Cmp Lesson Plan For Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
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3CMP LESSON PLAN FOR
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Prepared by Cornelia Watkins
Genre: Children’s song.
Publisher: a variety of publications, including Sumy-Birchard for the Suzuki Method
Instrumentation: Any instrument—this plan is designed for any bowed stringed instrument and piano
accompaniment.
Background: Original Poem by Jane Taylor; set to existing French tune "Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman" by Jean
Gilleguin, published together around 1765. W. A. Mozart wrote variations on the musical theme which
became widely known, leading to a common misconception that Mozart was the composer of the tune. A
wide variety of lyrics have been used to this tune (some fun examples below).
English translation
French lyrics
Ah! I shall tell you, mum,
Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman,
what causes my torment.
Ce qui cause mon tourment.
Papa wants me to reason
Papa veut que je raisonne,
Like an adult.
Comme une grande personne.
I say that candy
Moi, je dis que les bonbons
Is better than reason.
Valent mieux que la raison.
From Lewis Carroll's Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland.
Twinkle, twinkle, little bat!
How I wonder what you're at!
Up above the world you fly,
Like a tea tray in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle…
"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" shares its melody with the "Alphabet Song" and "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep", as
well as three different Christmas carols (German, Hungarian and Dutch). Besides Mozart’s variations,
several other composers have used the tune in their compositions, such as Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of
the Animals (12th movement Fossiles), Dohnányi’s Variations on a Nursery Tune, and in Album Leaf: "Ah!
vous dirai-je, Maman" by Franz Liszt, among others.
Analysis
Period: Classical
Form: ABA (3 phrases of equal length—4 bars each)
Rhythmic motif: 4/4 time; 6 quarter notes followed by a half note throughout the piece
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Melody: Leap of 5
followed by stepwise scale pattern with repeated notes; descending repeated note scales
used in B section. The B section melody, unresolved on Re, needs the return of the A section for resolution.
(7)
Harmony: (Key varies) A sections—I IV I V
I B section—I V I V I IV I V
Heart Statement: The soul of this piece resides in the balance and unity of form and motive that make it
simple, accessible and enduring, all the while allowing for seemingly endless ways to interpret and vary the
melody, harmony and even the lyrics.
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