Countdown

M.C. Handel decided to focus on rhythm and counting for your recorder players this time with a beat intensive hip-hop groove. As always, the recorder part is well within the capabilities of learning performers, using notes and rhythms they are probably acquainted with by now.

That Familiar B-A-G

The players need not worry about playing anything more than B, A, and G throughout, leaving them plenty of time to focus on counting and analyzing rhythms. Even then, they won't find anything more difficult than eighth notes, which will allow them to feel a sense of rhythmic accomplishment at the end.

Not Just Another Pretty Recorder Piece

There is an optional hand clapping part included in this tune, which is indicated on the reproducible part on page 51. Use this part to challenge students who are not playing the recorder, or to alternate the focus of the lesson. This part is mostly simple, but will keep even your older students on their toes once it gets into the more busy section at measure 21. If you feel that the clapping gets too difficult, feel free to adapt the rhythms accordingly. In fact, let your students write and perform their own rhythms. This could be done as a group activity or individually.

To assist your students in reading the parts, you will see that we have indicated which line of each system is for the recorder (R) and which is for the hand clapping (C). Teach them to follow the R or the C in the left margins as they go from line to line. This is an excellent way to show them how to read their own part in a system that includes more than one part and to reinforce the learning later on. Let them highlight their lines or otherwise mark the indicators in the left margin with a colored pen or pencil to help them learn as they go.