More Songs for Experienced Choristers
This set of songs includes a variety of tonalities, meters, texts, styles, and musical challenges. Selected songs are offered for a range of ages and ability levels, drawing the artistry out of all children. The songs speak for themselves, coming alive in children rather than in descriptions here.
Songs are in the appropriate range for experienced choristers, and propel both quality choral sound and vocal technique while drawing musicality out of singers. Piano accompaniments are provided for performance, but movement is the finest accompaniment for music learning. These songs have been used with children from second through sixth grade, and many have been used with older students, including college singers. Your children’s exposure to various tonalities and meters will maximize the value of these songs for music learning and best assure in-tune and in-rhythm singing. If your children are not familiar with various tonalities and meters, you might want to consider the Reading Session Songs and Chants Without Words.
Recommended OTEC Postings:
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SONG LIBRARY, Bookshelf 2; Bookshelf 1
Annotated List of Songs
1 |
April Rain Song—The setting of this poem of Langston Hughes in Aeolian tonality and shifting meters presents the many dimensions of rain in the many dimensions of the choral art, propelling expressive delivery of text in a quality sound. |
2 |
Seahorse—This delicate little song in Mixolydian tonality and Combined meter evokes a lovely sound from children’s voices with its portrait of a seahorse. |
3 |
Night—The simplicity of Sara Teasdale’s poem is reflected in this setting in Dorian tonality and Triple meter, drawing the artistry out of children. |
4 |
Sea Anemone—This haunting little song draws a lovely sound from children’s voices while expressing the mystery of the Sea Anemone, using the rhythmic motive of the word, anemone, in this setting in Phrygian tonality and Duple meter. |
5 |
April—This sweet little poem of Sara Teasdale, set in Aeolian tonality and Triple meter, hovers around the resting tone, ready to burst into spring and into the lovely sound of children’s voices. |
6 |
The Egg— The playfulness of Ogden Nash is reflected in this whimsical setting in Mixolydian tonality and Duple meter, with the greatest challenge the authoritative delivery of such nonsense. |
7 |
The Falling Star—This lovely poem of Sara Teasdale, set in Phrygian tonality and shifting meters, begs to be sung with flexibility of tempo throughout to express the exciting, yet fleeting appearance of the falling star and the wonder of children’s artistry. |
8 |
The Faery Forest—Lydian tonality and shifting meters challenge singers in expressive delivery of this poem of Sara Teasdale, creating the mystery of the faery forest with contrast to the silken silence. |
9 |
Fairies—The drama of this poem of Langston Hughes, set in Dorian tonality and shifting meters, challenges singers to deliver vocally, musically, and emotionally. |
10 |
February Twilight—This lovely poem of Sara Teasdale, set in Mixolydian tonality and Triple meter, draws a quality sound from children and stretches both vocal technique and musicality. |
11 |
Dreams—This pensive little poem of Langston Hughes, set in Dorian tonality and shifting meters, invites dramatic expression and sheer artistry from children. |
12 |
Singing Merrily—This delightful song in Major tonality and shifting meters offers a joyful and natural expression of holiday cheer, despite its challenging Unusual Paired meter, interspersed with triple meter for a special ending. |