Jack Sprat

Advanced syncopation, pitches, and intervals;
introducing the raised fourth, Fi (F#).

Description

Grade: Kindergarten
Origin: England – Nursery Rhyme
Key: C Major
Time: 2/4
Form: ABCD
Rhythm: advanced: | ta ti/ ri | syncopation,
| ti ti ti/ ri | syncopation, | ti/ ri ti ti | syncopation,
| ta/ ti | ta/ ti ta/ ti | syncopation, | ta/a | the rhyme helps master the complex rhythms
Pitches: advanced: Do Re Mi Fa Fi So La Ti Do – introduces the raised fourth (Fi)
Intervals: advanced: Do\So, Do/Mi, So\Do, Do/La, Ti\Mi, Do\La, La\Mi, Mi/Fi, Mi/Do
Musical Elements: notes: half, dotted quarter, quarter, dotted eighth, eighth, sixteenth; syncopation, dotted rhythms, divisions of sixteenths, raised fourth – Fi
Key Words: world geography: England; fat, lean, between, betwixt (between), platter, licked, wife

The name Jack Sprat dates from the sixteenth century and was often used by people of small stature. The text originates from an English Proverb known in the mid-seventeenth century.

May we suggest “Three Jacks,” as part of your next program?
(Jack and Jill, Jack Be Nimble, Jack Sprat)

**“Jack Sprat”**
Jack Sprat could have no fat. His wife could eat no lean. And so between them both, you see,* They licked the platter clean *Old English 3rd line: And so, betwixt them both between,

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Jack Sprat" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Jack-O-Lanterns

Advanced syncopation on the first quarter of the fourth beat,
minor tonality, vi (i) arpeggio and octave skip,
and sharp dominate (Si).

Description

Grade: Second
Origin: USA – Grace Meserve
Key: E minor (pitched in G Major)
Time: 4/4
Form: AABA
Rhythm: advanced: | ti/ ri ti/ ri ri ti/ (ta) | syncopation, | ta ta ta (ta) | ti ti ti ti ti ti ta |
| ta ta (ta) ta |
Pitches: intermediate: Si La Ti Do Re Mi – raised/sharp dominant (Si)
Intervals: intermediate: La/Mi, Mi\Do\La descending submediant arpeggio (vi, Em), La\Si/La (m2), La/La ascending submediant octave skip;
Musical Elements: notes: quarter, dotted eighth, eighth, sixteenth; rest: quarter; syncopation, minor tonality, raised subdominant (Si), tonic octave skip, descending submediant (tonic) arpeggio
Key Words: USA – Halloween; All Hallows Eve, All Saints Day, jack-o-lanterns, scare, boo, teeth, bite, candle bright, scary song, camp song, playground song

**“Jack-O-Lanterns”**
We are Jack-o-lanterns, Boo, boo, boo! We are out to scare you! Boo, boo, boo! We have teeth but cannot bite, In our heads a candle bright. Don’t you think we’re funny? Boo, boo, Boo!!

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Jack-O-Lanterns" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Jack Be Nimble

Singing all the pitches of the major scale
with syncopation in 6/8 time.

Description

Grade: Kindergarten
Origin: England – Nursery Rhyme, early 1800’s
Key: C Major
Time: 6/8
Form: AB
Rhythm: intermediate: | ta ti ta ti | syncopation,
| ta ti ta (ti) | syncopation, | ta ti ti ti ti |
Pitches: intermediate: Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do, singing all the pitches of C major scale
Intervals: intermediate: Do/Mi, Re/Fa, Mi/So, Do/So, So/Ti
Musical Elements: notes: quarter, eighth; rest: eighth; flagged and beamed eighths, 6/8 time: eighth note receives one beat, divisions of a dotted quarter note: three eights (3 ti’s), feeling duple meter (2) in 6/8: where three eights would be a triplet if the beat is represented by a dotted quarter
Key Words: world geography: England: nimble, jump, high, low, over, toe, candlestick

May we suggest “Three Jacks,” as part of your next program? (Jack and Jill, Jack Be Nimble, Jack Sprat)

**“Jack Be Nimble”**
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over The candlestick. Jack jumped high, Jack jumped low, Jack jumped over And burned his toe.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Jack Be Nimble" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Jack and Jill

Syncopation in 6/8 meter, extended range,
and challenging intervals for the very young.

