Advanced syncopation, extended range, and two
ascending tonic arpeggios sung to a fast pace.

Description

• Grade: Fifth
• Origin: USA – music: Colonel Sanford C. ‘Sandy’ Faulkner – words: Arkansas State Committee*
• Key: F Major
• Time: 2/4
• Form: ABCD, A,B, & D include a portions of previous phrases
• Rhythm: advanced: | ti ri ti ri ti ti | ti ti ti ti |
  | ti ti ti ti ri | ti ri ti ri ti ti ri | ti ri ti ti ri ti | syncopation, | ti ti ri ti ti ri | syncopation,
  | ti ti ri ti ti | syncopation
• Pitches: intermediate: So La Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do – extended range
• Intervals: intermediate: So/Do/Mi ascending tonic arpeggio (I, F) Do\La (m3), So/Do/So/Do8 ascending tonic arpeggio omitting the 3rd (Mi) – intervals: P4, P5, P4; Do8\So (P4), Fa\Re (m3), Re\So (P5), Re/So (P5)
• Musical Elements: notes: eighth, sixteenth; pickup beat, syncopation, two tonic arpeggios, melodic rhythms
• Key Words: USA geography: Arkansas, state song, upon, cabin door, fiddled, played by ear, sawed, popular air, roof tree, leaked, waterfall, bother, traveler, a-practicing, a-float, feet, seem to fret, stranger, seems, mend, rainy day, replied, quite, true, patch, fair and bright, good and tight, a-playing, reel, tapped, ground, leathery heel, pain, leaks; contractions: tho’ (though), didn’t (did not), you’d (you would), couldn’t (could not), doesn’t (does not)
• Recorder: advanced: introducing B flat, improving finger dexterity

*The state song of Arkansas from 1949 to 1963, the state historical song since 1987. Begins with the same melody as “Baby Bumblebee.”

“Arkansas Traveler” 

	1.	Oh, once upon a time in Arkansas, An old man sat in his little cabin door, And fiddled at a time that he liked to hear, A jolly old tune that he played by ear, It was raining hard, but the fiddler didn’t care, He sawed away at the popular air, Tho’ his roof tree leaked like a waterfall, That didn’t seem to bother the man at all.
	2.	A traveler was riding by that day, And stopped to hear him a-practicing away; The cabin was a-float and his feet were wet, But still the old man didn’t seem to fret. So the stranger said “Now the way it seems to me, You’d better mend your roof,” said he. But the old man said as he played away, “I couldn’t mend it now, it’s a rainy day.”
	3.	The traveler replied, “That’s all quite true, But this, I think, is the thing to do; Get busy on a day that is fair and bright, Then patch the old roof till it’s good and tight.” But the old man kept on a-playing at his reel, And tapped the ground with his leathery heel. “Get along,” said he, “for you give me a pain; My cabin never leaks when it doesn’t rain.”

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Introducing melismatic singing and extended phrases
which strengthen breath control.

Description

• Grade: Fifth
• Origin: France – Old Carol, 1862
• Key: F Major
• Time: 4/4
• Form: phrases: AaBb – song: AB, verse/refrain
• Rhythm: intermediate: | ta ta ta ta | ta/ ti ta/a | syncopation, | ta ti/ ri ta ti ti | syncopation,
  | ta/a ti ti ti ti | ta/a ta/a | ta/a/a/a |
• Pitches: intermediate: So Do Re Mi Fa So La
• Intervals: beginners: Mi/So (m3), Do/Mi (M3), Re\So (P5), So/Do (P4), Re/So (P4)
• Musical Elements: notes: whole, half, dotted quarter, quarter, dotted eighth, sixteenth; long and short repeating melodic rhythmic patterns,melismatic (holding one vowel sound for many pitches), verse/refrain, syncopation, extended phrases
• Key Words: world geography: France, Bethlehem, West Bank, carol, Christmas carol, Christmas hymn, Bible story: Birth of Jesus, angels, heard, mountains, in reply, echoing, joyous, strains, shepherds, jubilee, prolong, tidings, inspire, birth, adore, bended, knee, Christ, Lord, new-born, King, Gloria in excelsis Deo, contractions: , abbreviations: o’er (over) , heav’nly (heavenly)
• Recorder: advanced: introducing B flat, strengthening breath control with extended slurs

 

“Angels We Have Heard on High” 

	1.	Angels we have heard on high, Sweetly singing o’er the plains, And the mountains in reply, Echoing their joyous strains.
		Refrain:
		Gloria in excelsis Deo, Gloria in excelsis Deo.
	2.	Shepherds why this jubilee Why you joyous strain prolong, Say what may the tidings be Which inspire your heav’nly song?
		Refrain
	3.	Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing; Come adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, our new-born King!
		Refrain
	The words of the song are based on a traditional French carol known as Les Anges dans nos Campagnes (literally, The Angels in our Countryside). Its most common English version was translated in 1862 by James Chadwick.

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Intermediate syncopation and intervals, multiple endings and repeats in an African American Christmas Spiritual.

Description

• Grade: Fifth (5)
• Origin: African American Spiritual
• Key: F Major
• Time: 4/4
• Form: ABCA
• Rhythm: intermediate: | ta/a/ ti ta | syncopation, ta/a/a ta | ta (ta) ta/a | ti ta ti ta ta | syncopation,
  | ti ti ti ti ta ta | (ta/a ta) ta | ta ta ti ti ti (ti) |
  | ti ta ti ti ti ti ti | syncopation
• Pitches: intermediate: La So Do Re Mi Fa So La
  (one octave)
• Intervals: intermediate: Do\La (m3), So/Do (P4), Do/Mi (M3), Mi/So (m3), La\Mi (P4), Do/La (M6)
• Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, half, quarter, eighth; rests: whole, half, quarter; repeated rhythm patterns, multiple repeat signs, first and second endings, syncopation, solo part, vocal slur, tied notes
• Key Words: African American History, sacred, amen, shepherds, manger, baby Jesus, Christmas, sing stronger, Mother Mary

“AMEN” 

Amen, amen Amen, amen, amen Amen, amen Amen, amen, amen See the baby, Lying in the Manger, On Christmas morning, Amen, amen, amen. See the Mother, Singing’ to the baby, On Christmas morning, Amen, amen, amen. See the Shepherds, Come to see the baby,, On Christmas morning, Amen, amen, amen. Sing it softer now, Amen, amen, amen, amen. Sing it stronger now, Amen, amen, amen, amen.

