This level 4 arrangement requires students to play the “high e” harmonic on string ?, fret 12. Instruct students to firmly touch the string at fret 12 without putting enough pressure to push the string very far toward the fingerboard. Remind them to place the finger exactly above the fret as opposed to directly behind it. Playing with the right hand very close to the bridge (ponticello) will produce the clearest sound.
Bring student awareness to the antiphonal nature of the arrangement (the harmonics move around the room from part to part ). Ask students to make a pronounced difference between the accented and unaccented notes.
“Personages with Long Ears” comes from a 14 movement collection entitled “Carnival of the Animals.” It was originally scored for a variety of mixed instruments. In 1949 the American poet Ogden Nash wrote a series of verses to precede the performance of each movement. Collaborate with a Drama or English teacher to select a student to read the corresponding verse before your performance (included below). You may build a suite by combining this piece with the any of the other 5 movements from “Carnival of the Animals” in the guitarcurriculum.com music library.
Personages with Long Ears
In the world of Mules
There are no rules.