Thanksgiving Piece: Over the River and Through the Wood

(Blogpost only - no podcast episode)

I'm always looking for ways to use song material in fresh, new ways.  One of the songs I enjoy using around Thanksgiving time is "Over the River and Through the Wood."  Not only is the meter in 6/8, which is a nice change from typical duple meters, it offers an opportunity to create new sections based off of small building blocks of rhythms within that meter.  Additionally, the song only uses 4 chords so it can be used easily with bass xylophone accompaniment or ukulele!

Over the River and Through the Wood

A brief history of the song:

The song originated as a poem called "A Boy's Thanksgiving Day" by Lydia Maria Child and was first published in 1844 in the book Flowers for Children, Vol. 2.  There were originally twelve verses in total.  We often sing it at Christmastime, but the original versions of the first two verses are:

Over the river and through the wood

To Grandfather's house we go

The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh

Through the white and drifted snow.

Over the river and through the wood

To Grandfather's house away!

We would not stop for doll or top

For 'tis Thanksgiving Day

(Source)

A Twist on a Classic

If you are wanting to change and play with this piece, consider adding an introduction using an ostinato pattern created by students using building blocks.  Ask students to speak each of the building blocks and repeat them four times before moving to the next one.  They would speak "Snow, snow, snow, snow."  Asking students to provide a motion showing the length of the word is very helpful!  

Depending on the ability of your students, you might only give them two options to start.  Then add more options as they experience the meter.  Let's pretend that we are using the building blocks below:

Ask students to choose the order in which they speak these two patterns after they have spoken them altogether as a class.  This will create a very simple ostinato pattern which 1/2 the class could speak while the other students sing.  An example of the ostinato might be:

If you want to offer more options, consider layering in the following building blocks:

Students could mix up these patterns using phrases of two building blocks or four building blocks to create ostinatos.

To further extend this, consider having students create an ostinato using two building blocks and another ostinato using four building blocks.  Then layer them together to create complementary ostinati.  This will take oversight and guidance from you!

An example of a possible two complementary ostinato patterns might be:

Use this as an introduction or coda to the piece.  If it isn't too busy and works with the melody, use it as accompaniment for the piece.

Compose a B section for the piece
Another option would be to have students sing the song as their Section A and then create a new Section using these building blocks.  They could compose a 4 or 8 measure ostinato pattern.  Layer a second pattern that is complementary for more texture.  Add a third complementary pattern that is very, very simplistic.  As educator, musician and composer Chris Judah-Lauder always says, "Rests are your friends!"  The silences are crucial when using multiple parts so that you can hear each rhythm.  Students could perform these complementary ostinati patterns on unpitched percussion instruments, drums or using body percussion.

Example:  (The second part is not one of the building blocks and would be something I would create to add to the two ostinati patterns that students created.  I wouldn't post the rhythm on the board for it, but would teach it aurally.)

For an idea of what the form for the piece might look and sound like, consider this:

FINAL FORM OPTION

Introduction - one or more parts playing rhythms created using the building blocks or students speak the rhythm of the text followed by complementary ostinati on unpitched percussion or body percussion

A section - students sing the melody to the first two verses of the song while accompanied on ukulele, bass xylophone chord roots, or speaking the rhythm of the text only over one ostinato 

Interlude - Options: play introduction again, play two complementary ostinati or play section B here to create an ABABA form

A' section - students sing the melody to the next two verses of the song or speak the rhythm of the text 

B section - students layer in one ostinati pattern at a time until various textures are playing (I'll use the graphic above to illustrate options using unpitched percussion)

1) Students play tubano drums for first ostinato

2) Students add second ostinato on cowbell

3) Students add third ostinato on woodblock

A section - repeat the first two verses (singing or speaking words in rhythm)

Coda - repeat the introduction and end with an added beat on beat one to end altogether

If playing ostinati on drums using meter of 6/8, be aware that triplet patterns can be challenging for students as it requires them to alternate hands in compound meter.  It is especially more challenging if you have multiple triplet rhythms consecutively.