From Plainchant to Polyphony

September is the "rebirth" of organized intellectual persuits in places of learning.
So fitting is it to start our musical exploration into meter, harmony, form, melody and rhythm with plain chant of Medieval times. We listened to plain chant (erroneously called Gregorian Chant), relaxing on the floor as many voices sang as one in a flowing ribbon of sound. Plain chant was the only source of music in the times preceding the Renaissance that has endured. It's unison singing brings calm to the listener, exactly as it was written to do for the monks and nuns who prayed for long spells at a time. Today, yoga instructors have discovered plain chant's calming properties and often use this music in the studio.
Now, the Renaissance is another matter, with music becoming secular and used a great deal in the home. Dancing, too, became a leisure past time. Renaissance men and women would play recorders and hand drums along with lutes. And vocal harmony now became popular, mostly through madrigal groups (groups of 6 voices singing in harmony).
At this age, Renata's class can sing harmony via the round "Oh, How Lovely is the Evening". Susan's class will try a simpler round, and Elaine's class will speak a simple ostinato ( The spider kept on working, until the day was done...) As I read the book, "The Very Busy Spider".

We have begun to learn a Branle from France, a renaissance dance accompanied by recorders and drums. We can only raise our arms so far because renaissance clothing was so heavy.

What the study of renaissance music does is allow these students to see how historical events and thought shape music.

Dancing and Song Fill Spring

This Friday, April 23, Summers-Knoll families will gather to dance, dance, dance! We have rented the commons room at Allen School- in our school neighborhood- and we will begin to dance at 7:05 pm. Our Summers-Knoll students know the dances' forms and basic folk dance terminology. Siblings will be able to participate with an adult. Summers-Knoll students will also participate with an adult. You'll have fun and I promise it won't be too rigorous.
I had the opportunity to spend a day two years ago with Martha Riley, a nationally-known folk dance educator, when she came to Detroit to work with music educators. I quote her when I write " Folk dances provide unique avenues for the development of children's aural skills...Feeling musical phrasing develops naturally through dance...Folk dancing can be highly motivating
because it is a social activity. It encourages cooperation rather than competition because all must work together to make the dance complete and all take credit for its success.
Dancing is more than a set of steps: it is a joyful and natural response to the music! It allows kids the intuitive understanding of the lengthth of a phrase without counting, and the enjoyment of the interaction with other dancers. If we allow children to learn and enjoy music and dance in a natural and stress-free way, they will love both for a lifetime. "