Description

Grade: Kindergarten
Origin: England, 18th-century Nursery Rhyme
Key: F Major
Time: 6/8
Form: ABAb
Rhythm: intermediate: | ta ti ta ti | syncopation,
| ta/ ta (ti) | syncopation, | ta/ ti (ti) (ti) | syncopation
Pitches: advanced: Ti Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do Re Mi – extended range
Intervals: advanced: Do\So, So/Do, So/Mi, Fa/Re, Re\Fa, Mi/Do\Mi, Re/La, So\Ti, Ti/Re
Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; rest: eighth; syncopation, uncommon intervals, 6/8 time: eighth note receives one beat, divisions of a dotted quarter note: three eights (3 ti’s), feeling duple meter (2) in 6/8
Key Words: world geography: England; vocabulary builder: hill, fetch, pail, water, fell, up, down, broke, crown, tumbling, home, trot, fast, caper, bed, head, covered, vinegar, brown, paper

May we suggest “Three Jacks,” as part of your next program?
(Jack and Jill, Jack Be Nimble, Jack Sprat)

**“Jack and Jill”**
Jack and Jill went up the hill To fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown, And Jill came tumbling after. Up Jack got and home did trot, As fast as he could caper; And went to bed and covered his head In vinegar and brown paper.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Jack and Jill" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

I Want a Girl Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad

Introducing the raised/natural supertonic (2, Ri, D# on recorder, with the popular chorus from a turn of the century song.

Description

Grade: Fifth
Origin: USA – words: William Dillion – music: Harry Von Tilzer (1911)

Key: A Flat Major
Time: 2/4
Form: through composed
Rhythm: beginners: | ta/a | ti ti ta | ti ti ti ti |
| ta ta | ta/ ti | syncopation
Pitches: intermediate: Mi Fa So La Ti Do Re Ri Mi – raised/natural supertonic (2, Ri)
Intervals: intermediate: So\Mi (m3), So/Do (P4), Do\La (m3), Do/La (m3), Do\So (P4), La/Re (P4), Re/Ri (m2), Ri/Mi8 (m2), Ti\So (M3)
Musical Elements: notes: half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; rests: quarter, eighth; stepping up chromatically Re/Ri/Mi (Bb/B/C), tied notes, natural sign
Key Words: Mother’s day, turn of the century popular song, 2nd most popular song in 1911, married, pearl, old fashioned, heart, true, nobody else
Recorder: intermediate: introducing D#

A popular barbershop quarter selection best know for the chorus represented here.

**“I Want a Girl Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad”**
I want a girl, just like the girl that married dear old Dad. She was a pearl, and the only girl that Daddy every had; A good old fashioned girl with heart so true, One who loves nobody else but you; I want a girl, just like the girl that married dear old Dad.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "I Want a Girl Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad," Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

I’ve Been Working on the Railroad

Advanced syncopation, advanced intervals, triplets, repeated
melodic rhythm patterns, and the raised/sharped tonic (Di)
makes this popular folk song fun and challenging.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – Folk Song, cir. 1894 Princeton University
Key: G Major
Time: 4/4
Form: by page: 1-A, 2-BC, 3-D; song: ABCD
Rhythm: advanced: | ta/ ti ti/ ri ti/ ri | syncopation,
| ta/a ta/a | ta/ ti ta ta | syncopation, | ta/a/a (ta) |
| ta/a ta ti/ ri | syncopation, | ta ti/ ri ti/ ri ti/ ri | syncopation, | ti/ ri ti/ ri ta ta | syncopation,
| ta ta ta/a | ta ta ta ta | ta/a ta/a |
| ti/ ri ti/ ri ti ti ta | syncopation, | ta/a/a/a |
| ti-ti-ti ta ta/a | triplets, | ta ta ti-ti-ti ta | triplets,
| ti ti ti ti ta ta |
Pitches: advanced: So La Ti Do Di Re Mi Fa So La – raised/sharped tonic (Di), extended range
Intervals: advanced: Do\So/Do, Mi\Do, Do/Fa, Fa\Do, Re\Di/Re, So/Fa, Mi\La, Do\La, Do/Mi, So/Do, La/Re, Re\Ti, Mi\Do\So descending tonic arpeggio, So/Do/Mi ascending tonic arpeggio, Fa/La8
Musical Elements: notes: whole, dotted half, half, dotted quarter, quarter, dotted eighth, eighth, sixteenth; rest: quarter; repeated melodic rhythm patterns, advanced syncopation, vocal slurs, triplets
Key Words: USA history, glee club song, Princeton University, work song, railroad, live-long, pass time away, whistle, blowing, rise up, morn, captain, shouting, blow your horn, kitchen, strumming, banjo; contractions: I’ve (I have), don’t (do not), someone’s (someone is); abbreviation: strummin’ (strumming)

**“I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”**

	I’ve been working on the railroad, All the live-long day; I’ve been working on the railroad, Just to pass the time away. Don’t you hear the whistle blowing? Rise up so early in the morn. Don’t you hear the captain shouting: “Dinah, blow your horn!”

	Dinah, won’t you blow, Dinah, won’t you blow, Dinah, won’t you blow your horn? Dinah, won’t you blow, Dinah, won’t you blow, Dinah, won’t you blow your horn?

	Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah, Someone’s in the kitchen I know. Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah, Strumming on the old banjo, and singing,

	Fee, fi, fiddly-i-o, Fee, fi, fiddly-i-o, Fee, fi, fiddly-i-o, Strummin’ on the old banjo.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "I've Been Working on the Railroad," Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

I’ve Been to Harlem

“I’ve Been to Harlem” or “Turn the Glasses Over”

Advanced syncopation with multiple tonic arpeggios will challenge you best readers. Adding the glass game will build more brain power.

Description

Grade: Third
Origin: USA Play Party Song
Key: G Major
Time: 4/4
Form: AB
Rhythm: advanced: | ta ti/ ri ta ta | syncopation,
| ta ti ti ta ta | ta ta ta ta | ti ta ti ti ti ti ti |
syncopation, | ti ti ti ti ta ta | ta ta ta/a |
| ta ta ta ti ti | ta/a ta/ ti | syncopation,
| ti ti ta ta ti ti | ti ti ti ti ta ti ti | ta/a ta (ta) |
Pitches: intermediate: So La Do Re Mi So La – pentatonic scale
Intervals: intermediate: Do\La, So/Do, Do/Mi/So ascending tonic arpeggio, So\Mi\Do descending tonic arpeggio
Musical Elements: notes: half, dotted quarter, quarter, dotted eighth, eighth, sixteenth; rest: quarter; syncopation, multiple tonic arpeggios
Key Words: USA geography, Harlem, New York, world geography, Dover, England, travelled, three times over, glasses, sailing, east, west, ocean, watch, boat, rock, yourself; contractions: I’ve (i have), you’ll (you will)

“I’ve Been to Harlem”
also known as
“Turn the Glasses Over”

I’ve been to Harlem, I’ve been to Dover,
I’ve travelled this wide world all over.
Over, over, three times over.
Drink what you got to drink and turn the glasses over.

Sailing east, sailing west,
Sailing over the ocean,
You better watch out when the boat begins to rock,
Or you’ll lose yourself girl in the ocean.

Game Directions:

I’ve been to Harlem

clap, clap, tap on the cup

I’ve been to Dover,

clap, pick up cup, put cup down

I’ve travelled this wide world all over.

clap, pick up cup (thumb down) tap top of glass on palm of other hand, turn glass over and set down, pick up glass and place in other hand (bottom in palm), turn glass over and put it down (upside down)

Over, over,

clap, clap, tap on the cup

three times over.

clap, pick up cup, put cup down

Drink what you got to drink and turn the glasses over.

clap, pick up cup (thumb down) tap top of glass on palm of other hand, turn glass over and set down, pick up glass and place in other hand (bottom in palm), turn glass over and put it down (upside down)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "I've Been to Harlem" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

I’ve a Pair of Fishes

Adding the 4th (Fa) to the pentatonic scale.

Description

Grade: First
Origin: Yiddish Folk Song
Key: D Major
Time: 2/4
Form: ABCD
Rhythm: beginners: | ti ti ti ti | ta ta |
Pitches: intermediate: Do Re Mi Fa So La
Intervals: intermediate: Do/Mi, Mi/So, So\Mi, Mi/La, Fa\Re, Do/So (perfect fifth)
Musical Elements: notes: quarter, eighth; repeat sign, mastering the tonic intervals, introducing the perfect fifth
Key Words: Yiddish, Hebrew, Jewish folk song, fishes, pair, dishes, wonder, quite, puppies, guppies, foxes, parrots, carrots, snakes, cakes, bunnies, funnies, squirrels, goats, boats

**“I’ve a Pair of Fishes”**

		1.	I’ve a pair of fishes, fishes, They are washing dishes, dishes. This is indeed a wonder, See the fishes washing dishes. This is quite a wonder. This is quite a wonder.

		2.	I’ve a pair of puppies, puppies, They are raising guppies, guppies. This is indeed a wonder. See the puppies raising guppies. See the fishes washing dishes. This is quite a wonder. This is quite a wonder.

		3.	I’ve a pair of foxes, foxes, They are building boxes, boxes, This is indeed a wonder. See the foxes building boxes. See the puppies raising guppies. See the fishes washing dishes. This is quite a wonder. This is quite a wonder.

		4.	I’ve a pair of parrots, parrots, They are eating carrots, carrots, This is indeed a wonder. See the parrots eating carrots. See the foxes building boxes. See the puppies raising guppies. See the fishes washing dishes. This is quite a wonder. This is quite a wonder.

		5.	I’ve a pair of snakes, snakes, They are baking cakes, cakes, This is indeed a wonder. See the snakes baking cakes. See the parrots eating carrots. See the foxes building boxes. See the puppies raising guppies. See the fishes washing dishes. This is quite a wonder. This is quite a wonder.

