Oh Dear, What Can the Matter Be?

Traditionnel (Angleterre) · Level 2 (Beginner) · traditional · Piano

An English song from the late 18th century: “Johnny’s so long at the fair”. Two eight-bar phrases in 6/8. An easy arrangement in G major: the right hand plays the tune, the left hand holds open fifths (root and fifth of each chord).

▶ Play this piece with the interactive score

How to practise it

• Listen first: the site plays it while the score scrolls.
• Wait mode: the score waits for you at every note, at your own pace.
• Tempo challenge: play in time, with a score and a map of the bars you got right.
• Learn the tune alone by singing it, then the left hand alone: spot the chord changes before putting hands together in Wait mode, then at a reduced tempo.

More pieces by Traditionnel (Angleterre)

• God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
• The Holly and the Ivy
• I Saw Three Ships
• Pop! Goes the Weasel
• London Bridge Is Falling Down
• Lavender’s Blue
• Hickory Dickory Dock
• Humpty Dumpty

Source : Arrangement Note after Note d’après l’air traditionnel anglais (Nottingham Music Database) · Public Domain