“Muchas Gracias” is a perfect ‘social song’ for elementary-age children’s voices or youth ensembles looking for a unison piece (or canon) to use in rehearsals, performances, on tours or in other contexts of the group’s life together.

NOTE: If this piece is performed with just piano, it is recommended to skip m. 57-65.

Composer’s Notes

This song emerged from a time when I heard students sing a greeting song in many languages. I thought it was the proper tool to begin a music class. I greatly enjoyed listening to the children thank me for my work with them. They did it with modesty and spontaneity. This is how the piece came to me. It seems to me that it is always useful to teach good manners, but this is also a way to thank them for the beautiful experiences they provided to me during my stay in Worthington in September 2010.

The music is also modest, with some references to a polka and a fox trot.

– Jesús Echevarría

NOTE: If this piece is performed with just piano, it is recommended to skip m. 57-65.

Text

Muchas gracias
Gracias tenga usted
Muchas gracias
Tengas tú también.
Es bonito agradecer
Si recibes algún bien
Con esta sencilla frase
Muchas gracias tenga usted
¿Y cómo contestaré
Si las gracias me da usted?
Dices de nada, dices de nada
Muchas gracias tenga usted.

—Jesús Echevarría

Many thanks
Thanks to you
Many thanks
Thanks to you, too.
It is nice to be grateful
When you receive something good
With this simple phrase
Many thanks to you.
And how should I respond
To the thanks you give to me?
By saying: you’re welcome, you’re welcome
Many thanks to you.

—Translation by Katie Villaseñor

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