Warm-Up In Gee (And Gosh Golly)

Wolfbane Armadillo Mozart is with us once again, this time with his unique counterpart, Prunehilda Matata Mozart. When the two of them put their fuzzy heads together, one never knows what will emerge...

The real panache of this tune comes from its dubious orchestration. For that reason, we strongly suggest you use the P/A recording. You and your students will be treated to a cacophony of sounds best described as, Huh?

But seriously, the vocal warm-ups contained in this light-hearted three-way partner piece are quite legitimate in their focus. The first part stresses an emphasis on enunciation - getting the mouth, tongue, and throat working together. The second part loosens the vocal cords, encourages breath control and support, and makes the singers give the pitch a thought or two. (The trills at the end of each phrase are optional, of course. Your singers will enjoy them, though.) The third part is distinctly aimed at the diaphragm. With proper staccato separation, singers are compelled to bounce abdominally.

The song is first played through four times, each part getting a featured pass the first three times. The fourth time, the parts combine for a lively effect. After the fourth time, there is a ritard and the partnered melodies perform yet a fifth time in a slower, more stately fashion notated Grandish Symphonicus. This says it all. Or at least a lot.

As a fun activity, let your students listen to the instrumental version of the orchestration of this so so sillioso tune. Have them identify the instruments, the various styles, the points of departure from the classical foundation, and any other unusual aspects of the piece they may be able to identify.