Spooky Spiders

Spooky Spiders is a fun Halloween piece for your beginners. Set in the key of E minor (note that no C-natural is required in any part), the piece starts off with light cello and bass pizzicato and then joined by 8th notes in the upper strings. Make sure to keep the 8ths in the upper strings light and short to balance with the low strings pizzicato. At measure 7, the melody is introduced by the first violins. At measure 15, the cello takes over the melody at forte. A second theme is then introduced at measure 23 which builds to the climax of the piece at measure 31. The climax is felt as the upper string players play any note on their E/A strings and then G/C strings to give a clashing sound! This gives way to the first violins playing the main theme of the piece. At 41, the low strings take over the melody and transition the orchestra back to a recap of the beginning. From measure 45 to the end, the beginning themes are recapped and followed by a brief coda. This piece uses notes found in the D major scale (no shifting in bass required) and uses simple rhythms and bowing techniques. Additional techniques, such as pizzicato and extended techniques, like bowing any note on a string, are used as well. Educational Goals of the Work -Perform a variety of dynamics -Execute a variety of articulations/techniques including arco, pizzicato, and accents -Differentiate melodic and accompaniment material