To play the… - to play from music – to read music

1. Он утверждает, что умеет играть на арфе. 2. Правда, что изначально (originally) это произведение исполнялось на арфе? 3. Я не помню эту сонату наизусть, поэтому я буду играть по нотам. 4. Трудно играть с листа? – Кому как.

Miscellanea

1. Во время своего пребывания в Гамбурге Брамс сочинил несколько скрипичных концертов и одну симфоническую сюиту. 2. Учителя музыки считали, что у Питера нет слуха. Никто и подумать не мог, что он станет талантливым дирижером. 3. Зрители были в восторге от мужского хора, исполнившего мадригал на пять голосов. 4. В первом отделении мы слушали арии из известных опер, а во втором – сонаты Шопена. 5. Я никогда не слушаю классическую музыку по радио. 6. Репертуар этого оркестра весьма разнообразен: он включает в себя симфонии Гайдна, концерты Вивальди, сюиты Баха и многие другие произведения великих композиторов. 7. Концерт для фортепиано с оркестром си минор; этюд (etude) фа мажор; прелюдия (a prelude) соль диез минор; соната ре бемоль мажор; сюита до минор; фантазия (fantasia) ми бемоль мажор; скерцо (scherzo) фа диез минор; скрипичный концерт ля минор.

There’s music in our speech

Musical instruments and terms appear in a lot of English idiomatic (and non-idiomatic) lexical units.

1. Explain the meaning of the following words and phrases:

(sth is) music to sb’s ears, to face the music, to sing the blues, to be in/out of tune, to call the tune, to change one’s tune, to tune out, to jazz sth up, all that jazz

2. Which idiom best fills each space?

1. I was listening to the report carefully, but I … when the speaker started quoting statistics.

2. Jimmy broke his neighbour’s window with his baseball. Now he’s got to … .

3. A lot of people do not get along with Carol. They say she’s bossy and authoritarian. – True, she always wants to … .

4. When my boss told me about my promotion, it was … .

5. John was critical of Anne’s judgment until she was made his supervisor. Now he has …-ed … and agrees with everything she does.

6. Tom … his grey suit with a red tie.

7. The movie was nothing but a lovey-dovey romance – full of kissing and hugging and … .

8. Jim is …-ing … since he broke up with Elizabeth.

9. I didn’t support him because his suggestions were … with reality.

3. All the following sentences include a musical idiom, with one word missing. Use the words below to complete the sentences.

1. He’s always boasting. I hate a person who blows his own … .

2. That’s the tenth time you’ve mentioned that scratch on your new car. I didn’t do it, so please don’t … on about it.

3. My cousin is very slow to learn. It takes hours to … things into him.

4. The doctor gave me a thorough examination and apparently I’m as sound as a … .

5. I’ve had enough of playing second … . Now it’s my turn to be in charge.

6. He lost his job because he was on the … . He’d been stealing money from his employers.

7. That name rings a … . I think I know the person you’re talking about.

8. He’s only been out of hospital two weeks but now he’s completely recovered and as fit as a … .

9. You’re paying for the tickets, so you should decide which film to see. After all, he who pays the … -er calls the tune!

(bell, drum, fiddle, harp, pipe, trumpet)