XI

Title: Pat-a-Pan

Two-part Voices with flute and keyboard accompaniment

Composer: anon. Burgundian Carol. Arr. Mary Goetze, The Owl Sings, 22 Folksongs

for 2/3 Voices, Ed. Susan Taylor Howell

Text: anon. English

Publisher: OAKE, Fargo, N.D. 1991

Background Information: From: http://www.hymns-and-carolsofchristmas.com: William Studwell writes in The

Christmas Reader, “Burgundy…is a historical region in eastern France which at one time

was extremely powerful. Burgundy is one of France’s prime areas for the development of

carols. Much of the carol activity came from the pen of Bernard de la Monnaye c.1641-

1728. All of Monnaye’s carols, written c.1700 are set to tunes which are probably from

the folk resources of Burgundy but may have been composed by Monnaye.”

From :http://newsinfo.iu.edu/sb/page/normal//107.html: Professor Mary Goetze is

Chairperson of the Department of General Studies at Indiana Unversity. She holds a

doctorate degree from the University of Colorado. A conductor, arranger and composer,

she is an international clinician in music education. She is a founder and former

conductor of the I.U. Children’s Chorus and presently conducts the International Vocal

Ensemble. She was the coordinating author of “Share the Music,” McMillan McGraw-

Hill Publishing, 1995

Recording: A Festival of Carols, Robert Shaw Chorale, Robert Shaw, Conductor, RCA

Victor, CD #6429 (1990)

Musical Elements:

Meter: 2/4

Form: Strophic: Intro, ABB1 repeat, interlude, descant is added to ABB1

Tonality: g minor

Phrasing and Harmony: Marked in the score

Dynamics: mp, mf, f

Vocal Technique Elements:

Range: d – d1

Tessitura: g- d1

Pitch set: Melody – g la: M1 Si1 L1 T1 D R M F S

Rhythm: !, ç, ", ß

Harmony: Voice I descant harmony part, with flute and keyboard also providing

traditional harmonic function.

Text: Anon. Christmas text

Elements Related to Teaching:

Appropriate Grade Level: 3rd – middle school treble choir

Difficult Sections: Diction and descant

Possible Teaching sequence:

Objective: To perform Pat-a-Pan in a light Renaissance style, emphasizing the

text.

Warm-up activities: use rhythmic and melodic motives in warm-up

Motivation: Give examples of known songs that imitate sounds, i.e. bells:din-din-

don, bird calls:cu-koo.Have students listen for the sounds of the flute and drum

while listening to teacher or recording.

Procedure: Voice I: Read rhythm of A using rhythm syllables. Students sight-sing

A melody using sol-fa. (Teacher sings B with words.) Perform A on a neutral

syllable.(Teacher sings B using words) Add words to A melody. (Teacher sings B

using words.) Ask students to sing B with words. When secure teacher adds Voice

II. Identify where Voice II imitates Voice I, where two voices sing in unison,

where voices sing in thirds/sixths, and scale passage. After students locate in

score, teacher sings. Read part II from overhead in sol-fa, neutral syllables and

then with words. When voice II is secure teacher sings Voice I and then switch.

Divide class and perform. Use the 2-part version as a coda after singing all the

verses of the ballad.Use for soloists on the verses.

Allow 4-6 15-minute rehearsals to learn.