Singing The Dots is a collection of SATB songs specifically composed for community choirs uild confidence in sightsinging and music literacy. Many choristers kno eing ale read music ould improve ir experience in choir, ut singers come choir sing. t can e hard find time, enthusiasm and suitale material ork on music literacy. With Singing The Dots, choristers can develop musicianship skills through singing songs ger, immediately connecting sightreading real choral reperire. The songs are composed for adults. The ranges are comfortale and ords are settings of eautiful, ell knon poetry. Musical elements are introduced one at a time, ith simple explanations and short, ligharted exercises. The material is crafted e practical and accessile, and adapts highly successful Kodály approach needs of adult choristers. Choirs are elcome use Singing The Dots focus on explicitly developing musical literacy or simply as a collection of songs sing. The material can stand alone, or e used in conunction ith or musicianship training. Thanks generous support from Australian Kodály Scholarship, Singing The Dots is free. t is free costise and copyright licence means songs and resources are free donload, copy electronically or on paper, share, perform and record. n Singing The Dots, Australian composer odie O Regan dras on her many years of ork conducting, teaching and composing for community singers create a collection of songs and supporting material that choirs can oth learn ith and enoy singing. odie arranges and performs folk songs in an acapella duo ith her husand, and holds a Masters in Music from The University of Queensland specialising in Kodály pedagogy. She has extensive experience adapting Kodály ols create and deliver sightsinging training specifically for adults.
Singing The Dots a collection of songs for choirs learn sightsinging ook one choristers edition odie O Regan Adelaide 2018 odieoregan.com This resource as made possile through generous support of Australian Kodály Scholarship
All of material in Singing The Dots is free for amateur choirs phocopy copy electronically share online perform and record. f you ould like do something commercial (eyond normal ticket/cd sales for amateur groups) or derivative please contact composer odie O Regan odie.oregan@gmail.com discuss.
Contents 1 Foreord 2 Acknoledgements 3 ntroduction 4 Beat Songs 5 Blood Red Roses Song 7 Ro Ro Ro Song 8 Blo The Wind Song 11 The First Three Notes 12 Spping By Woods 18 24 Song Unquiet Grave 27 32 46 Break Break Break ntroducing So An rish Blessing Find My Way Tiger Tiger Psalm 23 86 Deep n The Night ntroducing La Heard A Bird Sing Ludlo Toer 107 ntroduction Song Loose Canons 101 105 ntroduction Song 91 100 ntroduction Song 88 90 ntroduction Song 80 85 ntroduction Song 73 77 ntroduction Song 65 71 ntroduction Song 55 63 ntroduction Song 47 51 ntroduction Song 36 40 ntroduction ntroduction Song The World s Round ntroduction Song
Singing The Dots Book One Foreord Choral singing in community context remains a prolematic issue in minds of many. Some conducrs expect that choristers ill e ale sing ell and read fluently efore y can enter choir, and in this sense, group operates along lines of an auditioned or professional group. n some circumstances, re is no expectation that singers can read music and even after many years of community choir singing, some participants cannot read even simple music ith any independence. Neir scenario provides clearly defined pathays for musical learning; choral activities are most often focussed on performance of set reperire and re is little opportunity for roader musical development and understanding. s it possile incorporate an educational program in community choir setting? Can choirs maintain high level performance outcomes hile delivering a program hich systematically enhances audiation skills? s it possile engage community singers, particularly older singers, in an ongoing program hich provides interesting and satisfying musical material for performance ut hich also delierately contriutes development of music literacy capailities? The author of this volume ould respond se questions ith a resounding yes, and materials presented in this volume exemplify her understanding of a model of choral music education hich elcomes all ho are interested in singing, ut hich also set out delierately develop singing, audiation and literacy skills of all ithin group. The Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodály elieved that reperire should rightly serve a fold purpose: performance and education. He advocated a sequential approach so that individuals ere ale grasp inherent musical content through processes of performing. His philosophy has een adopted y many music educars resulting in rigorous music education and convincing performances not only in his native Hungary orldide. This compilation of songs is oth a onderful collection of materials e sung and enoyed, as ell as a fine example of sequential methodological ideas in context of choral community music education. The author has a depth of experience in orking ith older singers ho, as a group, lack musical reading and audition skills, and she is commended on her understanding of nature of prolem and her excellent response this prolem. Dr ames Cuskelly 1
Singing The Dots Book One Acknoledgements Thank you ames Cuskelly for eing an extraordinary teacher, menr, supervisor and friend. Thank you ason Goopy and National Council of Kodály Music Education nstitute of Australia for funding, support and encouragement that made this ork possile. Thank you proofreaders: Kerry O Regan, Fergus O Regan, Monica Christian, B Moore, Margaret Piech, Clare Faurie, Michele de Courcy and Wendy Stann. You guys are aesome. Thank you all singers have orked ith in Adelaide and around Australia, ith a special shout out Voices n The Wilderness ho ere such illing Kodály guinea pigs. Thank you for teaching me ho teach music. This ook couldn t exist ithout you. Thank you community choir direcrs ho kindly shared ir thoughts and insights in ir choirs learning ants and needs. A special thank you Ben Leske hose reflections shaped direction of this ook. Thank you memers of Australian Kodály community ho have ecome eloved friends and inspirational teachers and colleagues especially Ali O Connell ho teaches adults so eautifully. Thank you friends and family for all your practical, emotional, intellectual and musical support. Thank you Emlyn for everything. 2
