Apologies for not having posted this for the last few weeks – I have been quite busy recently and forgot about it :(… Two songs for young beginners this week.
Traditional English – I Had a Little Nut Tree
[ABRSM 1(A); Trad. Song]
A gentle tune which would suit a young singer. The simple melody leaves plenty of room to communicate what appear to be sweetly romantic lyrics. This rhyme was allegedly written from the perspective of Henry VIII’s older brother Arthur who was betrothed as a child to the King of Spain’s daughter, Katherine of Aragon [source]. Of course, as with all nursery rhymes, don’t think about the lyrics too hard, or they start to have much more adult connotations. This song could be sung as quite a naughty rhyme, but perhaps that interpretation would be best left in the pub rather than the exam room! [YouTube]
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David/Hoffman/Livingstone – Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo (Cinderella, 1950)
[LCM S1-1; ABRSM 1(C)]
This joyful song from Disney’s Cinderella is sung by the Fairy Godmother as she uses her magical powers to change Cinderella from lowly maid to dazzling soon-to-be-princess. It’s quite fast, so watch that all the words are crisp and accurate before adding movement to this song that reflects the fun that this character is having while she’s making magic. Remember to sing this song to the startled Cinderella – try to use the upbeat nature of the song to reassure her not to be scared of the magic going on. A cloak would make an easy but effective costume for this song, and something to act as a wand would be a good prop choice. [YouTube]
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