Hepplewhite, Russell: The History Express
£15.95
Words by Helen Eastman
10 songs for primary schools and youth choirs
History – naturally – Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths … and Music! There is a lot packed into this brilliant selection of catchy songs by Russell Hepplewhite with words by Helen Eastman.
These entertaining pieces will be great fun for school and youth choirs to learn and perform. The texts cover a wide range of topics that not only feature in the History syllabus for Key Stage 2 (Romans, Vikings) and Key Stage 3 (World War Two, the Industrial Revolution, the Enlightenment, the Wars of the Roses, and the Peasants’ Revolt), but which will also be of interest for science and nature lovers (the World Wide Web, Dinosaurs and the Big Bang!).
This book includes short notes on the lyrics, ideal for introducing the songs in concerts and school assemblies, downloadable backing tracks for rehearsal or performance, and an appendix with suggestions for group and class discussion.
Each individual song is also available as a separate download resource, sold with a licence to print copies of the full music, melody sheet and lyric sheet for use by your choir, plus access to melody teaching tracks.
“How wonderfully well-crafted the songs are. Such a good fit for schoolchildren, engaging them musically and actively developing good choral technique. I’ll be looking to use them!”
Simon Toyne
Executive Director of Music, David Ross Education Trust (DRET)
SONGS
1 The Invention of the World Wide Web
2 World War Two
3 Industrial Revolution
4 The Enlightenment
5 The Wars of the Roses
6 The Peasants’ Revolt
7 The Vikings
8 The Romans
9 Dinosaurs
10 The Big Bang
These piano backing tracks – for learning or performing each song in the collection – can be downloaded from the links below. Direct access to these files from your smartphone or tablet camera is also available via the QR codes printed at the top of each score.
PIANO BACKING TRACKS
1. The Invention of the World Wide Web
2. World War Two
3. Industrial Revolution
4. The Enlightenment
5. The Wars of the Roses
6. The Peasants’ Revolt
7. The Vikings
8. The Romans
9. Dinosaurs
10. The Big Bang
Russell Hepplewhite’s The History Express song cycle for upper voices, with its evocative piano accompaniment, speeds in a train-like way through the history of the world, backwards, starting with the Invention of the World Wide Web, passing through major landmark events and ending with The Big Bang. With words by Helen Eastman that ingeniously capture facts that support the school history syllabus for Key Stages 2 & 3 as well as some scientific topics, the work is also a rich musical journey for young singers to enjoy and includes much skilfully written two-part writing. Hepplewhite’s brilliant text-setting is carried seamlessly by the accompaniment, making it enticing and perfect for those who have never attempted part-singing before. The individual songs are also available as a download resource, sold with a licence to print copies of the full music, melody sheet and lyric sheet, plus melody teaching tracks.
Joy Hill, Choral Music Editor, Choir & Organ Magazine, May 2022