The History of “Auld Lang Syne”The popular New Years Eve anthem “Auld Lang Syne” is known around the world for its lyrics and melodies. Attributed to the famous Scottish poet and songwriter, Robert Burns, its origins date back to 1788.

Robert Burns was born in January of 1759, and is regarded as “The Bard” of Scotland, penning hundreds of poems in the Scots and English language. Even today he remains one of the most prominent and popular figures in Scottish history.

The poem, “Auld Lang Syne” was not entirely an original work by Burns. Like many of the folk stories and songs, they were passed down generation-to-generation. Each retelling may have slight variations and evolve over time. Burns recorded the oral tradition of this old folk song by an old man he met and put the lyrics of “Auld Lang Syne” to paper. By doing so, Burns helped to preserve a piece of Scottish history and sharing it with the world.

This folk song was rather well known, as evidenced by the similarities to other poets in the 17th and 18th centuries such as Robert Ayton, Allan Ramsay, and James Watson. Each of these poets had slightly different interpretations of the phrase “Auld Lang Syne” in their work, but the similarities show a common folk origin.

Burns originally sent “Auld Lang Syne” along with a collection of his works to James Johnson to be included in the Standard Collection of Scottish Songs as part of the “Scots Musical Museum”. The piece was to be included in a volume of published work that was completed in 1796, several months after Burns’ death.

“Auld Lang Syne” is set to the tune of a traditional Scottish folk song. This song was most likely a dance piece and set to a faster tempo, but modified after put to its new lyrics. Unlike many poets, Burns had a hand in choosing the tune that accompanied the song and paid particular attention to how the melody flowed with the lyrics.

Most know for being sung at the stroke of midnight on New Years Eve, “Auld Lang Syne” is often sung at funerals, graduations, and farewells. Although the original song has five versus, many times only the first verse and chorus is sung. The title is translated from the Scots language of as “old long since”, or more understandable to English speakers, “long, long ago”.

The Scots would sing “Auld Lang Syne” on Hogmanay, their translation for the last day of the year. The tradition and song quickly spread to the rest of the United Kingdom becoming a favorite custom at New Years Eve celebrations. As the Scots and Brits immigrated to other parts of the world, they brought the song with them spreading its popularity.

Guy Lombardo is credited with making the song popular on New Year’s Eve in the United States by broadcasting it on his widely popular radio and television shows from the late 1920’s through the 1940’s. Lombardo sang one of the first recordings available to the public in 1939.

The lyrics are a lasting reminder to people that the old times should not be forgotten and life-long friendships should be cherished. “Auld Lang Syne” has been translated in languages around the world and remains one of the most known songs of all time.

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Did you grow up playing Chopsticks on the piano? I did. And many of my friends did. Even kids that didn’t play the piano knew how to play Chopsticks. It is probably the most “popular” piano song ever — not because it’s a great song, but because it is so easy to play.

If you would like to play it in a different way than everyone else, take a look at this short video. Perhaps it will stimulate some ideas in your mind that will apply not just to Chopsticks, but to arranging songs in general.

There are many many techniques you can use to make most any song more interesting. For example, you can add arpeggios, fillers, chord substitutions, color tones, runs, counter-melodies and on an on. In this short video I demonstrate 7 of those ways:

It’s certainly a fact that we learn faster when we enjoy what we are studying. That’s true in the many endeavors we engage in throughout our lives. It’s definitely true when it comes to music. Music learning methods that encourage us to enjoy the process, not just the result, make practicing less tedious.

If you want a stress-free, fun way to become proficient at the piano, consider easy-play music. This music makes learning to play the piano an experience you look forward to, not cringe from. You will want to devote the time and energy necessary for practice when you adapt this way of learning.

Easy play music’s goal is to get you up-to-speed quickly, playing your favorite songs. The days of engaging in studies that don’t inspire or excite are over, with this type of music. Music in general and piano in particular should be fun. You no doubt started studying music because you enjoy it and wanted to develop your skills.