Singing The Dots Book One ntroduction Welcome Singers t s fantastic that you are here develop your skills and confidence in singing dots. Learning sightsinging is much like learning read ords. n oth, e train our rains see a symol and connect it a sound. (D says dog. d.d.d.) With music literacy, e learn music symols ( dots ) and ir associated sounds y using solfa ( do, re, mi etc) and rhythm names ( ta, titi etc). Over time, through practise, rains learn look at symols of music, and immediately imagine ir sounds. Like making fine ine, or tending a rose garden, this process unfolds sloly. Like drinking fine ine in a floering rose garden on a summer evening, it is orth it. Because kno you ant spend choir time singing songs ger, not having long ory lessons, have crafted this material so each symol/sound is introduced through songs. You can learn sightsinging through singing songs. The songs uild on each or, ith short explanations and exercises help consolidation. This means a good approach this ook is start at eginning and ork through at a calm, civilised pace, taking as much time as you need. Revisit and revise everything you ant, and let ideas sink in. Get most out of material y singing through melodies in solfa and rhythm names as ell as singing songs for oy of singing songs. f you have learnt music efore or even if you haven t, your rain may initially complain aout this ne approach. ( understand! When first learned sightsinging after years of or music training, my rain complained!) You may onder hy solfa? Why not ust letter names? A ig reason is efficiency. As you ork through this ook you ll notice that once you ve learnt solfege, you can apply it any key. Please e immensely impressed ith yourself and your choir colleagues as you progress through songs. Please laugh hen you make mistakes and n ust try again. Please take plenty of time and ork at a gentle pace. Please elieve in yourself, adult rains are perfectly capale of learning ne skills. Please enoy singing dots. 3
Singing The Dots Book One Beat Songs At heart of music is a eat. Your first step in sightsinging is a literal step. You ll e stepping eat steady, constant pulse that underlies our singing. Your feet are perfect for this o, y already spend much of ir lives alking, keeping a steady, constant eat for you. To start, learn your parts for Blood Red Roses and Ro Ro Ro in normal ay. Don t orry aout reading notes yet. Then sing ger as a choir hile moving your feet eat. Ho cohesive can you get your movement? f your choir is made up of exuerant folks, you could march on spot, or say from side side. High achieving choirs might like everyone stepping in same direction, or adding claps on alternate eats. When everyone can happily sing and keep eat in oth songs, sing songs and feel eat ithout sounding it on your feet. At this point your direcr may mention ho hen y ave ir hands around, y are actually keeping eat for you. n many of songs e ill e looking at, a one eat note is called a crotchet and looks like this: n songs, you ll see this note is ritten in feet line. n se songs eat sudivides in pulses. (one and and three and four and. Go on try it! Take turns keeping this count hile ors people sing songs. Ho aout that?) Have a look at final eat song eautiful folk song Blo The Wind. n this song, eat sudivides in three pulses. Ho do you like musical feel this creates? This eat looks slightly different re is a little dot after crotchet. (Reassuringly called a dotted crotchet.) For sightreading rhythm, it s very helpful have names say for each rhythm note, here name represents rhythm. When sightreading rhythm, call a crotchet ta. Add m for dotted crotchet, make tum. eat can e found via feet. They are after all professional eat makers, eat is part of much music, eir sounded aloud or felt, eat sudivides in or three pulses, and eats clump in repeating groups called ars. Your direcr ill sho you this. 4
Singing The Dots Book One 5 Blood Red Roses This piece is inspired y a traditional halyard sea shanty sung y sailors as y hoisted sails. Singing ger ensured everyone pulled ropes ger. f your choir doesn't meet on an eighteenth century sailing ship, you may sustitute foot smps for rope hauling. Sop 4 4 Hang don Al 4 4 ye lood red Hang don Tenor Bass 4 4 Hang don ye lood red Hang don ye lood red? Hang don ye lood red ye lood red ye lood red Hang don ye lood red Hang don Feet ye lood red 4 4 Hang don? 4 4 ros es hang don. ros es ros es ros es ros es ros es ros es Ó hang don. Ó hang don. Ó hang don. ros es Ó hang don. t's hang don. t's hang don. t's hang don. t's
Singing The Dots Book One time for us roll 'n' go, ye pinks time for us roll 'n' go, ye pinks time for us roll 'n' go, ye pinks go, ye pinks? time for us roll 'n' Hang don ye Hang don ye Hang don ye? Hang don ye lood red lood red lood red lood red ros es ros es ros es 'n' po sies ay e oh. 'n' po sies ay e oh. 'n' po sies ay e oh. 'n' po sies ay e oh. ros es 6 Ó hang don. Ó hang don. Ó hang don. Ó hang don.
Singing The Dots Book One 7 Ro Ro Ro There are great reasons use this song as a eat song. Firstly it's ased on a gospel song, a style of music here eat is often strongly sounded y singers. Secondly if e are going ro ger, e need keep in time or e'll go round in circles! Sop arr 4 4 Ro Al 4 4 Bass 4 4 Ro? 44 Ro 4 4 Feet Ro no Ro no ro ro. Ro Ten0r ro ro. ro ro. ro ro. Mi chael Mi chael Ro no Mi chael Ro Ro no Mi chael? Ro Ro Ro shore. shore. shore. shore. Mi chael Mi chael Mi chael Mi chael ro. ro. ro. ro. Ro ro ro ro. ro ro. Ro Ro Ro ro ro. ro.
Singing The Dots Book One 8 Blo Wind Sourly nstead of foot smping this eautiful folk song, try saying. Notice ho different this song feels, ith three pulses eat. Perhaps eat evokes a rocking feeling for you, like a oat in aves. Sop 6 8 Blo ind south er ly, Al 6 8 Bass south er ly, south er ly. Blo ind lo Blo ind lo. Tenor English Folk Song arr 6 8 Blo ind lo. no.? 6 8 Blo ind south er ly, Blo ind lo. south er ly, south er ly. 3 Blo ind south o'er Blo on ny lue sea. Blo ind lo. ind lo. Blo ind lo.? Blo ind lo. Blo ind south o'er on ny e lue sea.
Singing The Dots Book One 9 5 Blo ind south er ly, south er ly, south er ly. Blo ind lo Blo ind lo. Blo ind lo. Blo ind lo.? south er ly, south er ly. 7 Blo on ny reeze Blo my ind lo.? Blo on ny reeze lov er Blo ind lo. no. Blo ind south er ly, me. Blo ind lo. my They They Blo ind lo. e lov er me. 9 ld me last night re ere Told me ships in off ing. So Blo last night re ere ships in no lo ind. Blo no lo. Blo no lo ind. Blo no lo.? off ing. So
Singing The Dots Book One 11 deep roll ing sea. But my Blo hurr ied don no lo ind. Blo no see is arque Blo? Blo ev er might e ring ing my ring ing my no lo no lo. no lo. lov er me. lov er ind. Blo Blo no lo. it, it, no lo ind. Blo arque that it here 15 lo. ev er might e no lo ind. Blo Blo it here? eyes could not Blo sea. But my no lo. eyes could not see deep roll ing no lo ind. Blo? 13 Blo n hurr ied don 10 me. no lo. no lo.
