In A Year of Folk Tunes, December’s key of the month is F Major and D Minor.

I wrote four rounds to help navigate this key. Everyone who played them, got a lot better at the hand positions required for F Major and D Minor

The rounds have one part doubled so they would be playable with only two parts. In score form, each tune also has an optional piano part for extra rehearsal. The canons have a winter theme.

Hot Cocoa is in D minor and 4/4 time. The viola and cello parts double. Sink into restful bliss with the melody that uses only half notes and whole notes.

Ice Skating is a 3/4 round in F Major. The violin and viola parts start with the melody. The cello has the melody in the final section. Gliding and spinning across the instrument. It is fun to play. The cello part does require shifting.

Skiing dashes downhill in F Major and 4/4 time. There are lots of descending eighth note passages. The upper strings open the piece. The cello follows two measures later.

The fourth piece in this key is in 6/8 time. Snowman Serenade opens with the melody in the upper strings. The cello part has the melody line halfway through. Both melody and harmony sections are rhythmically interesting.

Digital sheet music is available here.
Hot Cocoa
Ice Skating
Skiing
Snowman Serenade

Listen to the rounds here.
Hot Cocoa
Ice Skating
Skiing
Snowman Serenade

Thank-you Sophie for playing the violin in the videos for the new pieces.

Current round count: 48