Now Is The Hour (Maori Farewell Song): E-Z Play Today

This arrangement captures a melody with genuine cross-cultural resonance and historical weight. The two-page format keeps the learning curve manageable while preserving the song's reflective character, making it accessible for pianists building their standards repertoire.

There's a wistful quality to this Maori farewell song that Crosby's recording helped popularize in Western contexts. The melody carries both warmth and melancholy, inviting performers to find the emotional center between sentimentality and genuine depth.

This works well for pianists exploring the American songbook and for those preparing accompaniments for singers. Students developing familiarity with Crosby's era and style will find this piece both historically grounded and musically rewarding.

• Let the melody breathe. This farewell song benefits from space between phrases rather than rushing through the text.
• Balance accompaniment texture so it supports rather than overwhelms the vocal line when playing with a singer.
• Pay attention to rubato opportunities in the bridge. The song's emotional arc often calls for slight tempo flexibility.

Pair this with other standards from the mid-20th century for a concert segment exploring American popular music's global influences. It also works as a meaningful closing piece for a program focusing on cultural exchange through song.

• Reading lead sheet notation and chord symbols
• Accompanying a vocal line with sensitive harmonic support
• Interpreting rubato within a structured melodic framework
• Understanding the historical context of cross-cultural song arrangements