Teaching Plan

Tempered Steel by Charles Rochester Young

a. I have chosen this piece for a high school upper-level band
b. This piece is worth the time to learn because it has good form, with contrast of the
aggressive and strong theme and the soft, beautiful melodic passages. It also has a lot of
repetition with the constant eighth note rhythms that holds the drive of the piece. It is also
unique and is unpredictable, because of the sudden changes, but it still hold its
consistency with the themes and passages coming back and even during the softer
sections, the theme of constant eighth notes are present and keeps the piece interesting. It
has very good depth because of the layers throughout the piece and keeps you engaged
throughout the song even with all the repetition. Transcendence is also a part of this song
because of the meaning behind the piece and how it can help people view struggles and
emotions.
c. Tempered Steel can relate to high school students because of the story behind the piece.
Young wrote this piece about his struggles and emotional pain that came with an illness
he had that caused him to lose the use of his arms and hands. Although most students
probably wont understand what it feels like to have this happen to them, most of them
can relate to the emotion present throughout the piece. They may understand what it feels
like to have lost something and having to struggle through it whether it be from losing a
friend, a boyfriend/girlfriend, a pet, or a family member. They understand how it feels to
have anger and the feeling of sorrow. Since this song was written about all of the
struggles he faced gaining back his strength and the process it took him to recover, this
piece relates to high schoolers because they understand the pain and journey it takes to
recover from something and the emotion journey things can bring. Dr. Young was quoted
saying that Tempered Steel is composed to help the listeners/performers in finding this
strength inside of themselves without going through the pain I endured. Tempered Steel
also related the these students lives because they can learn the story behind why Young
wrote the piece and wont have to go through physical or emotional pain with whatever
they are struggling with, whether it be internal or external.

Analysis
Broad Descriptions

Written for symphonic band

Commissioned by the Big 12 Band Directors Association in 1997

Type/Genre Labels
Contemporary Classical
Begins with fanfare

Background Information
The strong beginning and driven by brass and percussion (starting at measure 13) is
reflective of a fanfare
The use of the sonata rondo form is derived from the classical period.
The strong sense of rhythm, melody, tonality, and harmony are reflective of the classical
period.

themes are built on six pitches and are enharmonically spelt

diatonic harmony

melodic sections

rhythmic drive of eighth notes throughout

constant and repeated themes

The use of complex rhythms and percussion are reflective of the contemporary style.

Simultaneous feeling of 3/4 and 6/8 time signature

Sections of dense, overlapping textures and delicate, open textures

Fragments of themes incorporated throughout sections

Extensive use of percussion instruments (suspended cymbals, chimes, xylophone,

bells, tam-tam, vibraphone, triangle, marimba, crotales, woodblock, tambourine,
maracas, slap-stick, bass drum, snare drum, and timpani)

This piece is Youngs first piece for wind band.

This piece was written after Youngs recovery of his hereditary illness that caused him to
lose the use of his arms and hands that doctors thought he had a zero chance of fully
recovering from.
He wrote this piece to reflect the emotional and physical pain he felt during his recovery
and the strength it takes to overcome hardships that everyone has inside.

It was commissioned by the Big 12 Band Directors Association in 1997, three months
after Youngs recovery.

It was premiered at the University of Colorado-Boulder in February 1998.

Additional Instrumental Information

Throughout the piece there are many solos (trumpet, trombone, horn, euphonium, flute,
oboe, and clarinet)
Trumpets will switch between playing with mutes and without mutes throughout the
piece.
Technical difficulty of this piece is relevant for an upper level high school band to learn

Complex rhythmic feel (difference of duple and triple articulations)

Transitioning from contrasting sections

Variety of dynamics

Unified articulations

Balance of intensity and lightness of notes

Contrast of heavy and light notes

Contrast of melodic and aggressive sections

Keeping a constant tempo (keep it moving without rushing or dragging)

Compositional Devices and Elements

Mm 1-5: Opening section

Establishes initial rhythmic eighth note drive.

