Sing and move to a song with beats in groups of three.
Materials
Pronunciation guide: located in the Audio Learning Resource (Audio Instruction).
Map of Europe (to locate Austria)
Before You Begin
Instructions
The song "Ach, du Lieber Augustin" is a traditional Austrian folk song from 1679. This song tells the story about a man named Augustin, who was famous for singing ballads and playing the bagpipes. He lived at a time when there was a terrible bubonic plague in Europe that killed many people. Here is his story:
One night after an evening of entertaining, Augustin stumbled into a ditch on his way home and fell fast asleep. With the plague claiming hundreds of lives every day in the city, wagons rolled through the streets at all hours to pick up those who had died. One of these wagons picked up the sleeping Augustin and carted him off to the cemetery! Eventually, Augustin woke up and asked the cemetery workers where he was. The workers were scared out of their wits by the sight of a "dead" man sitting up and talking! The wild story circulated quickly and made the musician even more popular. The song's lyrics tell of the losses and hardships during the plague. Augustin, his music and this story are still remembered in Vienna, Austria today, where a statue of him still stands.
Can you locate Austria on a map of Europe?
As you listen to this song, keep the steady beat in groups of three: pat, clap, snap. This grouping of three beats is common in waltz tempos like this song.
This song is sung in German, which is a language spoken in Austria. Listen to the Pronunciation (in the Audio Instruction) and repeat the words.
Ach du Lieber Augustin, Augustin, Augustin: Oh, my darling Augustin, Augustin, Augustin
Ach, du lieber Augustin, alles ist hin: Oh, my darling Augustin, everything is gone.
Geld is hin, madl ist hin, alles ist hin, Augustin. Money is gone, friends are gone, everything's gone, Augustin.
Ach, du lieber Augustin, alles ist hin: Oh, my darling Augustin, everything is gone.
Sing the entire song together. It is sung in German first, then in English.
Find a partner to keep the steady beat while singing. Pat your lap, clap your hands, then clap your partner's hands to show the groups of three beats.
In Closing
Assess
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