Y3. Lesson 13. Accelerando and ritardando
Prior learning: Dynamics
Duration: 30 minutes
Materials: Recorders
Keywords: Beat, rhythm, singing, chanting, partners, rhymes, circle games.
Difficulty: 
Prepare
Present
Accelerando and ritardando
Practise
Triple time
Accelerando and ritardando are musical terms indicating changes in tempo. Accelerando means to gradually increase the speed of the music, creating a sense of building momentum or excitement. Conversely, Ritardando means to gradually decrease the tempo, often creating a sense of relaxation or conclusion. Both are essential for adding expressiveness to musical performances.
Melodic development
Students add a new song in triple time to their repertoire.
- Lead the class in singing the song. If students are not familiar with the song, then teach it line-by-line.
- There are many additional verses, which are contained in the button to the left.
- Teach that this song is in tripe time [3-metre], which means there are three beats in each measure, with a count of 1, 2, 3.
- Divide the class into two groups. One group will count 1, 2, 3, and the other will sing the song.
- Explain that counting must start with the word 'hole' as the first two words come before the strong beat on 'hole'. [The concept of an anacrusis will be taught in later lessons].
- When secure, swap the two groups.
Rhythmic development
Students practise the four notes B, A, G and C in a new song.
- Project or print the worksheet.
- Tell students that as musical detectives, they must discover where the missing bar lines should be drawn.
- Remind students about the time value of the semibreve, dotted minim, crochet and quavers.
- Explain that the first example is in 2-metre, and each measure has two beats.
- Ask a volunteer to come forward and indicate where the first bar line should be and why.
- Ask another volunteer to show the class where the second bar line should be and why.
- After other students have indicated the final two bar lines, remind the class that the following two examples are in 4-metre and have four beats in every measure.
- Repeat the process with new volunteers.
Creative movement
Students clap to the beat and enjoy this circle game.
- Students form a circle with their arms raised as 'windows'.
- A student is chosen to be the 'magpie' and will weave in and out of the students 'windows'.
- Lead the class in singing the song.
- On the words "take a little partner", the 'magpie' chooses a partner and spins around with them, holding hands.
- The other students continue to sing and clap to the beat.
- At the song's end, the process is repeated with a new student as the 'magpie'.
Listening
Students determine whether music slows down or speeds up.
- Teach that music can speed up at times, and when that happens, it is given the Italian word accelerando. Music can also slow down; when this happens, we use the Italian word ritardando.
- Play the first track on the audio player.
- Ask students what they hear. Is the music speeding up or slowing down?
- Receiving correct answers, play the next track and elicit responses to the same question.
- Repeat with the last two tracks.
Visual learning
Students watch and listen to an orchestra playing music that gets faster.
- Students may be familiar with this video from previous lessons.
- Play the video and ask students to listen to the tempo of the music.
- Ask if the tempo remains the same throughout the music or if it changes.
- Remind students that when music gets faster an Italian word, accelerando, is used.
Instruments
Students
- Remind students of the new note C using your left hand's thumb and second finger.
- Ask the class to play the new note and then name it.
- Students should hold their instruments correctly and use gentle blowing to avoid squawking.
- Students should then play the song Morning, which consists of all four notes learned thus far, i.e. B, A, G, C.
- Lead the class in playing the song slowly and accurately.
- Remind students that the song must be played twice as there are two dots on the end double bar line.
- Listen for good technique and watch how the instrument is held by students, offering gentle guidance where necessary.
- Remind students to count 1,2,3,4 in their heads as they play.
Part work
Students determine the last note of a sung melody.
- Sing the melody of a simple known song to the class, but leave out the last note.
- Ask a volunteer to sing the last note to you.
- If unsuccessful, praise anyway and choose another volunteer until the correct note is sung.
- This exercise develops inner hearing and pitch abilities.
- Repeat with another simple song.
Assess
Suggested lessons
Y1. Beat II
Y1. Beat III
Y1. Beat IV