Star Spangled Banner

Extended range, four and five note ascending and descending tonic arpeggios, including an ascending minor tenth, Do/Mi8, and, a sharp subdominant (Fi) becoming a leading tone to the dominant.

Description

Grade: Fifth
Origin: England – music: John Stafford Smith – 1777
USA – words: Francis Scott Key – 1814
Key: C Major
Time: 3/4
Form: AABC
Rhythm: beginners: | ta ta ta | ta/a ti ti |
| ta\ ti ta | syncopation, | ta ti ti ti ti | ta ta ti ti |
Pitches: advanced: Do Mi Fi So La Ti Do Re Mi Fa So – raised subdominant (4, Fi) functions as a leading tone to the dominant (5, So), extended range
Intervals: advanced: Do8\So\Mi\Do descending tonic arpeggio (I, C), Do/Mi/So/Do8/Mi8 ascending tonic arpeggio (I, C), Do\Mi (m6), Mi/Fi (M2), Do/So (P5), So/Mi8 (P4), Do/Mi8 (m10), La/Re (P4), Re/Fa (m3), So8\Do (P5) Fa\Re (m3)
Musical Elements: notes: half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; pickup beat, vocal slur, repeated melodic rhythm patterns, extended range, syncopation, four and five note tonic arpeggios, minor tenth (Do/Mi8), sharp subdominant (4, Fi)
Key Words: USA history, War of 1812, USA patriotic song, National Anthem of the United States of America, Fort McHenry, Francis Scott Key’s “Defense of Fort McHenry“, world geography: London, England: Anacreontic Society: an gentlemen’s social club for amateur musicians in London, John Stafford Smith’s, “To Anacreon in Heaven”; proudly, hailed, gleaming, whose, perilous, ramparts (mounds of dirt), gallantly, streaming, glare, bombs, bursting, proof, dimly, free, brave, haughty, dread, reposes, towering, steep, fitfully, conceals, half discloses, gleam, glory reflected, freeman, between, peace, rescued, praise, power, preserved, nation, conquer, just cause, “In God is our trust”, triumph; abbreviations: thro’ (through) o’er (over), vict’ry (victory), Heav’n (Heaven), pow’r (power); possessives: dawn’s, twilight’s, rockets’, foe’s, morning’s, war’s

The Star-Spangled Banner Flag or the Great Garrison Flag (at the time having 15 stars and 15 strips) was the garrison flag that flew over Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor during the naval portion of the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812. Seeing the flag during the battle inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem “Defence of Fort McHenry“, later retitled with the flag’s name: “Star Spangled Banner” and set to the tune: “To Anacreon in Heaven“, by John Stafford Smith. It became the National Anthem of the United States in 1941.

**“Star Spangled Banner”**

	1.	Oh say can you see by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming. And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there; Oh say does that star-spangled banner yet wave, O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?

	2.	On the shore dimly seen thro’ the mists of the deep, Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze o’er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam, In full glory reflected now shines in the stream: ‘Tis the star-spangled banner, Oh! long may it wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

	3.	Oh thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand Between their loved home and the war’s desolation. Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the Heav’n rescued land Praise the pow’r that has made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.” And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Star Spangled Banner," Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Star Light, Star Bright

Introducing the submediant (sixth, La)
to the beginning Orff interval So\Mi.

Description

Grade: Kindergarten
Origin: England – Nursery Rhyme
Key: C Major
Time: 2/4
Form: ABCD – variations on line one – So\Mi
Rhythm: beginners: | ta ta | ta ti ti | ti ti ta |
| ti ti ti ti |
Pitches: beginners: Mi So La
Intervals: beginners: So\Mi, Mi/So, Mi/La
Musical Elements: notes: quarter, eighth; running eighth notes, beginning Orff interval So\Mi, introducing the submediant (sixth, La)
Key Words: world geography: England; evening prayer, wishing, star, light, bright, night, might, may, tonight
Recorder: beginners: second tune in the color codedbeginning recorder songs for upper grades
Keyboard: beginners: three finger exercise for right, left, and two hands together

Star light, star bright,
The first star I see tonight;
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Star Light Star Bright" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Stand the Storm

Syncopation, limited range, intervals at entry level
for grade level and a solo/leader section.