Singing The Dots Book One The First Three Notes You may have heard that first three notes ust happen e do, re, mi. ndeed. You have proaly picked up in your travels idea that re are different pitches in music, ith letter names A G. You proaly also kno that se pitches are ritten on five lines and four spaces of a staff, and (as long as e sing in tune) pitches are more or less same around orld. For singers, using solfege or solfa do, re, mi etc is a very efficient ay approach training our minds, ears and voices sightsing. t orks incredily ell for developing connection eteen symols and sounds e need. The next three songs are a chance for you get used reading do, re and mi on sheet music, and hearing ho y ork ger. You can imagine songs ould e really dull if everyody only sang se three notes! To keep music interesting for you, and anyone listening you, ve comined three note melodies for reading ith harmony parts that you ll need learn y ear. The first song is a setting of Roert Frost s poem Spping By Woods On A Snoy Evening. Before you approach solfa melody for this song, let s look at rhythm. 11
Singing The Dots Book One Spping By Woods On A Snoy Evening ntroduction Rhythm Before e look at Spping By Woods On A Snoy Evening, here are some exercises introduce rhythms that appear in song. There are three eats in ar. Have a look at first ar in Rain And Sno. Ho many eats does rain go for? This hollo note is called a minim. When sightreading, say. Aove notes, ve added a line of ta eats for you, so you can see ho eats and notes of ords line up. You could read ords hile tapping eat, or have some people chanting eat on ta. Try ith rhythm names o. n Rain And Sno, rhythms used are ta and. On next page, exercises introduce a ne rhythm. n first ar of The Philosopher, after has notes on one eat. To notes sharing a crotchet eat are quavers. Quavers are titi (pronounced tea tea) for sightreading. Try this page ith ords and n rhythm sounds ta, titi and. Because re are quavers in music, ve ritten a line of quaver pulses aove music, so you can see ho notes and quaver pulses fit ger. When you read through se exercises, you may ant give some people this line say as titi, titi, titi etc. 12
Singing The Dots Book One Spping By Woods On A Snoy Evening ntroduction More Rhythm 13
Singing The Dots Book One Spping By Woods On A Snoy Evening ntroduction Even More Rhythm No that you ve met ta, titi and, let s look at se rhythms in song Spping By Woods On A Snoy Evening. ve put rhythm for verse one elo for your consideration. As you read through se rhythms, you ill notice some of ords have more notes than y need. This is ecause notes change pitch in melody. For example, have a look in third full ar, has quavers. This might seem excessive for a modest, one syllale ord, ut ill make sense hen e add tune. For no, m sure you ll cope y adusting ords turning in, and so on. You ll see song starts ith a one eat, partial ar. n music, first eat of ar is strongest eat, and needs a strongly accented ord or syllale. This isn t alays first ord in a song. Take a moment mutter hose WOODS and WHOSE oods hear this. This little ar is called an anacrusis (like a Russian princess) or a pick up. Chant this ith rhythm names and ords. High achieving choirs might like everyone clap eat and/or tap pulse hile singing. You ll see titi pulse line ritten aove notes. 14
Singing The Dots Book One Spping By Woods On A Snoy Evening ntroduction Pitch n Spping By Woods On A Snoy Evening, do is E. Have a look at here do, re and mi sit on staff. You may already kno that four sharps (hich look a lot like hash tags) form a simple code that lets musicians kno do is E. f this is ne information, relax, e ll get this in fullness of time. The lovely squiggle at eginning is trele clef, used y sopranos and als. Basses have loer voices and ir notes are shon ith a ass clef. Tenors are a it odd, sometimes y read a ass clef, and sometimes a trele clef ut sung loer, in ir on range. Your direcr ill take you through singing se three notes in different patterns. or The folloing pages have some do, re, mi exercises ith E as do, if your choir ants spend some time secure reading se notes. There are copies one ith exercises in trele clef, one in ass clef. When you are comfortale ith exercises, have a look at song. Sing through verse one in solfege. Your direcr might encourage you do it a fe times, ith care for tuning. Then try singing through ith rhythm names, keeping a lovely feel of three eats in ar. When you re ready, add ords. Well look at you reading a song! n verse, tenors and asses sing a harmony. You ll notice this starts on a different note tune, ut follos same up and don pattern. Learn this y ear for no. n verse three, als add ir harmony line, and asses have a ass line. To make song interesting, se lines have notes or than do,re and mi. Learn m y ear. 15
Singing The Dots Book One Spping By Woods On A Snoy Evening Pitch Consolidation Trele Clef f you ould like spend time consolidating do, re and mi efore singing Spping By Woods On A Snoy Evening, here are some additional pitch exercises. This page is in trele clef, next page is in ass clef. 16
Singing The Dots Book One 17 Spping By Woods On A Snoy Evening Pitch Consolidation Bass Clef Here are same pitch exercises in ass clef..
Singing The Dots Book One 18 Spping y Woods on a Snoy Evening Music Text Roert Frost 3 4 Verse One Sop Whose oods Al 3 4 Bass 3 4 Whose oods? 43 Whose oods think are se think are se think kno. His se are think kno. His se are Whose oods Tenor kno. kno. His His 5 house is in house is in is in is in house? house vil vil vil vil lage though. lage though. lage though. lage though. He He He He
Singing The Dots Book One 19 9 ill ill? ill ill not see me spp here here ing not see me spp ing not see me spp ing here not see me spp ing here his 13 atch atch? atch atch 17 oods fill up his oods fill up his oods fill up ith sno. his oods fill up ith sno. litt My? litt My ith sno. ith sno. Verse To My My le horse le horse must think must think it's queer it's queer litt le horse must think it's queer litt le horse must think it's queer
Singing The Dots Book One 20 22 sp ith out sp? sp ith out ith out sp a farm house near. Be a farm house near. Be ith out a farm house a farm house near. Be near. Be 26 lake, lake, oods and fro teen? oods and fro oods and fro zen lake, oods and fro zen lake, est ev' est ev' teen teen teen zen zen 30 dark dark dark? dark ning of ning of year. year. est ev' ning of year. est ev' ning of year.