Sfp and crescendo leading into the opening fanfare

Sustained notes in low woodwinds and brass instruments and eighth notes in
upper woodwinds and brass and percussion instruments

Mm 5-47: Theme 1

Opening fanfare

Key of Bb

Theme in brass instruments

Repetitive rhythmic passage is percussion

In m. 27 woodwinds enter with eighth note passage

In m. 49 woodwinds and percussion bring back the rhythmic eighth notes of the
opening section

Mm 56-124: Theme 2

New theme in lower woodwinds and saxophones

Pulse is driven by downbeat eighth notes from the brass and upper woodwinds

In m. 73, trumpet solo comes in with fragments of the theme

In m. 80, eighth notes of opening section is throughout the instruments

In m. 87, theme 2 comes back in same voicing

Leading to the downbeat of m. 125, brass and lower woodwinds sustain notes
with a crescendo, while the upper woodwinds have a new 5/8 eighth note pattern

Mm 125-175: Theme 3

Immediately piano dynamics after beat 1

Solos are a variation of theme 1

M. 125 trumpet 1 solo (only instrument playing)

M. 129 trombone 1 solo comes in (mimic of trumpet solo)

M. 135 horn 1 solo comes in (mimic of trumpet/trombone solo) (trombone rests)

M. 137 trumpet 2 solo

M. 144 trumpet 1 solo, and trombone solo

In m. 152, the rest of the band comes in with driven passage of switching from
duple and triple eighth notes, quarter notes, and sustained notes. Percussion brings

back the rhythmic passage from theme one and has same eighth notes and
woodwinds.

In m. 162, instruments bring back the opening theme.

From m. 152 to m. 169, there are multiple sfp crescendos throughout the brass

M. 169 Euphonium solo (only instrument playing). This leads up to and

foreshadows the next section which has a sparse texture.

Mm 176-213: Theme 3 continued

M. 176-249 ow woodwinds have long sustained, rearticulate notes, and bass

clarinet has a two-measure long melodic line that is repeated.

In m. 186, the flute solo comes in as an elongated version of the theme 3 meoldy,
but more tranquil.

Mm 214-249: Theme 3 continued

Continuation of previous section

In m. 215, the trumpets come in with fragments of the opening theme to keep the
driven feeling

In m. 217, horn solo comes in

In m. 222, oboe solo comes in unison with flute

Mm 250-280: Theme 2 Recapitulation

Saxophones and marimba come in with theme 2

In m. 259, trumpet solo comes in with fragments of the theme

In m. 274, opening theme comes back to lead into m. 281

Mm 281-363

Flute and oboe solos in unison that brings theme 3 back

Horn solo follows with variation of theme

Trumpet has sparse fragments of 6/8 meter eighth notes to drive pulse

M. 317-337 interrupts with theme 2

In m. 338, theme 3 comes back with only flute, oboe, and clarinet

Mm 364-505 (end)

Instruments come in with opening theme

In m. 376, instruments come in with theme 2

In m. 387, woodwinds come in with simple triple meter eighth notes.

In m. 399, brass enters with theme 1 and woodwinds keep pulse with eighth note
downbeats

In m. 420, percussion comes in with their rhythmic passage from theme 1

In m. 428, brass comes in with fragments of theme 3 and woodwinds drive with
eighth notes alternating between duple and triple meter

In m. 443, trumpet comes in with elongated theme 1 while other brass still plays
theme 2

In m. 450, clarinets come in with theme 2

In m. 454, woodwinds, trumpets, and percussion come in with opening theme.

Low brass and woodwinds sustain notes with crescendo

In m. 461, flute and clarinet parts pass off eighth note in 6/8 meter. Brass and
saxophones come in with building chords

In m. 471, brass comes in with theme 1

In m. 490-504, brass comes back to building chords from before. Woodwinds

have driving 6/8 meter eighth notes.

Heart Statement
Tempered Steel creates and contrasts different senses of aggressive complexity and
melodic beauty to give musicians the ability to understand the inner strength they all have inside.

Teaching Outcomes
Skill Outcomes
1. Students will be able to produce an aggressive sound while playing with clear articulations.
2. Students will subdivide in order to keep the tempo from pushing or pulling.

Knowledge Outcomes
1. Students will be able to differentiate between triple and duple meter while being able to feel
3/4 and 6/8 time simultaneously.
2. Students will give examples of how Charles Young keeps the interest of players and listeners
throughout Tempered Steel.

