Mason Blake
Do-Re-Mi is a song from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. It is a teaching song, sung by Maria to teach the solfège of the major musical scale to the Von Trapp children, who have just been introduced to yet another governess and claim there is no music in the house. The song's lyrics are a mnemonic device that uses English homophones (or near-homophones) to help recall the notes of the musical scale. Within the story, Maria assigns each child a musical tone, and by the end of the song, they have all been won over.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type | Show tune |
| Year | 1959 |
| Creators | Rodgers and Hammerstein |
| Musical | The Sound of Music |
| Lyrics | Each syllable of the musical solfège system appears in the song's lyrics, sung on the pitch it names |
| Lyrics (example) | Doe, a deer, a female deer |
| Lyrics (example) | Ray, a drop of golden sun |
| Lyrics (example) | Me, a name I call myself |
| Purpose | Teaching song to teach the basics of pitch and melody |
| Purpose | Used by Maria, the governess, to teach the solfège of the major musical scale to the Von Trapp children |
| Premiere | 2 March 1965, New York City |
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What You'll Learn
'Do-Re-Mi' is a teaching song
"Do-Re-Mi" is a teaching song from the 1959 musical "The Sound of Music" by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Within the story, the character Maria, a governess, uses the song to teach the solfège of the major musical scale to the Von Trapp children, who learn to sing for the first time. The song's lyrics are a mnemonic device that helps recall and audiate (mentally hear) the notes.
The song begins with Maria singing the notes of the solfège scale: "Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do". She then teaches the children the solfège syllables by linking them with English homophones or near-homophones: "Doe, a deer, a female deer", "Ray, a drop of golden sun", "Me, a name I call myself", and so on. This helps the children to remember the notes and sing along.
In the stage version, Maria sings the song in the living room of Captain von Trapp's house shortly after she introduces herself to the children. However, in the 1965 film adaptation, the song was moved to later in the story. In the film, Maria and the children sing it over a montage as they wander through Salzburg. This version of the song peaked at #1 in the Philippines and #88 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of the top tunes in American cinema in 2004.
The song is a memorable part of American pop culture and has become synonymous with teaching beginners the basics of pitch and melody.
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Each syllable of the musical solfège system appears in the lyrics
"Do-Re-Mi" is a song from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The Sound of Music. It is a teaching song, sung by Maria, who uses it to teach the solfège of the major musical scale to the Von Trapp children. Maria begins by introducing the notes of the scale: "Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti".
The song's lyrics are a mnemonic device, using English homophones (or near-homophones) to help recall the notes of the scale. For example, "Doe, a deer, a female deer" teaches the first solfège syllable, "Do". Each syllable of the musical solfège system appears in the lyrics, sung on the pitch it names.
The lyrics continue in this vein, with each note of the scale represented by a word or phrase: "Ray, a drop of golden sun", "Me, a name I call myself", "Far, a long, long way to run", "Sew, a needle pulling thread", "La, a note to follow Sew", "Tea, a drink with jam and bread", and finally returning to "Do".
The song is used to great effect in the film, where Maria and the children sing it over a montage as they wander through Salzburg. It is a memorable and catchy tune that has become a classic, and its lyrics are a fun and effective way to teach the basics of pitch and melody to beginners.
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The song was used to teach the Von Trapp children to sing
"Do-Re-Mi" is a song from the musical "The Sound of Music" by Rodgers and Hammerstein. The song was used by the character Maria, the governess, to teach the solfège of the major musical scale to the Von Trapp children. Maria's goal was to introduce the children to singing and to teach them the basics of pitch and melody. In the song, each syllable of the musical solfège system is sung on the pitch it names, with the lyrics serving as a mnemonic device to help recall the notes.
Within the context of the story, the children initially express reluctance towards Maria, who is just another governess to them. However, Maria persists, and by the end of the song, she has won them over with her teaching and enthusiasm for singing. This scene highlights Maria's ability to connect with the children and foster a love of music within them.
The lyrics of "Do-Re-Mi" creatively link the solfège syllables with English homophones or near-homophones. For example, "Doe: a deer, a female deer" alludes to the first solfège syllable, "Do." This approach makes the lesson more engaging and memorable for the children. The lyrics also emphasize the importance of starting with the basics, as Maria sings, "Let's start at the very beginning/A very good place to start/When you read you begin with A-B-C/When you sing you begin with do-re-mi."
The song serves as a teaching moment in the musical, not only instructing the Von Trapp children in the fundamentals of music but also showcasing Maria's ability to engage and educate her young charges. The scene has become iconic, with the song "Do-Re-Mi" recognized as one of the most memorable in American pop culture. The combination of catchy lyrics, memorable melodies, and Maria's enthusiastic teaching style makes "Do-Re-Mi" a beloved and enduring part of "The Sound of Music."
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The lyrics teach the solfège syllables by linking them with English homophones
"Do-Re-Mi" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The Sound of Music. The song is used by the governess Maria to teach the solfège of the major musical scale to the Von Trapp children, who learn to sing for the first time. Maria sings the song in the living room of Captain Von Trapp's house shortly after she introduces herself to the children.
The song concludes with the line, "When you know the notes to sing, you can sing most anything". This captures the purpose of the solfège system, which is a mnemonic used to teach aural skills, pitch, and sight-reading of Western music. Each syllable of the solfège system is assigned to a note of the scale, helping musicians to audiate or mentally hear the pitches of a piece of music, often for the purpose of singing them aloud.
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The film version of the musical premiered in 1965
"Do-Re-Mi" is a song from the musical "The Sound of Music" by Rodgers and Hammerstein. It was first performed in 1959, and the film version of the musical premiered in New York City on March 2, 1965.
In the film, "Do-Re-Mi" is sung by Maria (played by Julie Andrews) and the Von Trapp children as they wander and frolic over Salzburg. The song is used to teach the children the solfège of the major musical scale, with each syllable of the musical solfège system appearing in the song's lyrics, sung on the pitch it names.
The lyrics of "Do-Re-Mi" teach the solfège syllables by linking them with English homophones or near-homophones. For example, "Doe: a deer, a female deer" alludes to the first solfège syllable, "do." The song also includes "Ray: a drop of golden sun," "Me: a name I call myself," and "La: a note to follow Sew," among other creative lyric associations.
The film version of "Do-Re-Mi" differs from the original stage version in terms of placement within the story. In the stage version, Maria sings the song in the living room of Captain von Trapp's house shortly after meeting the children. However, in the 1965 film adaptation, screenwriter Ernest Lehman moved the song to later in the story. This version of the song begins with a picnic in the hills and then transitions to a montage of Maria and the children exploring Salzburg.
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Frequently asked questions
'Do-Re-Mi' is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical 'The Sound of Music'. It is a teaching song sung by Maria to teach the solfège of the major musical scale to the Von Trapp children.
The lyrics to 'Do-Re-Mi' are as follows:
Doe, a deer, a female deer. Ray, a drop of golden sun. Me, a name I call myself. Far, a long, long way to run. Sew, a needle pulling thread, La, a note to follow sew, Tea, a drink with jam and bread! That will bring us back to do oh-oh-oh!
The notes of the major musical scale, as taught in 'Do-Re-Mi', are: Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti.
'Do-Re-Mi' is used by Maria, the governess, to teach the Von Trapp children how to sing. At the beginning of the song, the children tell Maria that there is no music in the house, but by the end of the song, they have all been won over and are singing along.
'Do-Re-Mi' was written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, with input from long-time arranger Trude Rittmann and choreographer Joe Layton.
