Thoughtful music educators are agreed as to the importance of stressing the Humanities in education in our present scientifically minded age. Music has much to contribute toward keeping the Humanities in proper perspective and, in the areas of music education, the field of choral music can be particularly valuable. By giving some thought to his repertoire, the choral director can broaden the education of [their] singers in a number of ways.
1. Relationships to Literature. The rich repertoire of choral music offers many opportunities for implementing the thoughts of great [minds] men of literature. The poems of Shakespeare, Milton, Whitman, Tennyson and a host of other great poets are at hand. The great literature
of the Bible in the Psalms, settings of Isaiah and the other prophets are available. The declarations of noted statesmen have been set to music, such as the “Testament of Freedom” by Randall Thompson, whose text is from Thomas Jefferson. Countless other examples exist for the chorus and director.
2. Relationships to Language. This is a time when choral directors can profitably include choral works in languages other than English a practice which makes the student more aware of the humanities as well as contributing to the field of language study – an important area for all Americans.
3. Historic Associations: Numerous familiar pieces of music need to be re-evaluated in terms of historical significance. Read More . . .
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