34 Singing The Dots Book One Verse Three He gives his He? He 21 He gives gives his his gives his har ness ells shake, a har ness ells har ness shake, a shake, ells a shake, ells a har ness 39 ask if re is ask if? ask if mis is re is re is take. The some mis if ask some re take. mis take. The mis take. The some The some 43 on ly on? on on oth ly oth ly oth ly oth er sound's er sound's er sound's er sound's seep of seep of seep of seep of
Singing The Dots Book One 22 47 ind sy ea sy sy and ind and don y flake. y flake. don y flake. don and ind don y flake. Verse Four The oods The? are oods love love are love are are The oods The oods and ind sy ea ea ea? 51 ly dark and ly dark ly dark and deep. and deep. But But But dark and deep. But ly deep. love 56 have prom have? prom have prom have is is es. keep. And es keep. And prom is es keep. And is es keep. And
Singing The Dots Book One 23 60 miles e fore miles? go e go miles miles go fore sleep. And sleep. e fore sleep. And go e fore And sleep. And sleep. sleep. fore sleep. fore 64 miles miles? miles miles go go go go e e e e fore fore sleep.
Singing The Dots Book One The Unquiet Grave Rhythm And Pitch The Unquiet Grave has four eats per ar. (You may like prepare y singing through Ro Ro Ro or Blood Red Roses.) n sheet music you ll see hat looks like a 4/4 fraction at eginning of first line. The p numer is numer of eats in ar. The 4 on otm simply means eat is a crotchet. Have a look at tenor line in ar 13. Ho long does lo go? Notice dot immediately after minim, converting it from eats three. You may recall meeting a dot efore, in Blo The Wind. This minim ith a dot is called a dotted minim. (With se names, do you ever feel like you re irdatching?) t s tree hen you are sightsinging rhythms. (This is three starting ith t instead of th.) Ho long do you sing slain at ar 11? This note is called a semireve. Did you guess correctly this is ur for rhythm sightreading? n this song you ill come across moments of silence! ( rests.) Rests allos singers rea ger, audiences asor ideas and composers eave magic. There s a squiggly rest in ar 5, after rain. You ll see it s a one eat crotchet rest. Can you find a 2 eat minim rest, a 3 eat dotted minim rest, and a 4 eat semireve rest? There is a sutle difference eteen minim rest and semireve rest can you see it? n The Unquiet Grave do is F. Here are do, re and mi. n trele clef and in ass clef. Have a look at first and last verses of The Unquiet Grave you can see that every voice sings do, re, mi tune ger in unison. Chant rhythm names, sing solfege and n try ords. n or verses every part gets a turn singing tune. For each verse, identify ho has melody. They can sit smugly hile everyone else learns ir harmony parts. You might notice re are times hen tune has quavers, ut harmony line/s have a crotchet. This ill require tenacious fortitude from crotchet people. Before e get song, folloing pages have some onus preparation exercises in trele and ass clefs, if you ould like spend time consolidating se notes efore singing song. 24
Singing The Dots Book One The Unquiet Grave Rhythm And Pitch Consolidation Trele Clef Here are some onus exercises you may ish sing through, as preparation for singing The Unquiet Grave. This page is in trele clef, ith ass clef on folloing page. You may find it helpful focus on rhythm names first, n sing in solfa. 25
Singing The Dots Book One The Unquiet Grave Rhythm And Pitch Consolidation Bass Clef Here are onus exercises in ass clef.. 26
Singing The Dots Book One 27 The Unquiet Grave Trad English Ballad Music y Sop 4 4 Cold los ind Al Bass my true love, and my true love, and one true love, and in green fields he lies slain, one true love, and in green fields he never had ut gently falls rain.? 4 4 7 never had ut 4 4 Cold los ind my true love, and gently falls rain. never had ut Cold los ind gently falls rain. 4 4 Cold los ind Tenor my true love, and lies slain, gently falls rain. in in? one true love, and in green fields he lies slain, in in never had ut lies lies slain. greenfields he lies lies Cold Cold slain. greenfields he slain. greenfields he greenfields he one true love, and in green fields he lies slain, Cold slain. Cold
Singing The Dots Book One 28 12 los ind love, and gen tly falls? one true love, and ind gen tly falls and falls my true love, gen tly falls rain. love, and in green fields he love, 22 do as much for slain, in lies green fields he lies slain, in slain, in Ó slain, my true love as an y young girl as much for my true love as an y young girl nev er had ut lies slain. 'll Ó lies lies slain. 'll slain. greenfields he ut greenfields he had greenfields he nev er had ut greenfields he lies 'll 'll sit and mourn all may. Ó slain. may. do lies one true love, and in green fields he lies one true love, and in green fields he rain.? rain. one true nev er had ut los my true 17 los ind rain. los ind my true sit and mourn all?
