Children and Chant

Comments

1. John Howell says

   July 10, 2011 at 5:28 pm

   Philip:  Doesn’t surprise me a bit.  My wife had her youth choir (Episcopal, not Roman Catholic) singing chant on occasion–from chant notation no less–as I do my college singers.  It takes about 10 minutes to learn to read the notation.  It’s just important not to suggest that it’s difficult!

    

   Chant, as I was thinking as I listened to the clip, was composed, but it was composed so that basically anyone could sing it decently and effectively.  In that it is much like the folk songs that have proven their staying power.  And it’s worth noting that like Luther, Vatican II did not forbid the use of Latin, just recommended that the texts be understandable to congregations.  (One assumes that God has no problems with “foreign” languages!)

    

   Both my wife and I prefer a more text-oriented approach to chant rather than the equal-notes approach, but children sound beautiful singing just about ANYTHING!

    

   All the best,

   John

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