Anna Atkinson

Dr. Gault

F412

19 April 2017

Fais Do Do Analysis

Fais Do Do
Arr. Susan Brumfield, Lyrics: Acadian Lullaby
Background: This piece is based on a Cajun lullaby. The text, Fais Do Do means a house
dance or party as opposed to the term do do meaning go to sleep.

Musical Elements of the Piece:

-Meter:
-Form: ABACA Coda
-Harmonic Analysis: Mainly V chords and I.
-Dynamics: mf, crescendo and decrescendo (x3), mf, decrescendo, mp, mf (bottom parts)
mp (top parts), mf, mp, mp
-Musical phrases: typically 8 bar phrases

Elements Related to Vocal Technique:

-Range:
-Part 1: Octave (D4-D5)
-Part 2: Octave (D4-D5)
-Part 3: Minor Seventh (A3-G4)
-Tessitura:
-Part 1: Fifth (G4-D5)
-Part 2: Fourth (F4-B4)
-Part 3: Sixth (B3-G4)
-Text: French
-Harmony (unison/parts): Unison at beginning, SA split for most of song, SSA split
briefly.
-Accompaniment: Basic, 1-5 motion in Left Hand, chords in Right Hand
-Melodic Elements: Mi Re Do (beginning melody is all mi re do), Sol Fa Mi (Alto
part is mainly sol fa mi)
-Rhythmic Elements: Eighth, Quarter, Half, Dotted Half, Ties

Elements Related to Teaching:

-Difficult sections: m. 22-m.30 (difficult rhythms with harmony and dynamics), m. 46-m.
54 (three part split, but they are all singing a unique part not homophonic), m. 55-m. 70
(three part homophonic split parts 1 and 3 would already be familiar with their parts but
part 2 is new and different)
-Appropriate grade level: I could potentially do the whole piece on melody with 2nd and
3rd grade. I could do the 2-part split with 4th and 5th grade (maybe even up the octave
because its kind of low). I could do the 3-part split with 5th and 6th grade.
-Possible teaching sequence (number of rehearsals, segments): 10 Rehearsals
-Rehearsal 1: Introduce the A section melody to the piece by having the choir read
the rhythm by sight and melody by sight after echoing patterns using Do-Re-Mi.
-Rehearsal 2: Review the A section melody on solfege. Introduce the three part
split in the C section teaching each part one at a time.
-Rehearsal 3: Review the A and C section melodies. Teach the A section Part 2 by
sight after echoing patterns using Mi-Fa-Sol. Teach the B section melody line by
echo speaking the rhythm and having the students read the melody by sight after
echoing patterns using Mi-Fa-Sol-Re.
-Rehearsal 4: Review everything theyve learned so far. Introduce the French text.
-Rehearsal 5: Rehearse the C section melodies individually. Then following
procedures for teaching canons, have the choir sing one part while the teacher
sings the other. Attempt to have a 2 part split by the end of rehearsal.
-Rehearsal 6: Review everything theyve learned so far. Definitely put 2 different
C section melodies together by this point. After, teach the harmony for the B
section.
-Rehearsal 7: Review everything theyve learned, try different combinations of C
sections sung together. Put the A section harmonies together. If time allows put B
section harmonies together.
-Rehearsal 8: Review. If necessary put B section harmonies together. Split choir
into 3 parts and have the students sing all parts together for the C section.
-Rehearsal 9: Review. Teach middle part for A section. Students sing parts 1 and
3 while teacher sings part 2. Split choir into 3 parts and have students sing A
section.
-Rehearsal 10: Review everything, solidify diction and make sure students are
comfortable with the splits.
-Rehearsal 11: Review, make sure parts are comfortable and words are almost
memorized.
-Rehearsal 12: Review, fix any last minute problems, work on memorization.