When deciding what instrument to study you recognized the versatility of the piano. You probably chose the piano because of its unique sound. You also wanted access to the broad spectrum of musical notes the instrument offers. While all musical instruments offer a chance to play beautiful music, the piano offers more. It offers the ability to play notes from the lowest to the highest registers.

However, the piano can appear as a complicated instrument. Music written for the instrument can look confusing and intimidating. Easy play music seeks to allay fear of the piano and its music. Your personal goal, from the start, should be to play songs that you enjoy. Music written in a clear and unadorned manner, to help you learn the basics, can accomplish this goal for you.

The essence of easy play music is its simplicity. Basic melody, harmony, and timing form the foundation of this kind of piano music. You will learn the building blocks of songs fast, before you learn the extras that make tunes more complex. Once you master the basics, you can progress to more advanced written music.

It’s like any other skill, foundational studies that are uncomplicated set the stage for deeper learning. Easy play music is akin to the frame of a house. The house cannot stand without this basic structure in place. Once it is in place, the addition of the rest of the elements occurs. The result is a work of architectural beauty.

It’s the same with learning to play the piano the easy play music way. Your frame is that clean melodic line with basic chords supporting it. Underpinning this is a basic, uncomplicated time signature. Once you have these simple elements, you put them together and practice them in unison.

When you master them, you can add other things to your song. These are the extras, which add flavor and complexity to music. These extras may be more complicated chord voicings, and tempo and time changes. They may also include adding improvisational sections to a piece, or accent markings. Whatever they are, you’re ready to tackle them because you have the basics down. Easy play music teaches these basics.

You can learn the piano using this method from a variety of sources. Easy play music is available on CDs and DVDs. From the comfort of your home, on your clock, you can learn to play the piano using these. Of course, you can go online and learn this type of music from any number of quality portals. On top of that, there are the numerous books and sheet music offerings written in easier notation.

Easy play music is for those who want a straightforward no fuss approach to learning piano songs. In fact, instructors specifically design this type of music to encourage students to practice. They know that once a student starts to avoid practicing, it’s difficult to get them to return.

A typical easy play song features musical notes in good size print, well spaced on the musical staff. This makes for ease of reading. These songs are usually not overly long pieces. Instructors wish to encourage students to start and finish a piece. In this way, they get the feel for the complete song rather quickly.

Songs of this unadorned sort normally have two and three note chords. Chords progress without major hand hopping from octave to octave. The time signatures in this music are often in Simple Time. The most common simple time signatures are 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4.

If you’re new to the piano, consider initial studies the easy play music way. You’ll find learning the piano very enjoyable with this method. After all, the enjoyment of music is what’s important, and what will keep you playing.

Auld Lang Syne

Chopsticks was originally named the “Chop Waltz”.  It is a simple song written by a 16-year old girl, and is probably the most popular song ever for the piano, since it can be played by people who don’t play the piano. I remember playing it as a very young child, and most of my friends, none of whom were pianists, could play it too.  It was designed to be played in two-part harmony with both hands held sideways, little fingers down, striking the keys with a chopping motion, which is the antithis of good pianistic technique. But it’s fun, and you can make it sound a lot fuller by adding just 2 chords to it in the left hand. Watch this 3 minute video and you’ll get the idea.

Hymns are some of the most beloved songs of all time. Hymnals contain hundreds of songs, and no two hymnals are alike. Anyone looking to learn the most popular hymns needs to know where to start. The following is a list of 10 of the most popular hymns, but of course your list will no doubt vary from mine somewhat:

“Amazing Grace”, one of the most popular songs of all time, was written by John Newton. A former slave trader, Newton wrote the words while studying a text from the Old Testament and reflecting on his old life. The tune is a variation of an old Scottish bagpipe song of the time.

“Be Thou My Vision” traces its roots to Ireland. The words were written by Dallan Forgaill in the eighth century. Though it was translated from Old Irish into English by Mary E. Byrne in 1905, the tune is still from an old Irish folk song. “Be Thou My Vision” is the most popular Irish hymn in English-speaking churches.

