Twinkle, Twinkle

Introducing new aspects of a popular European melody.

AIM

In addition to singing the well-known melody together, the participants also listen to the lyrics in different languages and discuss how the same melody can appear in other cultures as well.

Description

We first sing the melody that everyone knows together, and then we ask the participants to tell us when they first encountered it.
After recalling the memories, we present the song in several languages, and the participants can guess in which language they heard it. Then we ask the participants how they think it is possible that the same melody appears in so many languages. The participants say what they think about it, without considering any possible version (singers, performers, spread of sheet music, etc.) as the only true one (Youtube and Facebook can of course be excluded, because we are talking about old times).
After thinking together, we show the version of the song sung in several languages and the Mozart arrangement. We can also try to sing in foreign languages.

COMMENTS FOR FACILITATORS

About the melody:
The origin of „Ah! vous dirai-je, maman” is a bit clouted, with an “anonymous” pastoral song being credited with the melody. The song dates back to 1740, while the lyrics incorporated within are relatively new. In 1761, the melody was first published, while the
first publication of the melody combined with the lyrics goes back to 1774.
“Ah! vous dirai-je, maman” is a French children’s melody/song which was popularized by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart when he created “Twelve Variations” based on it. Since it’s composition, several different versions of it have been created using diverse themes and lyrics.
Several songs over the years have been based on this melody, and also in several languages. In English alone, three popular children’s song is based on it: “Alphabet Song,” “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” and “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep.”
Other prominent versions are included: “Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann” (Germany), “Hull a pelyhes fehér hó” (Hungary), “Campanita del lugar” (Spain), and “Daha Dün Annemizin” (Turkey).

LYRICS

English

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.

French

Ah ! Vous dirai-je maman
Ce qui cause mon tourment?
Moi je dis que les bonbons
Valent mieux que la raison.
Papa veut que je raisonne
Comme une grande personne.

Hungarian

Hull a pelyhes fehér hó,
jöjj el kedves Télapó!
Minden gyermek várva vár,
vidám ének hangja száll.
Van zsákodban minden jó,
piros alma, mogyoró,
Jöjj el hozzánk, várunk rád,
kedves öreg Télapó.

German

Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann,
Kommt mit seinen Gaben.
Bunte Lichter, Silberzier,
Kind mit Krippe, Schaf und Stier,
Zottelbär und Pantertier
Möcht’ ich gerne haben!

Spanish

Campanita del lugar,
suena alegre, suena,
noche en que Jesús nació,
que a la Humanidad salvó.
Campanita del lugar,
suena alegre, suena.

USEFUL LINKS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n38kGst16sI 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTP4F2xV4WE 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3EKBv6fABY 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK6nYlk4_hw 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IKuL84zik0 
Mozart: Twelve Variations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyhxeo6zLAM