An Old Broom

For Small Hands.........


My super young baritone came for his first lesson since the heavy snow, which means I have not seen him for about 6 weeks, since he lives in the middle of nowhere and off grid! His Puccini was once again tremendous, and his Faure full of gravitas and emotion.

At the other end of the age range a tiny 'almost 7' year old girl came for her 20 minutes. She is pretty, intelligent and so eager to learn. Teaching such small people is a joy, but I miss Ellie the dog lying quietly under my piano stool, I used her so much as an aid to the smalls 'making Ellie wake up' ! This little girl has a big voice for such a minute frame, and she is really beginning to pitch much more accurately !

Pitch can be a problem with the under 8's, some seem able to sing with a pinpoint clarity, and others find singing more than a 5th wide like travelling from Paradise to Australia ! Little L can sing quite accurately from Middle C to A above Middle C, but outside that range it might as well be as far off as Greenland!

We work gently and persistently in the area which she can work well, never encroaching on the nether regions - it will not improve, until ear and physical developments are far enough along the road.

Finding songs is tricky, but I tend to transpose as much music as I can to keep in her 'comfort zone'. I have a wonderful little Nursery Rhyme book which keeps them all going until about 8, they are not the baby rhymes, just those songs which were so popular with infant school teachers in the 1930's. It is completely perfect for this age group, they love it, yet I know if modern day Primary schools were introduced to it there would be ribald laughter and a fainting moment of ridicule at such middle class songs encompassing subjects as 'Dainty little Kitten' and 'My Big Brother rides a fine black horse', their ultra favourite song being 'Doings'........

With my little broom I sweep sweep sweep,
On my little toes I Creep Creep Creep.
With my little eyes I Peep peep peep,
On my little bed I sleep sleep sleep.

A great little song and tune, and I wish I had written it! My 7 year old grandaughter adores it, and sings it with all the musicality of a sensitive, musical and poetic little soul. It is in the most comfortable head voice register, so just spot on perfect. It was published in 1934, is battered and worn with pages falling out. I have used it all my teaching career. It is a positive heirloom and priceless above rubies!