2-of-4\/","url_meta":{"origin":15604,"position":0},"title":"1st-2nd Grade Dalcroze Skills and Experiences: Rhythm (Part 2 of 4)","author":"Michael Joviala","date":"September 6, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Second in a series of posts describing what a typical class might cover during the year. Now we get to the heart of the matter. This is a formidable list, and not all that different from a list I might make for adult classes. Does this mean the children will\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Dalcroze Reference"","block_context":{"text":"Dalcroze Reference","link":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/category\/dalcroze-reference\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":529,"url":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/7-9-year-old-dalcroze-april\/","url_meta":{"origin":15604,"position":1},"title":"7-9 Year-old Dalcroze: April","author":"Michael Joviala","date":"May 29, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Life caught up with me in April, so this is the first update for class activities in over a month. Here is a brief list\u00a0of some of the things we have explored and games we have played over the past several weeks: Toss the bean bag on the high note.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Dalcroze Reference"","block_context":{"text":"Dalcroze Reference","link":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/category\/dalcroze-reference\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":505,"url":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/7-9-year-old-dalcroze-32817\/","url_meta":{"origin":15604,"position":2},"title":"7-9 year-old Dalcroze: 3\/28\/17","author":"Michael Joviala","date":"March 31, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Here's what we did: Tempo and dynamics Follow ( 2 dotted quarters, 3 eighths, 1 dotted quarter) In this classic Dalcroze exercise, the class moves a pattern through a variety of tempo and dynamics changes. The three eighths required us to develop some technique, as the students found it difficult\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Dalcroze Reference"","block_context":{"text":"Dalcroze Reference","link":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/category\/dalcroze-reference\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":944,"url":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/beat\/","url_meta":{"origin":15604,"position":3},"title":"Musical Subject: Beat","author":"Michael Joviala","date":"September 23, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I enjoy working with the subject of \u2018beat\u2019. The phenomenon itself is so fundamental it can be a challenge to define it. It\u2019s like asking, \u201cWhat is air?\u201d We can all produce a quasi-scientific definition of the air we breathe, but our experience of it could not be more fundamental\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Dalcroze Reference"","block_context":{"text":"Dalcroze Reference","link":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/category\/dalcroze-reference\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":161,"url":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/reinforcing-the-classwork-at-home\/","url_meta":{"origin":15604,"position":4},"title":"Reinforcing the Classwork at Home","author":"Michael Joviala","date":"November 14, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"The Dalcroze classes are now in full swing (ok, pun intended), and the kids have heard and experienced music with a variety of tempos, rhythms, and dynamics. They\u00a0 have been encouraged to express those changes in movement. Children naturally learn in many different ways. Some like to watch in class\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Dalcroze Reference"","block_context":{"text":"Dalcroze Reference","link":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/category\/dalcroze-reference\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/11\/swan1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":369,"url":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/curriculum-focus-attention\/","url_meta":{"origin":15604,"position":5},"title":"Curriculum Focus: Attention","author":"Michael Joviala","date":"October 23, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"One of the most important aspects of the Dalcroze work is the training and development of attention. There are many different forms of attention: focused, sustained, selective, divided, alternating have been identified by motor learning researchers. Like many other motor activities, music utilizes all of them, and\u00a0in the Dalcroze class\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Dalcroze Reference"","block_context":{"text":"Dalcroze Reference","link":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/category\/dalcroze-reference\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/juggling_turbo-ball-orange-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15604","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15604"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15604\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19199,"href":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15604\/revisions\/19199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joviala.com\/jovialaworks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}