6. Giraffes and lions
Giraffes forming a tower
Have the height but lack the power
To resist the pride of lions
Have the height but lack the power
To resist the pride of lions
Fascinations
Giraffes can survive for up to 25 years in the wild and, with the exception of mothers and their offspring, live independent lives. They are nature’s tallest vegetarians, being experts in picking out nutritious leaves from the spiky thorns of the African bush. They do this with the help of their extremely long necks and very dexterous tongues. Wouldn’t they make fine singers? Probably not since they make very little noise except at night when they produce a deep, spooky humming sound, almost like chanting. Lions are the primary predators of the Giraffe, but what might be the biggest threat to the lion? Answer: humans.
Giraffes can survive for up to 25 years in the wild and, with the exception of mothers and their offspring, live independent lives. They are nature’s tallest vegetarians, being experts in picking out nutritious leaves from the spiky thorns of the African bush. They do this with the help of their extremely long necks and very dexterous tongues. Wouldn’t they make fine singers? Probably not since they make very little noise except at night when they produce a deep, spooky humming sound, almost like chanting. Lions are the primary predators of the Giraffe, but what might be the biggest threat to the lion? Answer: humans.
Musicking
Warm up by stretching the body as tall as possible and expanding the lungs by breathing in deeply and making those nostrils quiver. Feel the lilting phrases in this bluesy minor mode number, with its natural dynamic rise and fall and sing to ‘la’. Listen to how the melody builds and climbs towards ‘power’ and descends and softens towards ‘hunt’. The challenge is to resist the desire to breathe in the middle of that long opening phrase until after you have sung ‘pride’. For the roar use the whole face to express yourself, mouth wide and eyes agog. Instrumentalists might like to try playing this tune (bars 4-12) which stretches an octave and a tone, from middle C to top D’. In bars 13-20 notice how the harmony grows in 3rds - a good way for children to encounter singing harmonies. Practise bars 21-22 which is tricky and remember to keep the rhythms (triplets) even. The main tune is reprised a tone up and the song closes with more roars!
Warm up by stretching the body as tall as possible and expanding the lungs by breathing in deeply and making those nostrils quiver. Feel the lilting phrases in this bluesy minor mode number, with its natural dynamic rise and fall and sing to ‘la’. Listen to how the melody builds and climbs towards ‘power’ and descends and softens towards ‘hunt’. The challenge is to resist the desire to breathe in the middle of that long opening phrase until after you have sung ‘pride’. For the roar use the whole face to express yourself, mouth wide and eyes agog. Instrumentalists might like to try playing this tune (bars 4-12) which stretches an octave and a tone, from middle C to top D’. In bars 13-20 notice how the harmony grows in 3rds - a good way for children to encounter singing harmonies. Practise bars 21-22 which is tricky and remember to keep the rhythms (triplets) even. The main tune is reprised a tone up and the song closes with more roars!
Learning moves
Divide singers into groups of eight and ask them to arrange themselves into height order without speaking! Which group can assemble their line the quickest and quietest? Once ‘sorted’, groups must call out numbers sequentially and rhythmically where each singer is responsible for a number. Then have some fun with pitching scales ascending/descending using numbers, 1-8-1, where singers each intone a note of the scale.
Divide singers into groups of eight and ask them to arrange themselves into height order without speaking! Which group can assemble their line the quickest and quietest? Once ‘sorted’, groups must call out numbers sequentially and rhythmically where each singer is responsible for a number. Then have some fun with pitching scales ascending/descending using numbers, 1-8-1, where singers each intone a note of the scale.