See My Little Candle / See the Snowflakes Falling
Price range: $11.00 through $28.00
See My Little Candle is a simple, heart-felt song about sharing our light with those around us. Even a small candle, when shared with others brings light to all.
See the Snowflakes Falling
A second set of lyrics using the same melody, allows the focus of the song to centre around snowflakes rather than candles.
Having a double set of lyrics makes this simple song a versatile repertoire option for vocal studio recitals and school concerts featuring young singers. Both options are suitable for seasonal concerts, and at time of year.
This melody is written with simple quarter note and half note rhythms with stepwise movement between notes. The range of the melody stays within a sixth, from D4-B4, a comfortable, natural range for young singers.
The ABA form of the song helps create length while keeping the lyric load manageable for young singers. The one-verse song is the opening A section. The B section is an 8-bar instrumental break giving singers a chance to re-focus and prepare to sing the verse again for the closing A section. A small battery-operated candle can be lit during the 8-bar instrumental break for an effective visual addition to the performance. Alternatively, a snowflake prop can be included.
Listen to melody + accompaniment:
Download Includes:
- Vocal score (both options)
- Lead sheet (both options)
- Director/piano score (both options)
- Lyrics (both options)
- Accompaniment – with melody guide
- Accompaniment – piano
- Teaching Tips
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Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for See my Little Candle / See the Snowflakes Falling
Teaching Tips
Introduce the song
Connect with the students to engage them in the topic of the song. This can be done by asking them questions that relate to the song that also resonate with something in their daily lives.
Expressive singing
Discuss ways to sing expressively.
- Sing with a gentle sound
- Sing smoothly, connecting the notes and creating legato phrases
- Have students move their hand to trace the shape of the rising and falling melody line. Use a fluid and smooth motion – mirroring the legato phrases that are being sung.
- Use clear diction to present the story being told
Concert Presentation
Add small, battery-operated candles to create an effective visual element for the performance of See My Little Candle.
Add snowflakes for a visual element for the performance of See the Snowflakes Falling.
Music Elements
Discuss ABA form.
This song has the same lyrics sung in the opening and closing sections of the piece (A sections) and the 8-bar instrumental break creates the B section within the ABA form.
Look around the classroom or vocal studio for ABA patterns such as window, door, window or chair, music stand, chair, etc.
Can students think of other physical examples of ABA form?
See my Little Candle / See the Snowflakes Falling
I was thinking about school Christmas concerts. This is not an unusual activity for me, considering my career as an elementary music teacher. What was unusual is the fact that I was doing this thinking six years after I had retired! This thought process was tweaked after a conversation I had with a teaching colleague about their upcoming December concert season. We talked specifically about songs for the “Littles” that are such an important part of every school concert.
The next morning I was lying in bed, enjoying comfy, warm blankets and a bit of cool air coming in from an open window. I started thinking about snow and the first lines of the song came to my mind. The tune arrived at the same time as the lyrics “See the snowflakes falling, drifting down like a comfy blanket covering the ground.” This thought was enough to inspire me to grab a pen and paper (always kept nearby for just an occasion) and I jotted down my idea using solfege and simple rhythm notation. I have used these tools for a LONG time!
When I got up, I started working on crafting the song. I knew I wanted it to be simple and easy for children to sing who were new to school and perhaps heading into their first school concert. I created four lines of poetry that worked for me, adjusted the melody and, within a short time, I had a new song.
Andy and I had been working on updating a resource list of winter and Christmas songs I have written. Many schools have gone to winter concerts and my song list reflects this shift with many of my songs written on the topic of snow. I thought that my gentle melody was also quite suited to a candle theme and that might be a nice change from snow, so I set about writing alternate candle lyrics. It was a marketing decision to publish this song as “See My Little Candle” with the alternate lyrics being “See the Snowflakes Falling”. The candle title might help the song stick out more rather than it getting lost in a blizzard of snow songs, and either version works for Littles to sing.
This song has a simple melody, but it has a nice feel to it. I think the plaintive, innocent quality of the song makes it a lovely addition to repertoire for young singers – whether they are singing about candles or snow. It makes me (almost) wish I had a school Christmas concert to plan and present with a bunch of kids!
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| License | Single User License, Classroom / Studio License, Treble Choir License |
|---|---|
| Context | Choir – Elementary, Choir Repertoire, Classroom Songs, Small Group Class, Vocal Solo, Choir – Unison |
| Topic | Character Trait Education, Community / Togetherness, Holidays, Hope, Reflective, Seasons, Winter, Weather |
| Level | |
| Voicing | |
| Vocal Range | D4 – B4 |
| Duration | |
| Composer | Donna Rhodenizer |
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