Tyrannosaurus Rex!

Of all the dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus Rex is probably the most well-known. Anything of that size with that many pointy teeth would be absolutely terrifying to encounter! Perhaps our common perceptions of them are wrong and they were actually quite pleasant, docile creatures... but most likely not. We think it's safe to say these dinos were perpetually irritable and outright grumpy – always stompin' around, lookin' to cause trouble, and roaring just because.

The music for "Tyrannosaurus Rex!" starts out subdued – a prehistoric forest setting fades in with the sounds of insects and distant birds. But the mood is quickly and rudely interrupted by an approaching Tyrannosaurus Rex! All the animals scatter, and now our cranky dino friend is recklessly tromping around, occasionally expressing his feelings with growls and roars. Eventually he wanders off to go frighten some other area of the forest, and the birds and insects return. Whew! Close call.

The recorder part is for beginners and uses only the notes B and A. Rhythms are straightforward with nothing shorter than a quarter note, and no syncopations. The tempo is moderate. The simpler recorder part primes your players for a more successful performance, but the intensity of the accompaniment keeps things exciting! Please note, the accompaniment instruments have whole notes in measures 1-3. A steady pulse in the percussion (half note cymbal taps) begins with the recorders at measure 4. Careful counting will help. If it's difficult to know when to begin, conduct/cue the recorders for their entrance, or, recorders also have the option to start playing in measure 6, where the pulse is more established. Once you get to know the piece, the measure 4 entrance will get easier.

If you'd like to follow along with the score, a PDF is available online. Also, for ease in duplication, we are providing a PDF of the recorder part. Plus we have an accompaniment version that does not include the dinosaur roars.