Description

Grade: Fifth
Origin: USA – African American Spiritual
Key: F Major
Time: 2/4
Form: ABA – refrain/verse/refrain
Rhythm: beginners: | ti/ ri ti/ ri | syncopation,
| ta/a | ta ta | ti ta ti | syncopation
Pitches: beginners: Do Re Mi Fa So Ti
Intervals: beginners: So\Mi (m3), So/Ti\So (M3), Mi/So (m3), So\Do (P5), Do/Mi (M3)
Musical Elements: notes: half, quarter, dotted eighth, eighth, sixteenth; pickup beat, D.C. al Fine, Fine, two double barlines, syncopation, refrain/verse/refrain, solo section, group section
Key Words: USA history; African American history, civil rights movement, sacred, Bible stories: pearly gates, Saint Peter, Kingdom of God; metaphor: storm/struggle, anchor, ocean, ship, bye and bye; contraction: we’ll (we will), she’s (she is), won’t (willl not); abbreviation: goin’ (going)
Recorder: intermediate: syncopation, lower register practice

“Stand the Storm”

Leader

Group

Refrain

O stand the storm, it won’t take long,
We’ll anchor bye and bye,
Stand the storm, it won’t take long,
We’ll anchor bye and bye.

1.

Our ship is on the ocean,

We’ll anchor bye and bye.

Our ship is on the ocean,

We’ll anchor bye and bye.

Refrain

2.

She’s making for the kingdom,

We’ll anchor bye and bye.

She’s making for the kingdom,

We’ll anchor bye and bye.

Refrain

3.

We see the “Pearly Gates,”

We’ll anchor bye and bye.

We see the “Pearly Gates,”

We’ll anchor bye and bye.

Refrain

4.

We’re goin’ to meet Saint Peter,

We’ll anchor bye and bye.

We’re goin’ to meet Saint Peter,

We’ll anchor bye and bye.

Refrain

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Stand the Storm," Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Sourwood Mountain

Extending the vocal range with the pentatonic scale.

Description

Grade: Third
Origin: USA, New England, Appalachia – Traditional
Key: E flat Major
Time: C – common time (4/4)
Form: rhythm ABAB – pitches: ABCD – song AB
Rhythm: beginners: | ta ti ti ti ti ta | ta ta ta ta |
| ta/a ta/a | ti ti ta ta/a |
Pitches: intermediate: So La Do Re Mi So La Do – pentatonic scale
Intervals: intermediate: Do8\So\Mi descending tonic arpeggio, Mi/So, Do\La, So/Do, Do/La
Musical Elements: notes: half, quarter, eighth, common time (4/4), tonic arpeggio, extending the vocal range
Key Words: USA geography, New England, Appalachia, courting song, chickens, nonsense phrase/words, pretty, count, darling, daisy, crazy, swimming, across, river, winter, shiver, river, step; colloquial words: holler (down in the valley), foller (follow); contractions: can’t (cannot), I’ll (I will), won’t (will not); abbreviations: a-crowin’ (a crowing), ’em (them)

**“Sourwood Mountain”**

		1.	Chickens a-crowin’ on Sourwood Mountain, Hey, hey, diddle um day. So many pretty girls, I can’t count ’em, Hey, hey, diddle um day.
		2.	I call my darling a blue-eyed daisy, Hey, hey, diddle um day. If she won’t have me, I’ll go crazy, Hey, hey, diddle um day.
		3.	My true love lives at the head of the holler, Hey, hey, diddle um day. She won’t come and I won’t foller, Hey, hey, diddle um day.
		4.	Ducks go a-swimming across the river, Hey, hey, diddle um day. And in the winter, we sure do shiver, Hey, hey, diddle um day.
		5.	My true love lives over the river, Hey, hey, diddle um day. A few more steps and I’ll be with her, Hey, hey, diddle um day.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Sourwood Mountain" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Somebody’s Knocking at Your Door

Syncopation on the second half of the first and second beat
(& of 1, & of 2), extended pentatonic range, and a tonic arpeggio.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – African American Spiritual
Key: E flat Major
Time: 2/4
Form: ABCA
Rhythm: intermediate: | ti ta ti | syncopation (x6),
| ti ti ti ti | ta/a | ta/ ti | syncopation, | ti ta/ | syncopation,
Pitches: intermediate: La Do Re Mi So La Do – pentatonic scale, extended range
Intervals: intermediate: Do/Mi (M3), Do\La/Do (m3), Do/So (P5), So/Do8 (P4), Do8\La8 (m3), So\Mi\Do descending tonic (I) arpeggio (Eb), So\Mi/So (m3)
Musical Elements: notes: half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth, repeat signs, vocal solo, D.C. al Fine, Fine
Key Words: USA history, African American history, spiritual, sacred, Jesus, sinner, knocking, answer; contractions: somebody’s (somebody is), can’t (cannot)