Singing The Dots Book One 27 on his grave for? telve months and a on his grave for day, for day, for telve months and a telve months and a 29 day. telve months and a Ó Ó day. Ó And Ó And 32 hen telve months and a day as passed, ghost did rise and? hen telve months and a 37 speak. "Why on my grave and ill not let me sleep?? on my grave and ill not let me sleep? Ó Tis, tis, tis, thine, thine And ill not let me sleep?" sitt est thou all Ó Tis sitt est thou all ghost did rise and speak. day as passed, "Why Tis, tis Ó And ill not let me sleep?", thine
Singing The Dots Book One 43 on true on true love, on true love,? 47 love, sits all on your grave. sits all on sits all on your that that that your seet lips, and that is all grave. grave. ask one kiss ask one kiss from ask one kiss from crave, crave, your seet lips, and that is all your 30 and that is all ill e meet a When crave. When ill e meet a your seet lips, and that is all crave, and that is all crave. When ill? 53 gain seet heart? When Ó ill e meet a ill When ill e meet?? gain seet heart? ill e meet a a gain? gain seet heart? When meet? e meet When gain? gain? When When When e ill e meet a When from crave. and that is all au tumn leaves fall ing au tumn leaves fall ing leaves fall au tumn leaves fall
Singing The Dots Book One 57 from trees are green and loom a from trees are from? from trees gain, green and loom a gain, green and loom a trees are gain, green and loom a gain, 31 are green and loom a are are are los ind gen tly falls my true love, and gain. Cold nev er had ut rain. nev er had ut my true love, and gen tly falls lies slain, one true love, and in green fields he Cold? one true love, and in green fields he gain. 67 rain. gen tly falls Cold los ind my true love, and gen tly falls rain. los ind gain. los ind my true love, and Cold green and loom a gain. green and loom a green and loom a 62 lies slain, rain. in? one true love, and in green fields he lies slain, in nev er had nev er had lies slain. greenfields he one true love, and in green fields he lies slain, in greenfields he in lies slain. greenfields he lies slain. greenfields he lies slain. ut ut
Singing The Dots Book One Break Break Break ntroduction Rhythm This song has same ar and eat pattern time signature as Blo The Wind. Do you recall ho this gave Blo The Wind a rocking, saying feel? There are eats in ar. Each eat is a dotted crotchet, sudividing in three quavers pulses. This time signature is called 6/8. Have a look at rhythm of verse one, ritten out elo. Tap quaver pulses ith your hand hile you chant ords, or find a friend ho is illing chant tititi tititi or oneandahandah hile you go over se rhythms. This part is helpfully ritten in. You ill see first ar is straightforard enough. The first eat has a dotted crotchet, called tum in rhythm reading. The second eat has three quavers. n ar you ll see a ne rest quaver rest, right on eat 2. This means you ill have ait until after eat efore you say On thy. n third ar you ll see cold is a crotchet (ie quavers), and grey fills out third quaver of eat. After you ve said it ith ords, try rhythm names. There are tum, ti and ta in this song.. 32
Singing The Dots Book One Break Break Break ntroduction Pitch n this song, do is F. Here are do, re and mi. n trele clef and in ass clef. On next pages, efore song, you ll find some onus preparation exercises, if you ish spend some time consolidating se notes in 6/8 time. Tennyson rote ords for Break Break Break a year after his est friend died. To set ords music, imagined a piper at dan in misty mountains, playing a triute a departed friend. When you are ready sing song, have a look at sheet music. You ll see everyone shares tune in verses one and four. Read through se verses using solfege, going over tricky its, and singing ith simple dignity. When you ve got it, add ords oth verses. n verses and three, sopranos keep tune y already kno ir part! The or voices have harmony lines create a full choir sound. You can learn se y ear. Notice ho al line is similar in flavour soprano line. You ll also see ho tenor and ass lines are similar each or, and have quite a different flavour upper parts. There is a coda learn at very end. suspect notes ant e very quiet here, like an Amen. 33
Singing The Dots Book One Break Break Break Pitch And Rhythm Consolidation Trele Clef Here are some exercises help you prepare for Break Break Break. You could start y saying ords, n rhythm names, n sing solfa and finally sing ords. A ass clef version follos. 34
Singing The Dots Book One Break Break Break Pitch And Rhythm Consolidation Bass Clef Here are same exercises as preceding page, in ass clef. 35
Singing The Dots Book One 36 Break, Break, Break Text Alfred, Lord Tennyson 6 8 Music Verse One Sop Break, 6 8 Al Break, Ten Bass reak, reak, reak, 6 8 Break,? 6 8 reak, Break, reak, on thy reak, on thy reak, on thy reak, on thy 5 ould that my ngue could ould that my ngue could ould that my ngue could O Sea! And cold grey snes, O Sea! And cold grey snes, O Sea! And cold grey snes, cold grey snes, O Sea! And ut ter thoughts that a rise me. in me. ter thoughtsthat a rise in ut ter thoughts that a rise ould that my ngue could ut? in ut ter thoughts that a rise in The me. The me. The The
Singing The Dots Book One 9 in me. O in me. O thoughts that a rise thoughts that a rise thoughts that a rise? in thoughts that a rise in me. shouts ith his sis ter at shouts ith his sis ter at Break,? Break, reak, play! O, sings in his oat on ay! reak, reak, ell for sail or Break, Break, ay! reak Sea! O reak, that he lad, that he reak, O Sea! That he sings in that he Break, Sea! O lad, reak, ell for sail or Sea!? O, O reak, play! ell for fish erman's oy, Break, that he Sea! Break, ell for fish erman's oy, reak, O sings in his oat on me. 17 Verse To Break, 13 37 his oat on ay! That he sings in his oat on Sea! Break, reak, reak, O Break, O O And ay! And Sea! Sea!
21 Singing The Dots Book One go on Verse Three state ly state ly ships ships go on To ir ha ven un der hill. To ir ha ven un der Break, reak, Sea!? reak, reak, Break, Break, O 38 Break, reak, O But hill. But Sea! reak, reak, 25 oh for uch of a oh for uch of a vanished hand and Break,? Break, vanished hand and reak reak, O reak, O Sea! Break, reak, a voice that is still. sound of Break,? Break, a voice that is reak, O O still. Sea! Break, Sea! Break, Break, reak, reak, reak, reak, And Sea! reak, O Verse Four Break, reak, And still. sound of sound of a voice that is still. Break, 29 sound of a voice that is Sea! reak, at reak, at reak, at reak, at
Singing The Dots Book One 33 O Sea! But O Sea! But foot of thy crags, O Sea!? foot of thy crags, foot of thy crags, foot of thy crags, O But Sea! But 37 me. me. nev er come ack nev er come ack nev er come ack? nev er come ack 41 Break, Break, reak, reak, O Sea! Break, reak, Break, reak, Will reak, O Sea! reak, O Sea! Will me. reak, O Sea! reak,? Will me. Will Break, Break, Break, Break, ten der grace of ten der grace of ten der grace of ten der grace of a nev er come ack day that is dead ill day that is dead ill day that is dead ill me. reak. Break. me. me. Break. Break. Break. Break. reak, O reak. reak. Break. day that is dead ill ne er come ack me. nev er come ack nev er come ack reak, O reak. reak, a a a reak, 39 Break. Break.