		6.	I’ve a pair of bunnies, bunnies, They are reading funnies, funnies, This is indeed a wonder. See the bunnies reading funnies. See the snakes baking cakes. See the parrots eating carrots. See the foxes building boxes. See the puppies raising guppies. See the fishes washing dishes. This is quite a wonder. This is quite a wonder.

		7.	I’ve a pair of squirrels, squirrels, They are kissing girls, girls This is indeed a wonder. See the squirrels kissing girls. See the bunnies reading funnies. See the snakes baking cakes. See the parrots eating carrots. See the foxes building boxes. See the puppies raising guppies. See the fishes washing dishes. This is quite a wonder. This is quite a wonder.

		8.	I’ve a pair of goats, goats, They are riding boats, boats, This is indeed a wonder. See the goats riding goats. See the squirrels kissing girls. See the bunnies reading funnies. See the snakes baking cakes. See the parrots eating carrots. See the foxes building boxes. See the puppies raising guppies. See the fishes washing dishes. This is quite a wonder. This is quite a wonder.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Down by the Bay" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring

Mastering the Orff interval So\Mi with diminution.

Description

Grade: First
Origin: American, US Traditional
Key: C Major
Time: 4/4
Form: Aa (matches the diminution, larger to smaller note values)
Rhythm: intermediate: | ta ti ti ta ti ti | ta ti ti ta |
ti ti ti ti ri ti ti ti ti ri | ti ri ti ti ti ri ta ti |
Pitches: beginners: Mi So La
Intervals: beginners: So\Mi, Mi/La, Mi/So
Musical Elements: notes: quarter, eighth, sixteenth; pickup beat, diminution: the motif’s note values are shortened
Key Words: nursery rhyme, raining, pouring, snoring, bumped, morning, contraction: couldn’t (could not)
Recorder: beginners: one of the color coded Beginning Recorder Tunes
Keyboard: beginners: excellent three finger exercise for left, right and two hands together

**“It’s Raining, It’s Pouring”**
It’s raining; it’s pouring. The old man is snoring. Went to bed and he bumped his head, And he couldn’t get up in the morning.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "It's Raining, It's Pouring" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

Beginners syncopation, two accidentals: natural and sharp,
and a mediant octave skip.

Description

Grade: Fifth
Origin: USA – Christmas Carol, words: Edmond Sears, 1849, music: Richard Willis, 1861
Key: B Flat Major
Time: 3/4
Form: ABCB
Rhythm: beginners: | ta ti ti ti ti | ta ti ta ti | syncopation, | ti ti ti ti ti ti | ta/a ti | syncopation
Pitches: intermediate: Mi Fe So Si La Ti Do Re Mi – accidentals: natural/lowered subdominant (Fe), raised/sharp dominant (Si)
Intervals: intermediate: m2: Si/La; M2: Mi/Fe, Fe/Si; m3: Ti/R; M3: Do/Mi8; P4: Mi\Ti, So/D;
P5: Re\So; M6: So/Mi; P8: Mi\Mi (mediant octaveskip)
Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; pickup beat, ties notes, mediant octave skip, melodic rhythm patterns, accidentals: natural, sharp
Key Words: USA history, sacred, Christmas carol, Christmas hymn, midnight, glorious, Heaven, gracious, solemn, stillness, angels, cloven skies, peaceful, unfurled, heavenly, music floats, weary, lowly plains, hovering, Babel sounds, blessed, woes, sin and strife, suffered, beneath, angel-strain, thousand, crushing, whose, toil, climbing, painful, weary, hastening, prophet, bards, foretold, ever-circling, ancient, splendors, fling; abbreviations: o’er (over); possessive: life’s

**“It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”**

	1.	It came upon a midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth, To touch their harps of gold; “Peace on the earth, good will to men, From Heaven’s all gracious King.” The world in solemn stillness lay, To hear the angels sing.
	2.	Still through the cloven skies they come, With peaceful wings unfurled, And still their heavenly music floats O’er all the weary world; Above its sad and lowly plains, They bend on hovering wing, And ever o’er its Babel sounds The blessed angels sing.
	3.	Yet with the woes of sin and strife The world has suffered long; Beneath the angel-strain have rolled Two thousand years of wrong; And man, at war with man, hears not The love-song which they bring; O hush the noise, ye men of strife, And hear the angels sing.
	4.	And ye, beneath life’s crushing load, Whose forms are bending low, Who toil along the climbing way With painful steps and slow, Look now! for glad and golden hours Come swiftly on the wing. O rest beside the weary road, And hear the angels sing!
	5.	For lo!, the days are hastening on, By prophet bards foretold, When with the ever-circling years Comes round the age of gold When peace shall over all the earth Its ancient splendors fling, And the whole world give back the song Which now the angels sing.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names