To change things up, this week's pieces are movie themes - one about space and one about magic.

1) Hans Zimmer, Theme from Interstellar arranged by Patrick Pietschmann

Hanz Zimmer is known for his minimalist compositional style with simple melodies and a repeating motive called an ostinato. His music is more focused on evoking a mood or imagery rather than having a defined melody. It's very different from John Williams' music, which is much more thematic. It's why everyone can hum a tune from Star Wars or Jurassic Park but it's harder to remember a tune by Hans Zimmer.

Questions

What did you like about the piece and why?
What images come to mind?
Can you hum the melody that you hear?

2) John Williams, Harry Potter Theme arranged by Jarrod Radnich

John Williams was also the composer of music from Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and E.T. to name a few films. He is known for his catchy melodies and intricate orchestration, following the style from Western Classical (European) music. This is a tasteful, intricate, and beautiful arrangement of various Harry Potter themes for solo piano. It's sure to dazzle!

Questions:

What did you enjoy about the piece and why?
Can you hear when the melody switches between the LH and RH? How many times does it switch hands?

Which of the two pieces did you enjoy more and why?
Would you like to learn one of these pieces in the future? Which one?

This listening activity is brought to you courtesy of Carlo Santos