Building Fluency in Melodic Dictation
27 Sight Singing Assignment
Melodies Containing Pitches from the Tonic and Dominant Triads
The following melodies contain tones from tonic and dominant harmony. Some are in major keys, others in minor; some are in simple time, others in compound time.
1. Melodies Starting on Do
“Paw Paw Patch” (American folk song)
“Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush” (English folk song)
“Sur le pont d’Avignon” (French folk song)
2. Melodies Starting on Sol
“Trempe ton pain, Marie” (French folk song)
“La Cucaracha” (Mexican folk song)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, String Quartet K. 421, IV.
Duets
Practice with a partner, preparing both parts so that you can perform either with ease. Both singers should conduct and use solfege.
Scottish Psalter (1623), XXIII.
Mozart, Piano Concerto K. 503, I.
Johann Sebastian Bach, “Brandenburg” Concerto No. 5, I.
Mozart, Violin Concerto No. 5, K. 219, I.
Rounds
Sing through the rounds with one or more partners, conducting and using solfege. Sing through each round several times so you can hear how the tonic and dominant harmonies work.
In “Ego sum pauper,” the second singer enters when the first singer arrives at the second measure.
“Ego sum pauper” (Latin round)
In the next round, “Mourn for the Thousands Slain,” the second singer enters when the first singer arrives at figure 2.
Joseph E. S. Owen, “Mourn for the Thousands Slain”