Macbeth: 8. Finale

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Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Video clips

On the battlefield Macbeth seems invincible. Then he is confronted by Macduff and the full meaning of the Witches' prophecy becomes apparent.

Tutorial: 'Finale' - Part 1

Key timings in the tutorial are:

00' 00":
Listening to the slow opening of the 'Finale' before learning Verse 1, beginning: 'Came Birnam Wood to Dunsinane…' Learning the words line by line before singing the whole verse.

03' 27":
Learning Verse 2, beginning: 'Across the land the bells ring out…' which has the same melody as Verse 1. Introducing a focus on breathing and attempting to sing to a set number of breaths.

06' 32":
Noting that the song begins with an Instrumental verse (no singing) which is an opportunity to add your own instruments to join in with the melody. Congratulations from presenter Nigel Pilkington on completing all 8 songs of the series!

Tutorial: 'Dunsinane' - Part 2

Key timings in the tutorial are:

00' 00":
Exploring the haunting melody of the 'Finale'. Noting the drone note - as used in 'Finale' - and then experimenting with singing the notes of the 5-note pentatonic scale over the drone. The class will need to be in their two groups for this section - one group to sing the drone note and the other to sing the notes of the scale.

Synopsis:

While Macbeth is preparing for battle he is given the news that Lady Macbeth has died. Macbeth has no time to mourn her loss. A soldier enters and tells Macbeth that Birnam Wood is apparently moving down the hillside towards Dunsinane (the branches are being carried by Malcolm's army).

But on the battlefield Macbeth still believes himself to be invincible. He cuts through the enemy forces until, finally, he is confronted by Macduff. Macbeth tells Macduff he cannot win because 'You were born of a woman'. To which Macduff replies that he was 'cut from my mother's womb before her time'.

The two fight and the full meaning of the Witches’ prophecy becomes apparent as Macbeth is killed and Malcolm is pronounced King of Scotland.

See Resources below for a quiz about the story episode.

Song: 'Finale'

Learn the ‘Finale’ - a lament for all that has been lost.

Once you have learnt the song singing with vocal version you can polish your performance singing with just the backing track.

Click here for the lyric sheet.

Click here for the music sheet.

Resources

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