Singing The Dots Book One ntroducing So The next songs feature a ne note so. f you ve studied music (or you kno your Doe A Deer song) you may notice e are umping over note fa. Asolutely. By ay, ell spotted! This means gap interval eteen so and mi is a ump. To rite this, hen mi is in a space, so is in next space, umping over line here fa ould go. f mi sits on a line, so sits on next line. Here are so and mi, in trele and ass clef, on notes C and A. Go on have a sing! You ll recognise tune. t s used hen you lo a rasperry at someone and taunt m ith ner ner. Notice little lines crossing through so notes in ass clef? These leger lines extend staff, hich is handy hen songs go higher or loer than notes of five lines and spaces. n folloing pages, re are simple songs for you sing through consolidate so. There are copies of each for trele and ass clef. The first one The Shakespearean Ner Ner is in 2/4 time. A ne one for us! Given many humans have legs, this ill hopefully feel quite straightforard. Have a look at sheet music. haven t ld you hat do is, you ill need figure that out. Clue song starts on so, and uses notes so, mi, re and do. When so is in a space, mi is in next space, and do is in space elo that. f your choir has a spian leaning, you may ish incorporate action, costumes and, of course, actual thum iting. The second one is Can Ye Se Cushions. You ll notice you sing se on note so. A little solfa pun for you! 40
Singing The Dots Book One ntroducing So Shakespearean Ner Ner Here s a little exercise consolidate ump from so mi. n trele and n ass clefs. And in ass clef : 41
Singing The Dots Book One ntroducing So Can Ye Se Cushions Pitch Before e sing Can Ye Se Cushions, re are things talk aout. Firstly song umps from do so. Here s a little presong exercise get do so ump confidently in your ears and voice. You can see F is do. For trele clef folks: For asses: Feeling confident? You may recognise do so ump from Tinkle Tinkle Little Star. No e need discuss some of curvy lines that turn up in Can Ye Se Cushions. 42
Singing The Dots Book One ntroducing So Can Ye Se Cushions Why is my music smiling at me? Before e sing song, e should talk aout some musical curvy lines. A tie oins notes ger. The marriage celerant of sheet music! Have a look at song and you ll see a tie oins notes of se ger in first fe ars. f you re having a clever day, figure out ho long tie makes se. You ll notice oined notes are same pitch, and if you think aout it, that makes perfect sense. Ties ork exactly same ay inside ars folloing ars are identical. n this instance, a tie ould e an eccentric choice for a composer dotted minim is much tidier! But re are times hen ties do tidy up sheet music. Slurs are used in sheet music hen you sing one syllale over multiple pitches. Slurs sho hich notes elong hich syllales! For example in ar 14 in voice one, re are quavers for first syllale, ird. See hat happens if e move slur. Exhiit A: a ell placed slur. Exhiit B: slur in a ridiculous place. Not e oastful, ut in this example syllales line up eautifully under notes, so slurs are comforting rar than essential. m sorry say, this on t alays e case. t s a messy orld out re, and slurs ill prove most elcome allies. Enough yier yaer. Go sing song. There are trele and ass clef versions. 43
Singing The Dots Book One ntroducing So Can Ye Se Cushions Trele Clef Notice this is a canon. 44
Singing The Dots Book One ntroducing So Can Ye Se Cushions Bass Clef 45
Singing The Dots Book One An rish Blessing ntroduction Rhythm And Pitch After your good ork singing so in some simple songs, let s try a full choir song. My grandparents had this lessing hanging in ir kitchen, so it has some sentimental value for me. This piece is in 4/4. Rememer quaver rest? Ho long does it go for? (Have a look at Break Break Break if you ould like revise.) n An rish Blessing, re s one in ar 18. Which eat is it on? This rest means may comes after eat. Clap eats and say ords a fe times til you ve got feeling, n try ithout clapping. n An rish Blessing do is F. The do, re, mi, so tune is sung ger in unison from end of ar 8 ar 22. This section ould e an excellent place start learning song. Take it as sloly as you need. You may like start y chanting rhythm names, n speaking ords in rhythm, n singing in solfa. When you re feeling confident, sing ith ords. Your choir may like try a silent run through of this section. This means everyone sings in ir heads rar than out loud. No this might seem like quite an eccentric approach rehearsal (and ouldn t necessarily recommend it for performances) ut developing this mind s ear is very useful for sightsinging. Once this section is solid, have a look at section A ars 1 8. The soprano line ill look familiar! The or parts have some notes outside of do, re, mi and so. Learn your parts ith your direcr. Good nes! Section E from ar 41 end is simply a repeat of section More good nes! Section C from ars 23 30 is simply a repeat of section A ith ords! Even more good nes! There s only one section left section D ars 31 40. The soprano tune is for sightsinging made up of do, re, mi and so. The or parts have some or notes learn m ith your direcr. You may e finding your confidence is increasing, even hen you re not exactly sightsinging. You may feel like you are noticing oh that s a do, or that s a tied note that goes for six eats, or or symols that used e a mystery no make sense. Well that s onderful! 46
Singing The Dots Book One 47 An rish Blessing A andante 4 4 Sop Oo Al Oo 4 4 Oo Ten Bass 4 4? 4 4 Oo Oo? Oo Oo Oo Oo 5 Oo Oo Oo May road alays rise up Oo Oo B Oo May road alays rise up May road alays rise up May road alays rise up
Singing The Dots Book One 48 10 meet you. 14 face, May ind alays e May ind alays e face,? gain gain and rain and rain 18 and rain face, and rain face, May sun shine arm on your at your ack. May sun shine arm on your meet you. May ind alays e at your ack.? meet you. at your ack. meet you. May ind alays e my friend, my friend, fall soft fall soft fall soft fall soft may God may God gain my friend, may God? gain my friend, may God May sun shine arm on your at your ack. May sun shine arm on your on your fields. on your fields. on your fields. hold you hold you hold you hold you And un til And un til on your fields. e meet e meet And un til e meet And un til e meet a a a a in palm of his in palm of his of his in palm in palm of his
