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 L

1 T

1 D R M F S

Soprano II: M1

F1 S

1 L

1 T

1 D R M Alto: D1

R1

M1

F1 S

1 L

1 T

1 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 3-

parts 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.