KS2 Music: Shakespeare on Trial! - Song 4: 'H, C, T and R!'

Notes for ‘H, C, T and R!’

The idea of this song is to introduce children to four of the key Shakespearean play genres - History, Comedy, Tragedy and Romance (each with its own verse, in order 1, 2, 3 and 4). These verses are just spoken, roughly in time to fit within the two-bar phrases as on the music page. Each phrase of genre ‘explanation’ is followed by a spoken ‘counterpoint’ from one or more of the three Judges stating examples of play titles from each of the genres. These last recitations can be split between the Judges - or omitted entirely.

The musical mood of each verse reflects the nature of each genre, so Verse 1 is at a marching, military pace for ‘Histories’; Verse 2 is bright, cheery and chirpy for ‘Comedies’; Verse 3 is funereal and gloomy, in a minor key, for ‘Tragedies’; and Verse 4 is sung ‘with passion’ for ‘Romances’.

Gestures and facial expressions can emphasise these mood changes, as long as they can be well co-ordinated with the Judges’play titles (if included).

Song 4: 'H, C, T and R!' (Vocal). Exploring play genres - Histories, Comedies, Tragedies and Romances! Full vocal.

There’s also a fun music-hall chorus after each verse, which needs crisp, clear singing. It could even be exaggerated with movements and actions in ‘knees-up’ style, perhaps including hand-palms swing-ing side-to-side in time (at the half-bar) or elbow-jabs up and down!

Ukuleles and guitars can join in this chorus with a simple ‘four-chord trick’ (C - Am - Dm - G - C).

Pitched percussion can join in the piano introduction, which features a downward scale (C’ Bb’ A’ Ab’ G’ F’ E’ D’ C Bb A G F D G). Then in Verses 1, 2 and 4 any melody instruments can play sustained notes going up, step-by-step (C_D_E_G_E_G_), played twice, quietly. In Verse 3 - in the key of C minor for ‘Tragedies’ - the Es will be Ebs instead.

In the coda (end section) there’s a short link which is similar to the introduction, then a half-chorus with a long held note for ‘today…’, followed by sneaking in a very crisp, clear ‘TODAY!’ to close. Practise the rhythm of this a few times with the backing track, to make sure everyone’s together.

Song 4: 'H, C, T and R!' (Backing). Exploring play genres - Histories, Comedies, Tragedies and Romances! Backing track.

Resources

'H, C, T and R!' - Vocal

Download the vocal track of 'H, C, T and R!' as an mp3 file

'H, C, T and R!' - Vocal

'H, C, T and R!' - Backing track

Download the backing track of 'H, C, T and R!' as an mp3 file

'H, C, T and R!' - Backing track

All the audio cues included in the playscript (the backing tracks of the songs plus incidental music and sound effects) - as a zip file (62 MB)

Audio cues and sound effects

More from this series

An Elizabethan style song with instrumental verses for movement sequences.

Song 3: 'Going to the Play'

A song contrasting gentle music with the gruesome reality of Tudor life.

Song 5: 'Blood and Guts and Gore'

A song exploring belief in the supernatural - add your own comic touches! Full vocal.

Song 6: 'Supernaturally!'