The Spinning Song
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The Spinning Song (German: Spinnliedchen) is a small piece composed by German composer Albert Ellmenreich in the mid-19th century. It is popular among piano teachers to give to intermediate students.
[edit] Overview
- Time Signature: 2/4
- Key: F Major
- Number of Measures: 82
- Tempo: Allegretto (152-176)
The layout of this song is based on the movement of the spinning wheel, an English invention of the mid-16th Century. The monotonous undercurrent, which crescendos and diminuendos to represent the starting and working of the wheel. The actual act of spinning yarn or string is represented with the quick right hand. Of course, this would get boring with an 82 measure piece. So he changed from the first undercurrent, to an octave undercurrent, and back to the first, giving us an entertaing conversion of half steps between the two ideas. He then proceeds to give a completely new idea to keep us entertained. It captivates us by making us listen into the soft piano which, even then, gets softer, before swelling to what appears to be a climax. Then he cleverly brings us back to the beginning. He repeats up to the end of the second first idea. Then he gives a fantastic ending, which ritards to end, with a simplistic left hand, the grand right hand continuing to echo through the instrument.
