Download 14 To Music

XIV
Title: To Music
For S.S.A. Chorus, a cappella
Composer: anon. 16th Century German Chorale Melody, arr. Betty Bertaux
Text: Betty Bertaux
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes, 1987 Oct. B6373
Background Information:
From: www.youngnapervillesingers.org/betty-bertaux.html: Betty Bertaux is the founder
of the Children’s Chorus of Maryland for which she was artistic director for its first
eleven years. Regarded as an authority on vocal and music development in children she
holds two Master of Music Degrees, one with Kodaly emphasis (Holy Names College)
and one in composition. (Shepherd School of Music, Rice University). She also holds a
Certificate of Study in Music Learning Theory with Dr. Edwin Gordon. Her music is
published by Alliance and she is editor of the Betty Bertaux Choral Series published by
Boosey & Hawkes. Her successful career has been built on the belief that a children’s
choral conductor can guide young singers toward a life enriched by music through an
instructive, artistic and joyful experience.
From: http://97.1911encyclopedia.org/C/CH/CHORALE.htm: CHORALE, a term in
music used by English writers to indicate the hymn-tunes composed or adopted for use in
church by the German reformers. German writers, however, apply the terms Choral and
Choralegesang, as Luther himself would apply them, to any solemn melody used in the
church. The peculiarity of German chorale-music, however, is that its use, and
consequently much of its invention, not only arose in connection with the Reformation,
by which the liturgy of the church became understood by the people, but also that it
belongs to a musical epoch in which symmetry of melody and rhythm was beginning to
assume artistic importance. This growing sense of form is seen the music Luther and
Cruger; and it provided an invaluable bulwark against the chaos that was threatening to
swamp music on all sides at the beginning of the 17th century.
From: www.sdechoir.org/cos.htm: recording available at this cite by the San Diego
Children’s Choir
Musical Elements:
Meter: 4/4
Tempo: ∂ = 88
Form: Strophic: A (abab) B (abab) 3 verses
Tonality: B∫ Major
Phrasing and Harmony: Marked in the score
Dynamics: pp, p, mp, mf, f, crescendo and decrescendo
Vocal Technique Elements:
Range: Soprano 1: f - f1, Soprano II: f – d1, Alto: b∫1 - b∫
Tessitura: Soprano 1: f - d1, Soprano II: f – b∫, Alto: e∫ - b∫
Pitch set: B∫ do, Melody - Soprano: S1 L1 T1 D R M F S
Soprano II: M1 F1 S1 L1 T1 D R M Alto: D1 R1 M1 F1 S1 L1 T1 D
Rhythm: ç, ∂, Î, ß, Í, å
Harmony: 3 – part vocal harmony, realized through chorale hymn style.
Text: Betty Bertaux
Elements Related to Teaching:
Appropriate Grade Level: Soprano I part suitable for Advanced 4th grade – Adult.
Soprano II and Alto middle school - Adult
Difficult Sections: Tuning the 3-voice chords, correct technique singing the interval
of the 6th, “hill-tops”, and diction.
Possible Teaching sequence:
Objective: To perform To Music in a rich chorale style, emphasizing the text.
Warm-up activities: use rhythmic and melodic motives in warm-up, emphasis on
scale work, (sing scale in canonic thirds), and three-part exercises.
Motivation: Listen to excerpts of a fugue and chorale, ask students to compare
and contrast. Introduce/review polyphonic and homophonic texture. Look at To
Music score decide if polyphonic or homophonic.
Procedure: Advanced choir: Divide into three groups and sight-read rhythm of
Sop. I, Sop. II, and Alto parts at the same time. Look at range and pitch set of
parts. Discover repeated sections and analyze form. Sight-sing with solfeggio 3parts together slowly. Or: Have all students sight-read rhythm of alto part, then
sight-sing using sol-fa. When secure, teacher plays Soprano II part and sings Sop.
I part with Alto part. Repeat process for Soprano II and Soprano I. Divide group
into 2 –parts to perform Alto and Sop. II against melody. Divide group into 3
parts and perform.
Allow 4-6 15-minute rehearsals to learn.