**“Somebody’s Knocking at Your Door”**

			Refrain
			Somebody’s knocking on at your door. Somebody’s knocking on at your door. O sinner, why don’t you answer? Somebody’s knocking on at your door.
		1.	Knocks like Jesus! Somebody’s knocking on at your door. Knocks like Jesus! Somebody’s knocking on at your door. O sinner, why don’t you answer? Somebody’s knocking on at your door.
		2.	Can’t you hear him? Somebody’s knocking on at your door. Can’t you hear him? Somebody’s knocking on at your door. O sinner, why don’t you answer? Somebody’s knocking on at your door.
		3.	Answer Jesus! Somebody’s knocking on at your door. Answer Jesus! Somebody’s knocking on at your door. O sinner, why don’t you answer? Somebody’s knocking on at your door.
		4.	Someone’s knocking. Somebody’s knocking on at your door. Someone’s knocking. Somebody’s knocking on at your door. O sinner, why don’t you answer? Somebody’s knocking on at your door.
			Refrain

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Somebody's Knocking at Your Door," Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Softly, Softly Blows the Wind

“Songs of a Little Child’s Day”
When the Wind Blows

Adding the 4th (Fa) to the pentatonic scale while introducing the quarter followed by an eighth pattern in 6/8 time.

Description

Grade: First
Origin: Emilie Poulsson, Eleanor Smith
Key: F Major
Time: 6/8
Form: ABaC – (question/answer)
Rhythm: intermediate: | ta ti ta ti | ta/_ti (ti ti) |
Pitches: intermediate: Do Re Mi Fa So La – adding Fa to the pentatonic scale
Intervals: intermediate: So\Mi, Mi\Do, Do/Mi, Mi/So, ascending tonic arpeggio Do/Mi/So, Fa\Re
Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; rest: eighth; repeat signs, dynamics: piano/soft, crescendo, decrescendo; tempo: andante cantabile/singing walk
Key Words: earth science, wind, blows, gently rocks, nest, downy, birds, while, softly, sings, rocking nest, joy, wings

**“Softly, Softly Blows the Wind”**

		1.	Softly, softly blows the wind, And gently rocks the nest Where the downy baby birds Are taking happy rest.

		2.	While the wind so softly blows, “Oh baby birds,” it sings: “Now for you the rocking nest, But soon the joy of wings!”

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Softly, Softly Blows the Wind" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Springfield Mountain

Syncopation for beginners, less than an octave in range,
with an advanced minor seventh interval So/Fa.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – Folk Ballad, circa. early 1800’s
Key: G Major
Time: 3/4
Form: staves: ABAb – song: AB, verse/refrain
Rhythm: beginners: | ta ta ti ti | ta/ ti ti ti | syncopation, | ti ti ti ti ti ti |
Pitches: beginners: So La Ti Do Re Mi Fa
Intervals: advanced: So/Do/Mi ascending tonic (I) arpeggio (G), Mi\So (M6), Ti/Re (m3), So/Fa (m7), Do\So/Do (P4), Re\So (P5)
Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; pickup beats, syncopation, tonic arpeggio, vocal slurs
Key Words: USA history, USA geography: Wilbraham, Massachusetts (songs origins), Timothy Merrick 1761 (subject of song), dwell (live), handsome, youth, Monday morning, meadow, mow grass, cutting grass, mowed, half, field, pesky, sarpent (serpent), heel, took, scythe*, bit, blow, rattlesnake, laid

*scythe: a tool used for cutting crops such as grass or wheat, with a long curved blade at the end of a long pole attached to which are one or two short handles.

**“Springfield Mountain”**

		1.	On Springfield Mountain there did dwell A handsome youth: I knew him well.
			Refrain:
			Too loo-re-lay, too loo-re-lay, Too loo-re-lay, too loo-re-loo.
		2.	One Monday morning he did go Down in the meadow for to mow.
			Refrain
		3.	When he had mowed but half the field, A pesky sarpent bit his heel.
			Refrain
		4.	He took the scythe and with a blow, He laid the pesky sarpent low.
			Refrain

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Springfield Mountain," Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Snaked Baked a Hoecake

"Snake Baked a Hoecake" Lyrics, Text Format

Introducing the descending and ascending intervals Do\La, La/Do.

