First Lady Michelle Obama joins the cast of Disney's "The Lion King" onstage after their performance at the Kids' State Dinner in the East Room of the White House, July 18, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)
By The White House from Washington, DC - P071814LJ-0563, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47234772
I Just Can’t Wait to be King Elton John Initial ABRSM 2023 – 2024
Character/story of the piece – this piece will no doubt be very well known to many players and the words have been printed on the music that they can use. Being able to sing along as they play will be particularly beneficial. There is a danger though that the player may not read the music as thoroughly as they ought to, as they may rely on their aural memory rather than checking that what they are playing is what is written on the music. If the player is unfamiliar with “The Lion King” it would be helpful if they become acquainted with the story and perhaps some of the other music from the musical.
Form – this is clearly defined; there are two verses followed by a chorus. The player must play the repeat of the verse in the examination. The piece is in C major, and it remains in this key throughout although there are some lovely harmonic progressions in the music where an E flat is used.
Main part of the music – this should occur at the end of the piece in the final bar. The final chords should be played fortissimo. The player will need to have a dynamic structure in mind, so knowing where the loudest of each section is an important consideration.
Phrasing – again, this is clearly defined considering that the piece is a song. There are two phrases in the verse sections, and the final chorus section is lengthened by the addition of a phrase, thus making it three phrases in total. All the phrases in the verse sections commence with a one-beat upbeat, however the chorus section commences with a two-beat upbeat which provides a sense of urgency and energy to the music.
Tempo, time signature and rhythmic patterns – a beat of 160 crotchet beats per minute is an appropriate speed for this piece. It would be advisable for the player to play the music on a consistent basis with the metronome so that it doesn’t become too fast. In addition to this, playing the music with the metronome will help the player understand how the rhythm works in bars such as bar 6 and 7. When playing with the metronome, the player must feel the beat that is tied, and this beat should be felt when playing without the metronome. The listener must be aware that the music commences with an upbeat; there should be no accent on the first notes of the phrases. The player must always count in observing the upbeat. Apart from the tied sets of quavers, such as those in bars 6 and 7, there are no rhythmic patterns which should cause any concern. The use of syncopation is an aspect that will most probably be new for the player. The player must compare the rhythm of bar 8 with that of bar 16.
Touch/articulation – the player can provide contrast in the music by altering the touch between the verse and chorus sections. In the verse sections the player should use a cantabile touch which will help in projecting the melody. The first accent of the piece is used at the end of the second verse; this accent when played, should be thought of in relation to the context of the melody of the verse. This accent should be persuasive rather than percussive. As a contrast, the player’s touch should be a little more intense in the chorus section. Here, the accents could have a percussive character however the player must guard against any harshness or stridency. Although there are slur marks in the chorus section, one assumes that these should be present in the verse sections too.
By Clément Bardot - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40023045
Balance between the hands – wherever both hands are playing together the balance is to the R.H. However, in this piece the player must consider how the melody moves from one hand to the next so that the listener is unaware as to which hand is playing at any given time. Another concern for the player is how the melody moves from single notes to being played with an accompaniment. On these occasions the player must ensure that the dynamics do not suddenly increase as a result. In a few instances the hands must merge together, such as in bar 8.
Dynamics – a large range of dynamics can be employed when playing this piece. The verses to a certain extent sound personal and reflective and the dynamics should reflect this. When the verse is played for the second time, the player should use quieter dynamics in comparison with the first playing. This will mean that there will be more contrast dynamically in the playing of the chorus with its louder dynamics.
Rubato – if possible, a small amount of rubato applied in the second section is appropriate however it should be kept to a minimum. It is advisable to not introduce any rubato in the first verse section, and the chorus section must have energy and momentum and any rubato used will counteract this.
Considerations when playing this piece –
The player must consider how the upbeat contributes to the character of the music.
Most of the melody is played in single notes; there is a danger that these melodic lines ‘lose their way’, so a definite sense of the beat must be portrayed.
Tone-matching is a necessary skill when playing this piece. The repeated melodic notes add another layer of complexity to this issue.
Keeping the legato, for example in bars 7 and 8.
There is danger that the chords may split when played.
The rests must be strictly observed; a player could inadvertently hold one hand or the other in bars such as bars 1 and 2. If one hand is held whilst the other is playing the melody will be obscured.
Even though the verse sections are legato and cantabile in style, this piece must convey a degree of jauntiness and vitality at all levels of dynamics.
There are some notes that may not be held for their full value. For example, the R.H. semibreve in bar 19.
There is quite a lot of detail in this piece which isn’t completely apparent on first playing.
The player must observe the final crotchet rests by holding their hands suspended over the keys before placing them back in their laps.
Compare the timing between bars 8 and 16.
The quaver patterns could ‘pop’ out of the melody.
The highest note of a melodic pattern does not necessarily need to be the loudest.
The use of gestures in the chorus section.