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Strophic: all verses sung to the same melody.
Melody centered around the fifth, So.

 

Description

• Grade: Fifth
• Origin: words: John Newton – 1799, last verse: John P. Rees, tune: “New Britain” (early American Colony melody)
• Key: G Major
• Time: 3/4
• Form: through composed
• Rhythm: beginners: | ta/a ti ti | ta/a ta |
  | ta/ ti ti ti | syncopation
• Pitches: beginners: So La Do Re Mi So – pentatonic scale
• Intervals: intermediate: So/Do (P4), Do/Mi (M3), Do\La (m3), Re/So (P4), So\Mi/So (m3), So\Mi\Do\So descending tonic arpeggio (I, G), La/Do (m3)
• Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; pickup beat, tied notes, strophic (all verses sung to the same melody), vocal slurs
• Key Words: sacred, “New Britain,” USA history, slave trade history, wretch, blind, taught, fear, grace, precious, appear, dangers, toils, snares, already, brought, safe, secures, shield, portion, endures, flesh, heart, fail, mortal, cease, possess, within, veil, joy, peace, earth, dissolve, snow, sun, forbear, shine, God, below, forever, mine, ten thousand, bright, shinning, days, god’s praise, begun; abbreviations: sav’d (saved), reliev’d (relieved), thro’ (through), promis’d (promised), believ’d (believed), call’d (called); contractions: ’twas (it was), we’ve (we have), ’tis (it is)

“Amazing Grace” 

		1.	Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That sav’d a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now I am found, Was blind but now I see.
		2.	’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears reliev’d; How precious did that grace appear, The hour I first believ’d!
		3.	Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; ’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.
		4.	The Lord has promis’d good to me, His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be, As long as life endures.
		5.	Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease; I shall possess, within the veil, A life of joy and peace.
		6.	The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine; But God, who call’d me here below, Will be forever mine.
		7.	When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’ve first begun.

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Advanced syncopation, repeated melodic patterns, an augmented fourth (A4), and practicing the descending major sixth (M6) Mi\So.

Description

• Grade: Fifth
• Origin: USA – African American Spiritual, circa. 1819
• Key: G Major
• Time: 2/4
• Form: AB – verse/refrain
• Rhythm: advanced: | ti ta ti | syncopation,
  | ti ti ta | (ti) ti ti/ ri | syncopation, | ri ti/ ta | syncopation , | ri ti/ ti ti ri | syncopation, | ta ta |
  ta/a_|_/ ti ti ti ri | syncopation, | ri ti/ ti ti | syncopation, | ta ti ti ri | syncopation, | ti ta/ | syncopation
• Pitches: beginners: So La Ti Do Re Mi Fa
• Intervals: intermediate: Mi\So (M6), La/Do/Mi ascending arpeggio (vi, Em), Ti/Mi (augmented 4th, A4), Fa\Do (P4), Do/Mi (M3), Re/Fa (m3)
• Musical Elements: notes: half, dotted quarter, quarter, dotted eighth, eighth, sixteenth; rest: eighth; pickup beat, ties, vocal slur, repeat sign, first and second endings, verse/refrain, syncopation, arpeggio (vi, Em), repeated melodic rhythm patterns: eight rest on first beat
• Key Words: USA history, African American History, sacred, spiritual, sword, shield, study war, golden sand, long white rob, starry crown, golden shoes, Prince of Peace, shake hands, around the world; contraction: gonna (going to), ain’t (am not)

  

   

“Down By the Riverside”
also known as
“Ain’t Gonna Study War No More”

		1.	Gonna lay down my sword and shield, Down by the riverside, Down by the riverside, Down by the riverside. Gonna lay down my sword and shield, Gonna study war no more.
			Refrain:
			I ain’t gonna study war no more, Ain’t gonna study war no more, Ain’t gonna study war no more;I ain’t gonna study war no more, Ain’t gonna study war no more, Ain’t gonna study war no more.
		2.	Gonna stick my sword in the golden sand; Down by the riverside, Down by the riverside, Down by the riverside. Gonna stick my sword in the golden sand Down by the riverside Gonna study war no more.
			Refrain
		3.	Gonna put on my long white robe; Down by the riverside, Down by the riverside, Down by the riverside. Gonna put on my long white robe; Down by the riverside Gonna study war no more.
			Refrain
		4.	Gonna put on my starry crown; Down by the riverside, Down by the riverside, Down by the riverside. Gonna put on my starry crown; Down by the riverside Gonna study war no more.
			Refrain
		5.	Gonna put on my golden shoes; Down by the riverside, Down by the riverside, Down by the riverside. Gonna put on my golden shoes; Down by the riverside Gonna study war no more.
			Refrain
		6.	Gonna talk with the Prince of Peace; Down by the riverside, Down by the riverside, Down by the riverside. Gonna talk with the Prince of Peace; Down by the riverside Gonna study war no more.
			Refrain
		7.	Gonna shake hands around the world; Down by the riverside, Down by the riverside, Down by the riverside. Gonna shake hands around the world; Down by the riverside Gonna study war no more.
			Refrain

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