22 Singing The Dots Book One C hand. May road alays rise up hand.? you.? face.? face. rise sun shine sun up rise up fall soft on your on your shine arm on sun shine on your and rain arm May on your face, at your rise road shine arm road your D And un til face. road May fields. May you. 30 May sun you. May ack. May ind alays e May hand. meet you. May hand. 26 49 e meet a And un til e And un til e And un til e gain my meet meet my meet friend, friend, may God may may may God friend, may God friend, may God may may
Singing The Dots Book One 34 God God may God? God hold may hand, his hand. in his hand, in his hand, hold you in his hand, Oo Ó hand. Ó? his his his Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo his Oo Ó? hold you of his hand, Oo hand. palm E hand, his 44 you may God God hand. in 39 hold you God may God God may 50 Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo
Singing The Dots Book One Find My Way ntroduction Rhythm And Pitch There is a ne rhythmic element for you in this song. We first encounter it on eat four of ar 69. You ll see re are four notes/syllales on one eat. These little notes are called semiquavers. This makes sense y are half length of quavers. For rhythm reading, y are called tikatika. Notice doule eams. ( A racing stripe make m fast, my lecturer explained.) Your choir may like chant through ords from ar 69 end get used this ne rhythm, n try ith rhythm names. Up until last line in music, rhythmic elements are tikatika, titi, ta and. There are some exercises attached if you ish spend some time consolidating semiquavers. n Find My Way do is E. Here are our notes: do, re, mi and so on trele and ass clef. Notice here, here do is on a line, mi and so are on next lines up. n Find My Way, se notes are used for tune of chorus. This means sopranos get sing m. Well that s hardly fair! To give everyone a go reading, ve attached this chorus tune ritten out on trele and ass clef for hole choir sing through ger, in solfa and n ith ords. n verse one, you ll see sopranos and als share tune. n verse, notice tenors and asses have ir turn. What solfa notes are in this tune? Sing through tunes of verses in solfa and n ith ords. Learn rest of song y ear. You might notice that even hen you are learning a part y ear, sheet music has ecome more friendly and useful than it used e. That s onderful. Look at tenor line in verse one. See ho it sits around so? Sing so, and get sound in your ears and n sing through this line, listening out for each so. think of this as finding an anchor note. Ho good is that? Anchor notes help you stay in tune, and help you sing through unfamiliar music. f you re feeling adventurous, try singing only so s out loud, and or notes silently inside your head. Then sing all notes out loud. (t s eird, ut it orks.) 51
Singing The Dots Book One Find My Way Rhythm Consolidation Here are some tika tika semiquaver exercises you may ish look at, efore you start ork on Find My Way. My inspiration for this piece as a recent runch at a rar lovely cafe in Adelaide Hills. 52
Singing The Dots Book One Find My Way The Egalitarian Chorus Before you start ork on full song, here, as promised, is soprano part of chorus of Find My Way, ritten out for everyody have a turn singing through this do, re mi and so melody. This excerpt goes over page. 53
Singing The Dots Book One Find My Way The Egalitarian Chorus Continued Here is page of chorus melody for everyody. Next up: full song! 54
Singing The Dots Book One 55 Find My Way The text is ased on reflections from my mor Kerry O'Regan of her midnight path through discovery and treatment of reast cancer. Dedicated her ith love. 4 4 Sop Ó VERSE ONE A 4 4 Al Ó A Ten Bass 4 4 Oo? 44 Oo Oo Oo 5 midnight stranger at my door, a man 've ne ver met e fore. midnight stranger at my door, a man 've ne ver met e fore.? Tells me must leave and go, an Tells me must leave and go, an oo oo
Singing The Dots Book One 56 CHORUS 8 un ex pected ourney a place un ex pected ourney? a place do do not And not kno. And place kno. oo do not kno. And oo And 12 'm a 'm a a 'm fraid. 'm a 'm? fraid. And a 'm, 'm fraid. And 'm a fraid. 'm a lone. 'm 'm? 'm 'm so far from home. far from home. so far so far from my my so far a lone. lone. And And lone. 16 from my home. And And home. And
Singing The Dots Book One 57 20 have? 24 knon? left all 've knon have left left have all all 've left all e hind, e hind, e e hind, e hind e hind me. 29 Oo? Oo hind me. 've me. all me. knon far ehind 've knon 've e hind, have VERSE TWO Oo Oo Ó And Ó And
Singing The Dots Book One 33 Oo "We Oo "We "ev'ry step e're ith you. We ill not let you? "ev'ry step e're ith you. We ill not let From si lence voic es call, From si lence voic es call, ill not let you ill not let you CHORUS fall." get? get tired. tired and get get tired and get sore. get tired. get sore. sore. And sore. get And fall.", And 40 And fall." fall." you light my sol i tar y path. oo in dark find stars light my sol i tar y path.? 36 Oo in dark find stars 58
Singing The Dots Book One 59 44 don't? ant this don't ant this an y an y ant, don't ant an ant this y an y more.? 52 knon? have more. left all 've have left left have have all 've 'l left all hind, e hind, e hind, all 've e hind me. me. hind me knon hind e far e knon 've e e that all knon e hind, And And And 48 And more. more. don't hind me.
Singing The Dots Book One 56? Oo Oo Oo 60 Oo 61 VERSE THREE have learnt re is a song lead us through sing us home. Those ho alk midnight path have learnt re is a song lead us through sing us home. Those ho alk midnight path have learnt re is a song lead us through sing us home. Those ho alk midnight path? have learnt re is a song lead us through sing us home. Those ho alk midnight path 64 find our feet e find our song. We find our find our feet e find our song. We find find our feet e find our song. We find,? find our feet e find our song. We find our our stars. stars, our e find our n Ó stars. n stars. CODA Ó stars.
