7369 old music 2402 - KET

Program 3
John
McCutcheon
Instruments:
hammer dulcimer, banjo
The Hours After
I learned to play the hammer dulcimer by ear, transferring music from fiddles
and harps. After playing a few years on my own, I began to meet older musicians
who had grown up with the instrument and who were generous and enthusiastic
teachers. This is an original composition employing both the loud and quiet tones
of the dulcimer as well as the newly invented damper system that Sam Rizzetta
built for my instrument.
The Rainstorm
This is an easy exercise in polyrhythms (“many rhythms”). By making many
different sounds with our hands, we can discover that pitch and rhythm are parts
of all sounds, not just the sounds made by more familiar musical instruments.
Another way to demonstrate this idea is to have different groups of people say
different words at the same time (for example: “watermelon,” “dill pickles,” and “Oh,
no, you don’t!”), paying attention to the natural accents on the different words and
the rise and fall of the voices. It also shows the importance of following the lead of
a musical director and of paying attention to the sound of the whole “orchestra.”
No More Pie
(Traditional; new words and variations by John McCutcheon)
This is an example of body and vocal coordination as well as listening/imitating
skills. Vocal inflections, speech melody, rhythmic variations, and word play prove
that complex rhythms are not as hard as they seem and that working collectively
can be fun. Variants of this call-and-response song can include children
contributing their own favorite “pies,” fitting into the rhythmic structure established
and/or taking the lead in creating variations that everyone else must imitate. Group
and individual skills, including leadership, are a focus.
Oh my, no more pie.
Pie’s too sweet, I want a piece of meat.
Meat’s too red, I want a piece of bread.
The bread’s too brown, so I gotta go to town.
The town’s too far, and I don’t drive a car.
But I won’t make a fuss, I’ll just hop on the bus.
I finally got to town, where I met baker Brown.
He said, “Oh my, there’s no more pie.
“No chocolate pie,
“No strawberry pie,
“No banana creme pie,
“No mincemeat pie,
“No apple pie,
“No pecan pie,
“No butterscotch pie,
“No kitty litter pie!”
Oh my, no more pie.
KET, The Kentucky Network 17