Once There Was a Princess
Lesson Book page 61
- Quarter rest in a more challenging context
- Steps and skips using C five-finger scale notes
what's new
- Releasing the keys on all the quarter rests
- Finger coordination on all the skips
what's important
let's get started
- I'll play the piece while you point to the notes and rests. Can you catch all the rests? Can you hear all the rests?
- Let's chant the words and tap. (Put the lid down.) Make loose fists for all the rests.
- Let's circle all the skips, then check out which fingers play them. (1-3, 2-4, and 3-5.)
- Play and keep "tuned in" so you hear silence on each rest.
- (Play the duet.) The princess sings while she moves through her castle, then gently puts her hands back in her lap when she sits down at the end.
A rest means silence.
explore and create
The Princess Is Tired
Play her music slowly. Feel each royal rest!The Princess Runs
Play her music quickly, but don't forget the rests! Now have her run to the neighboring castle and play in G.Your Own Royal Melody
Let's experiment with your own royal C scale melody that uses skips with fingers 1-3, 2-4, and 3-5. I'll play a duet. You create a melody that skips. (See video and download duet)Once There Was a Monster
Let's change the piece to "Once There Was a Monster". Would the monster hop lightly or stomp around? Take him also to the land of G. (See video and download duet)
Observing rests at different tempos requires careful attention.
partner pages
Technique & Artistry
p. 31 What the Queen Told the King
- For this finger exercise, different skipping combinations (fingers 1-3, 2-4, 3-5) are punctuated by quarter rests.
- The quarter rests gives one beat to prepare the next finger grouping.
- Keep the conversation between the Queen and King slow until each finger knows the way!
Theory
p. 46 The Quarter Rest
- Sightread with the quarter rest in 3/4 and 4/4 time for Eye-Training.
- Listen for moments of silence and choose the example played in the Ear-Training.
Performance
pp. 30-31 Rainy Day
- Fingers 1 and 3 skip together in parallel motion to begin three out of the four phrases.
- At measure 9, use the rest to lift your hand to the next higher C.
pedagogy pointers
The quarter rest was introduced on the preceding page, and here the quarter rest highlights the moments of silence after "princess" and "castle". Make sure the key is released, not held as a half note. The student must be alert. "Princess" and "castle" are punctuated by rests, but in one spot the rhythm to these words changes to half notes.
The melody has many skips. Checking and drilling these in advance will prepare the student for the coordination required to read and play the piece smoothly.
accompaniments on disk
- CD Tracks 86-87
- MIDI File 43