Song of the Ship

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Composer
Robert J. Powell
Difficulty
Moderately Easy radio_button_checked radio_button_checked radio_button_unchecked radio_button_unchecked radio_button_unchecked
Season
Christmas Advent
Voicing(s)
Children's Choir
Instruments
Keyboard [organ/piano]
Category
Anthems Children's Music
Instrumental Only?
No
Description

Grade 3-6 Children's Choir (or any age choir) for unison treble voices and harpsichord (or piano or organ).

  • Text Source: Andermacher Gesangbuch
  • Vocal Part(s): Unison
  • Vocal Range: d-e’
  • Key: G major
  • Meter: 6/8
  • Accompanying Instrument: Piano (or Harpsichord or Organ)

Anthem Warm-Ups:

  • Anthem-Based Warm-Up: Song of the Ship (November 2009 Newsletter)
  • Melodic fragment, m. 5-6 (fa-sol-mi-la-sol)
  • Melodic fragment, m. 10-12 (ti-do-re-mi-fi -sol)
  • Staccato singing of a stanza for pitch accuracy

Teaching Points:

  • Clarity of diction - this is a “wordy” text
  • Correct pronunciation of diphthongs (“sailing”, “flying”)
  • Full value of final note of each phrase
  • 6/8 time - duple meter
Audio
Lyrics

There comes a ship a-sailing, with angels flying fast. She bears a splendid cargo, and has a mighty mast. This ship is fully laden, right to her highest board, she bears the Son of Heaven, God's high eternal Word.
Upon the sea unruffled, the ship moves in to shore. to bring us all the riches she has within her store. And that ship's name is Mary, of flowers the Rose is she; and brings to us her baby, from sin to set us free.
The ship made in this fashion in which such store was cast, her sail is love's sweet passion, the Holy Ghost her mast.