Affective Outcomes
1. Students will recognize how human expression translates into musical ideas in the contrasting
sections of aggressive complexity and melodic beauty in Tempered Steel.
2. Students will express how it feels to overcome an emotional or physical hardship by finding a
balance of intensity and delicacy in the same piece.

Teaching Strategies
Students will be able to differentiate between triple and duple meter while being able to feel
3/4 and 6/8 time simultaneously.
Kinesthetic Students will tap a three over two rhythm with their hands to feel the
compound rhythm of a duple and triple rhythm. First, half the class will clap eighth notes and the
other will clap triplets (then will switch) to hear the both 3/4 and 6/8 at the same time and hear
the compound rhythm before doing it themselves.
Visual Students will look at the score of Tempered Steel and look at a section of the
piece where there is a clear overlapping of triple and duple meter. They will see how the eighth
notes are structured with each other and will see the compound meter created. They will
understand where there is duple meter with a two-note subdivide and where there is a triple
meter with a three-note subdivide and will be able to see which instruments have the meters and
where they change.

Students will be able to produce an aggressive sound while playing with clear articulations.
Visual Students will be able to tell the difference between accented, staccato, and marcato by
the way different gestures I make by conducting. They will be able to see the aggression in my
gestures when I show accented or marcato, but clear articulations through all gestures.
Auditory Students will listen to a good recording of Tempered Steel to understand what
aggressive playing sounds like all while keeping a good tone in the sound and keeping
articulations clear and precise. Students will be able to mimic what they hear from the recording.

Students will recognize how human expression translates into musical ideas in the
contrasting sections of aggressive complexity and melodic beauty in Tempered Steel.
Auditory Students will listen to two different pieces that they are also playing in band (one that
is melodic/slow/clam and one that is aggressive/loud/strong) and will be able to tell the different
between them by hearing and contrasting the two pieces.

Kinesthetic Students will find a passage in their part of Tempered Steel that represents
aggressiveness and a passage that represents beauty and express what they feel is the emotion
presented in both passages.

Teaching Assessment
Students will be able to produce an aggressive sound while playing with clear articulations.
Students will be graded through a performance assessment through these criteria:
1
Throughout the
passage, there was
little indication or
distinction of
articulations

2
Student played
accents too forced
and began notes
with a wet sound

3
Student played
articulations with a
clear beginning to
the note and had a
clear distinction
between accented
and staccato notes.

Aggressive sound

Student played the

passage without
energy and did not
perform the
passage with the
correct use of
accents.

Student played with

energy in their
sound, but lacked
control of their
sound

Student used
enough energy and
followed the
accents written in
the music

Tone quality

Student played
without support or
direction in their
sound

Student had a pitchy

and too tight of tone
quality

Student played
with a focused and
resonant sound

Articulations

4
Student played clear
articulations and
accents throughout
the passage with
adding variety to the
notes when needed
and musical
expression
Played with a proper
balance of accents in
the music and
musical expression
to convey their own
message of
aggressiveness into
the sound
Consistently played
with a dynamic,
resonant sound and
gave edge to their
sound

Students will be able to differentiate between triple and duple meter while being able to feel
3/4 and 6/8 time simultaneously.
Students will take a pencil and paper test that is true or false.

1. In 6/8 time there are two beats (True)

2. In this bracketed passage, it goes from 3/4 time to 6/8 (True)

3. 3/4 time and 6/8 time have the same subdivision (False)
4. This passage is both 3/4 and 6/8 time simultaneously (True)

5. Just like 3/4 time, there are 3 beats in 6/8 time (False)
6. This passage should be conducted in 3/4 time (False)

Students will recognize how human expression translates into musical ideas in the
contrasting sections of aggressive complexity and melodic beauty in Tempered Steel.
Students will write a journal entry to demonstrate their knowledge of how musical ideas
relate to different human expressions. The journal prompt: Find two contrasting sections from
Tempered Steel and write about the human emotion you believe is being portrayed through the
music. Use specific examples from the score in your answer and cite the measure numbers. (If
you do not wish to be restricted to only using examples from your individual instrument part,
you may listen to the recording or look at another instrument part. Make sure it is clear which
instrument part you are referencing in your answer).