"London Bridge" Questions

[Ruro]

Hey all, I am posting yet another thread, hopefuly with not too ridiculous questions.

I begun learning "Londons Bridge" (is falling down... you know it!), and there is two issues I got with it, and since I can't argue with the score, I bring it to you.
The key signature for it is a single Sharp Sign, which I equate to the G Major Scale. I then work out that's all the white keys, except for the F key, which becomes F Sharp.
Why? There isn't a single F Key used in the piece I'm looking at? Where's the purpose?!

Secondly about the same piece, it sounds wrong! I won't argue if it's written that way, but on the 4th measure (I think) where it's G A B, it should be A B C me thinks! All up one note to the previous measure.

Besides those problems, I have to learn some Phrasing exercise which seems harder then the Rach3 because the melody is so... RUBBISH, it's next to impossible to see the musicality of it... despite it lasting about 5 bars ~_~

Thanks for listening to my questions and the ranting ^_^;;

[rhapsody in orange]

The key signature for it is a single Sharp Sign, which I equate to the G Major Scale. I then work out that's all the white keys, except for the F key, which becomes F Sharp.
Why? There isn't a single F Key used in the piece I'm looking at? Where's the purpose?!

Hmm something about key signatures - they are actually the things that define a particular key. Having and F# in the key signature does not necessarily mean that the F# has to appear in the music, but it is there to show that the music is in G major (this can be seen in other areas such as cadences etc). Personally I'd find it weird not to have the F# in the music at all since F# forms the dominant chord (D F# A) in G major.

Secondly about the same piece, it sounds wrong! I won't argue if it's written that way, but on the 4th measure (I think) where it's G A B, it should be A B C me thinks! All up one note to the previous measure.

If your piece is in G major, the mistake you mentioned should be in measure 3 instead (I'm guessing here so I might be wrong).

Why don't you post a copy of your score here so we can all have a look?

[Ruro]

"Why don't you post a copy of your score here so we can all have a look?"

I havn't a scanner >_<;; Sorry, it's in this old book my Aunt gave me, lol, I'll see if I can find a replica score...

Failing miserably, I am taking a print screen of a replica I just wrote in Sibelius, but you have to trust me, I know it's ACEG and FACE and all that, I don't read an F anywhere :/ I just double checked intricately to find no F's... but like you said, it doesn't have to be there

As for the 4th measure needing to all be one note up in comparison to the 3rd, it's shown in my piccy! (And apologies, I couldn't figure out how to stretch a phrase mark over the entire first 2 bars of the Treble Clef)

https://www.geocities.com/ninja_kirb/londons_bridge.png

[rhapsody in orange]

Ah ok I see. Yep it's measure 4 alright =) However, I'd think it's BCD instead.
Also, your LH's playing only single notes, so you can't talk abt chords being used here. The LH notes are actually the root of the chords being used to harmonise the melody. And since the leading note (F#) doesn't appear in the melody, you'd probably not find it in the score since the harmony revolves mainly round the tonic (I) and the dominant (V).

[aerlinndan]

Yes, the error in the picture is in the fourth bar. It should be B-C-D, not A-B-C. Of course, this is assuming that we're using the traditional London Bridge theme here, and I think for all our sakes it's safe to say that we are. Generally you don't want to literally change the notes of the melody in any piece, but shame on the publisher of this sheet music for not being a little more careful. When you're a beginning pianist, the last thing you need to worry about is whether or not the notes in front of you can be trusted.

[Ruro]

The last thing you need to worry about is whether or not the notes in front of you can be trusted.

lol! Well said ^_^ I thought a music theory site did the same thing to me a month or so ago, but I was at fault there! And I was wrong? It should be 2 notes up? Crikey... well, I'm unsure whether to play it the "traditional" way or not, don't wanna act like a smart*** in front of my teacher!

rhapsody in orange: "tonic (I) and the dominant (V)" - This is intervals? Or inversions? I can't remember, but I havn't put the effort in to figure that stuff out yet, I think I will though, since so many people use the terms.

Thankyou for the super fast replies, especially this time of night! That answers all the London Bridge queries....

Instead of making a new thread, I think I will dab my extra question here: Body mapping, just read a thread about it, someone stated "Knowing where to move your arm (for example) without looking".... with this body map firmly set in, could I not play a piece SO MUCH easier?! Infact I wouldn't hesitate to try Prokofiev's Toccata with such an ability, I think I'm gonna start juggling and start up Karate again

[rhapsody in orange]

"tonic (I) and the dominant (V)" - This is intervals? Or inversions? I can't remember, but I havn't put the effort in to figure that stuff out yet, I think I will though, since so many people use the terms.

Ah the tonic and dominant are names for the first and fifth degree of the scale respectively. Therefore a tonic chord is a chord built on the tonic of the scale (GBD in G major) and a dominant chord is built on the dominant of the scale (DF#A in G major). These chords can be used in their inversions.

Thankyou for the super fast replies, especially this time of night! That answers all the London Bridge queries....

You're welcome. Hope I'm of some help