Month of Maying
The Month of Maying is an old madrigal, originally written for five parts. I arranged this version for two parts for a childrens choir.
Sir Eglamore is another madrigal about a brave knight who slays the dragon. This one was especially popular with the boys.
This is a classic round that has been around for a long time. There are several versions available, the most common difference being whether the “greenwood” or “redwood” tree is to be used. This round is known by many as the turtle-trio cartoon which aired on Sesame Street.
Oh how lovely
This song is often sung by childrens choirs and accompanied by chimes or hand-bells.
This is a good campfire song. The words are simple and repetitive, which makes it easy to learn.
The Instrument Song
This is a fun Austrian folk song that I first heard when it was featured on “You’ve Got Mail”. I was enchanted by the idea of having a group of people sing several different parts to make an orchestra.
There are countless arrangements of this song, especially since all of the English versions are translations. I chose the versions I liked the best and arranged it in large font for a family reunion so I could pass out the different pages to individual groups.
I have since used it for a childrens’ choir I conducted. Some of the parts are easier than others for children to learn. The Violins is the longest, and the melody is much more complex than the others, so I had my older students sing this part. The Trumpet is also tricky because it is the only part with sixteenth notes, but it was a challenge that most of the children were eager to try, especially the boys. The other three parts are relatively simple.