A culmination is a song form I have used for children's songs. After each song verse a unqiue melody is played in response. In the last verse of the song all the individual melodies are played at one. This is the culmination. It produces a blissful chaos. I expand on this in the What is a Culmination audio file at the bottom of this page.
Three examples follow: Aria Day Song Lady Bug If I was a Cricket
There was a little bird who sang to me
Sang to me when I woke in the morning
Was a little bird who sang to me
He sang to me….
Aria Aria wake up and smile
[Bird Theme]
There was a pretty momma who sang to me
Sang to me every day and every night
Was a pretty momma who sang to me
Sang to me….
Aria Aria such a pretty, pretty girl
[Pretty Theme]
There was a silly daddy who sang to me
He sang to me as he held me up high
Was a silly daddy who sang to me
He sang to me….
Aria, Aria such a silly little girl
[Silly Theme]
There was a sweet Nona who sang to me
She sang to me whenever she would visit
Was a sweet Nona who sang to me
She sang to me…
Aria, Aria, such a sweet, sweet girl
[Sweet Theme]
There was a happy poppa who sang to me
He sang to me as he plucked his guitar
Was a happy poppa who sang to me
He sang to me…
Aria, Aria such a happy, happy girl
[Happy Theme]
The moon out my window shines down on me
Shines down on me at the end of the day
The moon out my window shines down on me
As if to say….
Aria, Aria sleep and sweet dreams
If I was a cricket I’d run through the grass
Run through the grass hop so fast
Till I found a shady little spot
Shady little spot Not too hot
With a little puddle of H2O H2O
Make my garden grow
Moon at night shines up above
Up above the cricket love
[Musical Theme 1]
If I was a furry little squirrel
Furry little squirrel tail with a curl
I'd go running through the woods
Through the woods to find the goods
Till I found a nut or two
A nut or two to get me through
I can’t tell you where I hide it
Where i hide it cause its deep inside it
[Musical Theme 2 (listen for the nuts)]
If I was a bird in the sky
Bird in the sky fly so high
I’d go looking for a twig
For a twig not too bog
I would build a pretty little nest
A pretty little nest to get my rest
Till I lay the chicks in the eggs
Chicks in the eggs till they hatch and beg
[Musical Theme 3(listen for the chirping)]
Some day like a cricket ill run through the grass
Run through the grass hop so fast
Like a squirrel go limb to limb
Limb to limb in an outdoor gym
I’m not a bird so I won’t fly
I won’t fly in the sky
But I can fly on a different wing
Different wing by imagining
[Culmination Theme]
Now I’m a little baby and I pop and I peep
Pop and I peep then back to sleep
When I’m hungry I find my mom
Find my mom she makes me calm
When I’m fussy I rock on a lap
Rock on a lap until I nap
When I’m happy I coo and I cah
Coo and I cah like ma and da
[Repeat Intro]
What is a Culmination?
My explanation of the Culmination musical form using Aria Day Song as an example.