“What a Friend We Have in Jesus” was originally a poem written by Joseph M. Scriven in 1855. He wrote the poem to comfort his mother in Ireland while he was living in Canada. The tune was later written by Charles Crozat Converse.

“Holy, Holy, Holy” is a popular hymn written by Reginald Heber. Written for use on Trinity Sunday, the lyrics were set to a tune composed by John Bacchus Dykes. The tune was originally called Nicaea, which refers to the Nicaean Council of 325 A.D.

Another popular hymn, “Be Still My Soul,” takes its melody from a composition by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The lyrics were both written and translated prior to Sibelius’s piece. Katharina von Schlegel wrote the original text in 1752, and it was translated into English by Jane Borthwick in 1855.

Reverend Augustus Montague Toplady wrote the words to the popular hymn “Rock of Ages” in 1873. His poem was set to music by the popular hymn composer Thomas Hastings somewhere around 1830.

Sometimes referred to as the “Royal Navy Hymn,” “Eternal Father Strong to Save” contains references to three different Biblical events. The first verse refers to the Creator’s promise to refrain from flooding the earth again. The second talks of Christ’s miraculous walking on the water. The third speaks of the Holy Spirit’s role in the creation of the universe. The words were written by William Whiting, while the tune is attributed to John B. Dykes.

Written in 1912 in Albion, Mich., “The Old Rugged Cross” is certainly one of the most popular hymns of all time. Apart from “Amazing Grace,” it may be the most recorded hymn ever. Performers known to sing “The Old Rugged Cross” include Al Green, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and June Carter. George Bernard wrote the song with help from Charles Gabriel.

Fanny J. Crosby, a blind hymn writer, wrote the words of “Blessed Assurance” in 1873 to go along with the melody written by Phoebe P. Knapp in the same year. The story goes that Crosby was visiting Knapp, who was having a pipe organ installed. Knapp played the tune, which she called “Assurance,” and asked her friend Crosby what she thought the song said. Crosby’s response was “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.” The rest is history.

“Great Is Thy Faithfulness” is a popular hymn that is more recent than most. Its words were written by Thomas Chisholm in 1923, while the tune was composed by William Runyan. The Moody Bible Institute in Chicago claims this as its unofficial hymn, since Runyan was associated with MBI.

These 10 popular hymns have been cherished by millions of people for many years. Each of them contains outstanding examples of melody and structure. Even for non-believers, these songs often touch a certain nerve that only the greatest songs can.

Popular Music

What do the majority of music aficionados search out when it comes to musical genres? What CDs achieve the highest sales results? What is the dominant style of music heard on the airwaves and on the dance floors around the world today? The answer is popular, or pop, music. While jazz, classical, polka, reggae and the like have their loyal followers, no group commands the audience that popular music does.

In general, popular music is any music that’s accessible to the public through mass-marketing means and appeals to the broadest spectrum of listeners. The number of recording sales an artist achieves is a measure of popularity, as is the amount of airplay an artist receives. Therefore, artists and their music are popular by virtue of the vastness of their audience.

Popular music is not one particular genre. Songs that are on the pop music charts (which measure success) can be any genre. A top 40 list of current popular songs may include, rap, hip-hop, country and rock songs. In the early 1960s, when rock-‘n-roll was the hot thing on radio, a catchy jazz tune called Take 5, by the Dave Brubeck Quartet climbed the charts and became a hit. Conventional wisdom at the time couldn’t predict this, but it was what the public wanted to hear. Therefore, this quirky jazz tune was popular music.

The varieties of music commonly seen under the popular music umbrella today are soft rock, hard rock, country, hip-hop, rap and ballad-type film and Broadway music. The latter two often become popular due to the boost they receive from their visual media. Think of how popular the ballad “My Heart Will Go On” became because of the 1997 film “Titanic.”

Trends in popular music today are toward vibrant, energetic dance music, superstar artist duets and tribute albums. Recent years have seen crossover albums become popular. This is where a popular artist in one genre, for example country, ventures over to another genre, like rock.

