Music Touches Children Most Of All

Your goal in this tune is emotional impact. Play it for all it's worth.

The song starts with your youngest singers. You could even make this a solo or soli, if you've got bold performers. If you want to add a little security to a class of your youngest singers, let one class higher join them. All of your singers should join in at measure 11 on part 1 only. You will note that the bass and drums begin to keep time at this point on the P/A cassette. Part 2 starts at measure 11 on the D.S.

Three measures before 38, the jump to the CODA includes a molto rallentando and a crescendo which need to be brought out for maximum effect at the key change. (The key of B may be intimidating to some pianists, but your students will not be concerned about it at all.) The tempo at 38 is marked "A Bit Slower" and should be felt as a quasi-grandioso. Don't make it too slow, however, or your young voices won't be able to hold pitches out.

One measure before 38, an optional part 3 is added to the vocal lines. This line can be performed by some of your older students who have comfortable D#'s , or you can make it a solo. Once again, a talented older student, teacher, parent, community figure, etc., could be asked to sing this part. Since the other two parts have been established already, it's okay to bring out part 3 a little more. If you do have it as a solo, you may wish to amplify it. The singer on the P/A cassette provides an excellent example of style, which can be used as a reference.

After the three-part harmony ends, the music gets deliberately gentler and a little slower for the youngest singers to finish the song. For an additional lump-in-the-throat effect, have them point at their respective family members when they say the word "you" in the sentence "Listen to the child in you."

(If you are using the cassette, make sure that it is loud enough for the ritards and a tempos to be clearly heard by the singers. At least make sure you can hear it well so that you can direct them.)

After the young students finish their part, the rest of the singers join in with the words "most of all." You can treat this part anyway you need to. The optimum is as written, with an optional four-part divisi on the last note. It is understood that the youngest singers have probably stopped singing by the time the last note comes in, so the tonic (B) is reiterated in part 2 for security. Again, if you are using the cassette, listen to the cut-off of the ending enough to teach yourself when to cut-off your singers.

One more thought: this may be the time to introduce stagger-breathing to your students. Since the song is so sustained, the last thing you want is large gaps where everyone takes entire beats or more to breathe. Decide ahead of time where the "ensemble breaths" will be taken, and then teach them to stagger their breaths everywhere else so the flow is not broken.