Michael Dennis Browne the Road Home

Text

Written By: Michael Dennis Browne

Desire for Simplicity

Achieved through noncomplex poetry

Poetry is very straight forward and easilyunderstood. Allow class to come to agroup understanding before speaking

More Universally relatable

Original Text

Inspiration

Coming home from a longjourney/Returning home/ProdigalSon/Soldier

Activity: Since this concept is a familiar oneacross many different cultures, open up theclass to discussion about what this songmeans to them.

Personal connections

Cultural

Family

Activity: Allow students to share stories orother texts related to subject of the song.

Verse 1

Tell me where is the road I can call my own,That I left that I lost so long ago. All theseyears I have wandered, oh when will I know.There's a way, there's a road, that can leadme home.

Verse 2

After wind after way when the dark is done,as I wake from a dream in the gold of day.Through the air there's a calling from faraway. There's a way, there's a road, that canlead me home.

Verse 3

Rise up, Follow me, Come away is the call,with love in your heart as the only song.There is no such beauty as where youbelong. Rise up, Follow me, I will lead youhome.

Language: English

Exercises:

Emphasized "Wh" on each occurance insong.

Where, Whay, Whind, Etc...

Heavy Shadow consonants

On word "ownA"

Teach different types of shadow vowelsand how to mark in music.

Exercise: When the choir isn't givingenough shadow vowels, ask them whattype of shadow vowel they want to put onthe word. Urge them to do it each time.

No rolled "r's"

Demonstrate: Difference between two. NotBritish English

English Vowels

Structure

Strophic

Prelude

Verse 1

Interlude

Verse 2

Interlude

Verse 3

Postlude

Teach:

Ask: "How is this song laid out?" Whatcould that mean? How could it relate tothe text?"

Feeling of "Coming Home" comefrom repetition of the interlude/intro.

Explain what strophic means in music

Activity: Ask class what other strophicsongs they know.

Repeated Material

Verse 1 repeats to Verse 2

Interludes and Prelude are identical

Teach:

Ask: Are any of these the same?

Ask: How are they the same? How are theydifferent?

Activity: "How could we make each verseunique?"

Repeating the same thing 3 times inboring

Come up with a different theme word foreach section.

Dynamics, Text stress, musical alterations,etc...

Melody

In the Soprano Voice

Activity: "Do you hear the melody?"

Point to the section singing the melody

Sing soprano line as class

Ask: How can you as a singer help themelody be heard?

Sing quieter

Listen

Blend

Switches to solo during 3rd verse

Do a similar listening activity as above withthe whole choir including sopranos,listening for soloist melody.

Based on Pentatonic Scale

Teach:

Demonstrate: Sing F major scale. Then singF Pentatonic

"How many notes did you hear on thesecond scale?"

"Does anyone know what this scalecould be called?

Teach Solfege hand symbols

Sing: Basic warm ups while using handsymbols.

Solfege the soprano melody while singingit as a choir.

Rhythm

Meter Changes

2 meters

3/4

Most of the song is in this meter

Sing: Through one verse of the song onsing counting to feel the motion of thetriple meter

Common meter in folk melodies

Ask: "Do you know any other songs thathave a similar rhythmic feeling? Howdoes it make you feel?"

4/4

Only happens for one measure at a time

Sing: Opening "Home" Motif section onsing counting, switching from 3/4 to 4/4.

Teach:

Meter Changes

Demonstrate patterns for 3/4 and 4/4

Activity: Class conducts themselves whilesinging. and looking at each other.

Creates a student interpretation of thefeeling of movement through the piece.

Activity: Watch teacher conduct differentcombinations of 3/4 and 4/4 measures andcount with the beat.

Texture

Polyphonic

Occurs during:

Prelude

Interlude

Postlude

Verses

Ask: Which parts of this do you think arepolyphony? what makes it sound like that?

Teach:

Activity: Have student sing knownmelody, then sing with them onembellished rhythm

Explain that this is Polyphony

Homophonic

Teach:

Activity: Have student sing a known song,then sing with them

Explain that that is homophony

Breathing

Unison

Teach:

"Breath together, Sing together"

Activity: Audiate parts in head and watchconductor, breathing audibly at markings.

Ask: "What points do we breath as a choir inthe song?"

Mark and demonstrate: Breath marksthrough road map, commas as breaths.

Stagger

Teach:

Demonstrate and sing: Sing through nobreath and breath marks (MM. 14, MM.8, Etc.. *Say now sing it like that*

Ask: "Who noticed what I did there? Howdid it sound when I sang it that way?"

4 Bar Phrasing

Ask: "Why might we want to staggerour breaths?"

Logistics

Publication Information

Pub #: SP 370 (SATB)

Company: Paulus Publications

Voicings

SATB (SP 370)

SSAA (SP 370 sa)

TTBB (SP 370 tb)

Instruments needed:

none

Allows for students to control feeling.

Easy for spontaneous performance. Can bevery fun for students.

If a student has a good idea for add (i.e. Astudent who also plays violin doubling thesoprano solo) this can get more, differentstudents involved.

Main Topic

Key: F Major

Ionian

Ask: "Does anyone know what makes this FMajor?"

Explain:1 Flat ; Only if nobody knows theanswer.

Harmony

Diatonic

Sing: F Major arpeggio to octave, TDRScale back down; Coming down holdDLFR and resolve

Sing: "Pick a chord in this Triad",*Play I, IV and V of F Major*

Chromatic

Only chromatic Step occurs in tenor line

Tenors only: Sing Measures 1216.

Pitch Check: Move through notes one at atime to tune MM. 14

Sing: MM. 14 hold F major Triad; Move bysteps into A major, then ask them toresolve. Go through chords a couple times.

Ask: What does this change in tonalitysymbolize or mean to you?

Sing: While holding A Major, havesopranos move to the G and Tune.Move through the chordprogression out of time.