Another trend in popular music is toward elaborate stage productions for artist shows. Consider the production values of Celine Dion’s recently ended show in Las Vegas. Christina Aguilera’s recent Back to Basics tour resembled an elaborate Broadway production, complete with circus performers. This is the trend: big, brash and bold, with stunning visuals accompanying the popular music.

Any music listened to by the majority is, by definition, popular. However, some achieve levels unheard of in the past due to today’s ultra-fast dissemination methods. At no other time in history has so much music reached so many people in such a short time. With computers, the Internet, cell phones and other technology, a song can achieve popularity fast.

This is great for independent musicians who have no record company contract yet to promote their work. Through the social networking capabilities of the Internet, the word can get out about their work. In an inexpensive manner, they can find listeners and become very popular. This kind of viral marketing can make a lesser-known musician a pop star almost overnight.

In previous decades different styles of music achieved the status of “popular” because of television. From the 1950s on, TV variety shows were a valuable tool for record companies to display their artists. Think of “The Ed Sullivan Show,” “The Dean Martin Show,” and others that combined music, dance and comedy to entertain America. Many music artists achieved their popularity due to the power of television.

The popular music field has room for songs of many styles. As Dave Brubeck proved, you never know what the public will choose to make popular. In any given year there are always surprises, remember the song “Who Let the Dogs Out”? So, there you go. Sit down at that piano and compose away. You just never know.

Great spiritual songs that inspire are a part of America’s folklore. Long a part of our nation’s canon of song, we hardly give thought to how they came into existence. Each one does have a story though, which sheds light on the place and time they were born.

The following songs are a few examples of great spirituals and their origins. These songs are great for singing around the piano and are a fine addition to any piano repertoire.

Amazing Grace

Written originally as a poem by John Newton in 1772, Amazing Grace is one of the most popular spiritual songs in America. The music that accompanies the version we know today is a variation of the tune “New Britain.” This music first appeared in 1829 in a hymnal titled Columbian Harmony. The composer is unknown. Amazing Grace is John Newton’s personal thoughts on divine grace and his conversion to Christianity.

When the Saints Go Marching In

This song is familiar as a spiritual tune often played in New Orleans to accompany a funeral procession to and from a burial. Louis Armstrong propelled the song to great popularity in the 1930s with his rousing jazz rendition. However, researchers point to the Bahamas as the birthplace of the song.

A song titled “When the Saints are Marching In” resembles the song we know today. Published in 1896, its lyricist and composer were Katherine E. Purvis and James M. Black. Various titles of the piece appeared over the years. The title we are familiar with received publication in a hymnal in 1927 titled “Spirituals Triumphant-Old and New.” Vocal and instrumental versions of the song play across the land year after year.

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

Wallis Willis wrote this song around 1862. The Red River reminded him of the Jordan River, and the references in the song are to the Prophet Elijah going to heaven on a chariot. This song was a favorite of plantation workers in the 1800s. It enjoyed new popularity in the 1960s as part of the music of the Civil Rights movement. Willis was once a slave of the Choctaw Indians.

Michael Row the Boat Ashore

First published in “Slave Songs of the United States” in 1867, this song began in the oral tradition. The abolitionist Charles Ware wrote the music for the words that freed slaves sung on St. Helena Island in the 1860s. This song speaks of crossing the Jordan River, and the river is a metaphor for crossing over from life to death. The Michael of the song is Michael the Archangel.

Go Tell It on the Mountain

This song is a popular Christmas tune. It’s a traditional African-American spiritual written by John Wesley Work, Jr. in 1907. The song received publication that year in Nashville, Tenn., in his book, “Folk Songs of the American Negro.” Work devoted his time to preserving African-American folk music. Go Tell It on the Mountain has a rich performance history, with Peter, Paul, and Mary; Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby; and Bob Marley among its performers.

The great spiritual songs continue to speak their words to new generations of listeners. They offer hope to those who seek inspirational messages in musical form to help them in their trials. For this reason, they will uplift those who play and sing them for generations to come.