Singing The Dots Book One 68 dark dark? can still find my ay. find my ay. find my ay. n Ó dark Even in dark n n dark Even in dark can still find my ay. 72 61 can still find my ay. find my ay. dark can still find my ay.? Even in dark can still find my ay. Even in dark n find my ay. n Even in dark can still find my ay. n Ó n 76 dark dark can still find my ay. find my ay. dark can still find my ay.? dark can find my ay. Even in dark can still find my ay. Even in dark find my ay. Even in dark can still find my ay. Even in dark can find n n n my ay. n
Singing The Dots Book One 80 dark dark 83 can still can still dark can still? dark ay. ay.? find my ay. find my ay. my ay. find my E ven in dark E ven in dark E ven in dark n dark can still can still find my ay. find my find my still still? can still find my ay. find, find my can Even in dark can still find my ay. my Even in dark can Even in dark can, 87 can find Even in dark can still find my ay. can still n dark E ven in dark n dark ay. ay. n dark find my can find ay. 62 ay. find my can find my can find my ay. ay. ay.
Singing The Dots Book One Tiger Tiger ntroduction Rhythm And Pitch Tiger Tiger is a it different! The first section (up ar 12) is spoken, not sung. Have a look at music. To sho this, notes have crosses instead of normal circles. This section is simpler than it may first appear ecause it s a round from ar 2 ar 10, starting in ass line. Like any round, if everyone learns this one line, four parts are easy put ger. As you go through it, you ll find semiquavers and ho fast y feel compared quavers. n this section, it ill help kno hat is happening on each eat. (n or ords, count four! You may like mark eats on your music.) f you have a choir of folks ho like clap and stamp and riggle you are elcome add some ody percussion. This sort of thing isn t for everyone a discrete e tap ill serve ust as ell! All your great ork learning rhythm names ill come in handy no. Try this section through ith rhythm names, n add ords. Your direcr ill have ir on ideas ut imagine spoken ords are half hispered, quiet ut ith intensity, like you are gossiping in a lirary. There is a ne rhythmic element. Have a look at ar 19 here everyody says symmetry. This is made up of semiquavers and one quaver adding up one eat. For sightreading, this is tikati. We first meet this rhythm at end of ar 16. Here quaver is tied a crotchet, extending final sound, so you don t need feel rushed hile you re singing! f you d like practise this have attached an aridged setting of Austen s Sense and Sensiility for you, featuring this rhythm pattern. We are in E maor, a fancy ay of saying do is E, and do feels like home. Most songs have a home note and it s as simple as e kno it hen e hear it, it ust feels like home. You ill see second section ar 13 ar 20 is in unison. Everyone can read this ger ith solfa and n ords. Some exciting nes in this piece, oth soprano and tenor lines are made up completely of do, re, mi and so. To finish piece, your choir only needs learn y ear al and ass harmonies from ar 21 onards. Try using do (E) as anchor notes in se parts. 63
Singing The Dots Book One Tiger Tiger Rhythm Consolidation ane Austen Style Before you sing Tiger Tiger, here are some exercises practise tika ti ne rhythm pattern of semiquavers and a quaver. Who etter help us than ane Austen? This a rief summary of Sense and Sensiility. t does include some spoilers, if you haven t read ook! Go through ith ords and n consolidate ne rhythm name y reading rhythms. 64
Singing The Dots Book One 65 Tiger Tiger William Blake Sop 4 4 Ó Ti ger, Al 4 4 Bass Ó Ó Ó Ó Ti ger, Hah! ger, Hah! Ti ger, Hah! Ti ger, Ti Ti ger, Hah! Hah! Ó Ti ger, 4 Ti ger, Ti ger,? Ti ger, 4 4 Ó Ti ger,? 44 Ó Ti ger, Ti ger, Ten Ti ger, Hah! Ti ger, Ti ger, Hah! Ti ger, Ti ger, Hah! Ti ger, Ti ger, Hah!
Singing The Dots Book One 6 Ti ger, Hah! Hah! Ti ger, Hah! Ti ger, Hah! Ti ger, Hah! Ti ger, Ti ger hmm Ti ger, Ti ger, Hah! Ti ger, Tiger Hah! Ti ger, Ti ger, Hah! Ti ger, Ti ger, Hah! hmm? hmm 66 Ti ger, Tiger hmm Ti ger, Ti ger, 8 Ti ger, Ti ger, Hah! Ti? Ti ger, Ti ger, Hah! Ti ger, Ti ger hmm Ti ger, ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, hah! Ti ger, hmm Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, Ó Ó Ti ger, hah! Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger hmm Ti ger, Ó Ó Ti ger, Ó Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, Ti ger, hmm? Ti ger, hmm 10 Ti ger, Ti ger hmm hah! Ti ger, hmm hmm Ó Ti ger, Ó hah! Ó Ti ger,
Singing The Dots Book One 13 Ti ger Ti ger urning right, 67 in forests of night. What im mor tal hand or eye, could Ti ger Ti ger urning right, in forests of night. What im mor tal hand or eye, could Ti ger Ti ger urning right, in forests of night. What im mor tal hand or eye, could Ti ger Ti ger urning right, in forests of night. What im mor tal hand or eye, could? 16 frame thy fear ful symme try? frame thy fear ful symme try? frame thy fear ful symme try?? frame thy fear ful symme try? 19 symme try? symme try? symme try?? symme try? symme try? symme try? symme try? symme try? symme try? symme try? symme try? symme try? symme try? symme try? symme try? symme try? sym me try? sym me try? sym me try? sym me try? sym me try? sym me try? Ti sym me try? n hat dis tant deeps or skies sym me try? Ti ger Ti ger ger
Singing The Dots Book One 22 urnt fire of thine eyes? Ti Ti ger,? ger, Ti Ti? Ti ger ing Ó Ti ger, Ti Ó Ti ger, Ti Ó Ti right, oh ger ger hmm ger hmm hmm ger Ti ger, right, Ti ger right, ing Ti ger, ing ger Ó ger urn 25 Ti Ti ger urn On hat ings dare he as pire? What hand, dare seize fire? urn 68 hmm. 29 Ti Ti What ger, Ti ger, Ti ham mer? What? Ti chain? n hat ger, Ti ger, ger, fur nace as thy rain? ger,