Description

Grade: First
Origin: Virginia, USA – Folk Song
Key: G Major
Time: 4/4
Form: ABCD
Rhythm: beginners: | ta ti ti ta ti ti | ta ta ti ti ta |
| ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti | ti ti ti ti ti ti ta |
Pitches: beginners: So La Do Re Mi – pentatonic scale
Intervals: beginners: Do\La, Do/La, Mi\Do
Musical Elements: notes: quarter, eighth; introducing the intervals Do\La and La/Do, tune sounds minor by ending phrase on the 6th (La)
Key Words: hoecake (thin bread made of corn meal cooked on a hoe, over an open campfire – much like a pancake), frog, nodding, lizard, stole, fetch, long-tailed, nanny

**“Snaked Baked a Hoecake”**
Snake baked a hoecake and set a frog to watch it, And the frog got a nodding and a lizard came and stole it. Fetch back my hoecake, you long-tailed nanny, you, Fetch back my hoecake, you long-tailed nanny, you.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Snake Baked a Hoecake" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Smithfield Mountain

Introducing a minor tonality, the minor third La/Do,
and the perfect fourth So/Do.

Description

Grade: Kindergarten
Origin: USA – Traditional
Key: A minor (pitched in C Major)
Time: 3/4
Form: AB
Rhythm: beginners: | ti ti ta ta | ti ti ti ti ti ti |
| ta/a a |
Pitches: beginners: So La Ti Do
Intervals: beginners: La/Do, So/Do
Musical Elements: notes: half, quarter, eighth; pickup beat, ascending minor third (La/Do), ascending perfect fourth (So/Do), minor tonality: were La of the major scale is the home pitch
Key Words: USA mountain song; dwell, handsome, Monday, meadow, mow, scarce, mowed, across, poison, serpent, heel, great, bit; contraction: don’t (do not); abbreviation: mornin’ (mourning)
Keyboard: beginners: four finger exercise for the right, left, and two hands together

**“Smithfield Mountain”**

	1.	On Smithfield Mountain there did dwell, A handsome youth I knew full well-ell-ell-ell-ell. Ri-tu-ri-lu-ri-la.

	2.	One Monday mornin’ he did go, Out to the meadow for to mow-ow-ow-ow-ow. Ri-tu-ri-lu-ri-la.

	3.	Scarce had he mowed across the field, A poison serpent bit his heel-eel-eel-eel-eel. Ri-tu-ri-lu-ri-la.

	4.	“Oh Mary Ann, oh, don’t you see, A great big serpent done bit me-me-me-me-me.” Ri-tu-ri-lu-ri-la.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Smithfield Mountain" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

The Slow Little Snail

“Songs of a Little Child’s Day”
In the Garden

Introducing dotted quarters, representing a slower pace, and the raised 5th (Si), while extending the vocal range.

Description

Grade: First
Origin: Emilie Poulsson, Eleanor Smith
Key: F Major
Time: 4/4
Form: ABCD
Rhythm: intermediate: | ta ta ta ta | ta/ ti ta/ ti |
| ta/ ti ta ta |
Pitches: advanced: So La Ti Do Re Mi Fa So Si La
Intervals: advanced: descending dominate octave skip So\So, Fa\Ti, Do\So
Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; repeat signs, 1st and 2nd endings, stepping up the staff from So to So, then So to La including Si; tempo: slowly, heavily; horizontal accent mark (sing/play note a little louder/stronger)
Key Words: animal science, gardening, snail, cosily, dwell, pretty, rounded, shell, slowpoke, pace, crawls, place, house, lack, back, perhaps, traveling

**“The Slow Little Snail”**

		1.	The snail all cosily may dwell Within his pretty, rounded shell. But Oh! the slowpoke, snaily pace At which he crawls from place to place.

		2.	A house he never means to lack, So takes it with him on his back. If we did that, perhaps we’d be As slow in traveling as he.

		Formats include questions for increased understanding: Does the melody have more skips or more steps? Where is the largest skip? Which measures have the same rhythm pattern ? Which measures have the same beat divisions?

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "The Slow Little Snail" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names