Old French Bugle Call (Band I/March)

On this record are six "concerts" for children from about three to six years old. Children of this age group, when allowed to express their musical feeling spontaneously, move, when they hear music. In Montessori classes "concerts" for "listening-moving" are given whenever the teacher feels that the children would like them. Usually there is a "concert" every day. Children will hear music which is either played in a special music room or in the classroom itself, which is cleared to five sufficient space for moving. Children will "join the music" with hardly any encouragement from the teacher. Since two of the young child's spontaneous movements are running and marching, music with these two rhythms are on the first band of this record. The first March and the first Run should be repeated as often as found necessary for the children to move smoothly to these two contrasting rhythms. Only then the following March and Run, after playing some of the first ones, should be introduced. It will take some time till the five Marches and Runs on Band I will be "appreciated" by the children. This appreciation will be shown by the union of the child's movements and the rhythms of the music. The second Band starts with a piece having the rhythm another spontaneous movement: Gallop. Before playing it, it may be found helpful to encourage the children to gallop without music. The Gallop-movement consists of a step with one foot, followed by a leap or a slide with the other. It also can be done sideways, with arms out stretched. Sometimes two children, facing one another, join hands and gallop together. Similar to the repeats of the first March and Run, the first Gallop is played as often as it seems necessary for coordination of body-movement and music-rhythm. The "concert" on the second Band can be continued with the two Marches and the Run, but the following second Gallop should only be played when the children move easily to the first one. Band three starts with a Slow Walk, the spontaneous March Movement, in a slower tempo. Children sometimes sway their arms and body while walking slowly, or they sit on the floor and express the music with free body movements. Occasionally Band I and Band II can be "encored" to insure recognition of the already absorbed music. The last piece on Band III is a Skip, to be introduced separately; skipping first without music and then playing the piece with the necessary repeats. Skipping is a spontaneous movement of children about five years old. This movement consists of a step followed by a hop on the same foot. As one foot does the hop, the other foot swings forward with the knee high. Side two of the record starts with the Trot, slow running steps, with knees lifted high. Children invent variations of this movement. Marionette Step: Legs and arms move stiffly, knees and elbows straight, the feet kick forward. Jumping Jack: Legs and arms first astride and then together, jumping in place. Tiptoe Step: Walk lightly on tiptoes. Band I, side two ends with a Slow March, to be introduced separately. It is a rather solemn movement, suited for older children only, who are able to feel the serious mood of the music. The next Band begins with the Waltz Step, which has to shown. It can be described: step together step step together step right left right left right left, etc. or easier, for younger children, the "Balance Step": step forward balance step step forward balance step right left right left right left, etc. "Balance" means: shift weight to the rear foot, while lifting the forward foot, then put forward foot down again. The last Band begins with a Polka and the step has to be shown: step together step hop step together step hop right left right right left right left left etc. Like many musicians Elise Braun Barnett believes that it is of utmost importance that children should be exposed to the best of music. Whatever the young child hears, forms the basis for the future musical taste and development. Since the young child's reaction to music is by movement, the rhythmic quality of the selections should be prominent. Music with spontaneity of expression and simplicity is best suited for the child. These qualities are contained in the fifty-two selections; folk tunes of thirty countries and excerpts of fourteen great composers on this record. Elise Braun Barnett hopes that the "concerts" on this record will help children to love music.