MUSIC 273 - CHANTING
(1  Credit Hour)
 

WEDNESDAY, 2-2:50 PM
Dr. Paul Weber, #107
Mauney Music Building, Room 103
Phone:  328-7149

CATALOG DESCRIPTION:  A study of plainsong and its place in worship today.  Students will sing liturgical examples from various systems of chant (i.e., Gregorian, Anglican, Gelineau), as well as prepare intoned material from contemporary worship orders.  The course will deal with basic elements of vocal production and projection on a group level.  The role of the cantor will be highlighted.  One credit.  (Spring 2001, Alternate years)

COURSE OBJECTIVES:   At the completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1) describe the history and role of the cantor.

2) differentiate between various approaches to western chant.

3) appreciate the complexity, musical line, and beauty of Gregorian chant.

4) appreciate the psalms as an integral musical element in Christian worship.

5) participate in ensemble singing using pure vowels and proper vocal technique.

6) render a solo chant.

7) become more proficient in leading the congregation's song.

TEXTS:
Ford, Paul F.  By Flowing Waters:  Chant for the Liturgy.  Collegeville:  The Liturgical Press, 1999.

Leading the Church's Song.  Minneapolis:  Augsburg Fortress, 1998.

The Psalter:  Psalms and Canticles for Singing.  Louisville:  Westminster Press, 1993.

Westermeyer, Paul.  The Church Musician.  Revised Edition.  Minneapolis:  Augsburg Fortress, 1997.

ATTENDANCE:  Due to the performance nature of this course, attendance is mandatory.  The final grade will be lowered by 5 points for each absence.

ASSIGNMENTS:   Students are to complete assignments in a timely fashion. 

PERFORMANCES:  The course involves both class and individual performance.  The final will feature repertoire performed by individual class members as well as the whole class.  During the  semester, the instructor may ask individuals to demonstrate a musical selection or correct elements of musical presentation.  Such one on one teaching is not to be interpreted as negative criticism of the student.  Students should bring By Flowing Waters and The Psalter to each class.  

EVALUATION:  Evaluation will be based on class participation, quizzes, time spent in the library on assignments, performance in a chapel service and a final performance.   

GRADING:  The semester grade will be calculated in this manner:

                                    Class participation:             50%
                                    Quizzes:                             20%
                                    Library Listening:              10%
                                    Final Performance:             20%

Failure to complete any of the components above will result in a grade of "F" for the course.

January 10:
Syllabus; Cantus and Cantor
Reading:  Westermeyer, pp. 5-71

January 17:
quiz on Westermeyer
Lecture:  The Cantor and the People's Song
Reading:  The Church's Song, pp. 3-25

January 24:
Quiz: The Church's Song; Fundamentals of Chant (speech rhythm; rhythmical groupings; ictus; arsis-thesis)
Listening:  Chant CD (on reserve)

January 31:
Gregorian Chant; basic notational skills (neume; 4-line staff; clefs; early system of notation; Church Latin)
Reading:  The Church's Song, pp. 27-35; Key Words, pp. 59-63
Study:  Church Latin Pronunciation, Key Words, pp. 166-170

February 7:
Quiz: pronunciation of Church Latin; Gregorian Chant (continued) (modes; psalm tones; basic vocal skills
Reading:  Key Words, pp. 314-317, pp. 82-84
Pointing:  Prepare a Latin/English psalm using one of the psalm tones.

February 14:
Gregorian Chant (continued) (hymns; chironomy)  Practice conducting an assigned chant.

February 22:
Anglican and Orthodox Chant
Reading:  Key Words, pp. 56-59
Listening:  Anglican and Orthodox Chant 

*February 28:  Singing Psalm 51 for Ash Wednesday Chapel

February 28:
Gelineau Psalmody
Listening:  Gelineau

March 14:
NO CLASS

March 21:
The Chants of Taize
Reading:  Forward, Music from Taize, Volume I
Listening:  Taize

March 28:
Ionian Psalter; other contemporary systems of psalmody 
Reading:  Handbells in the Liturgical Service (Folkening)

April 11:
Handbells and Chant

*April 18:
Singing for Chapel Easter Eucharist with Chapel Choir

April 18:
LBW/WOV: Chant Repertoire; Training Cantors

April 25:
The Cantor/Leader in Hispanic, African, and Asian Song
Reading & Listening:  Leading the ChurchÕs Song, pp. 97-140

 **TBA:
Individual Tutoring & Class Practice for Final Performance

May 2:
Performance Final (sung prayer office) at location TBA

RESERVE LIST FOR CHANTING, MUS 20995 (WEBER)

Please put on reserve in music building library.  Thank you

Willi Apel.  Gregorian Chant.  ML 3082.A6 G7

Carl Schalk.  Key Words in Church Music  ML 102.C5 K5 copy 2

David Hiley.  Western Plainchant:  a Handbook  ML 3082 .H54 1993

REC 1100:  Twenty-four psalms and a canticle according to the psalmody of Joseph Gelineau

REC 3018:  The Psalms of David, Vol. 3 (Record)

REC 3866:  The Psalms of David, Vol. 3 (CD)

 John Folkening.  Handbells in the Liturgical Service (Personal Copy)

CD:  Chant, The Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo De Silos (Personal Copy)

CD:  Chant and Spirituality (Personal Copy)

Music:  Gregorian Chant (Personal Copy)

Tape:  Ecclesiastical Byzantine Hymns (Personal Copy)

Jacques Berthier.  Music From Taize (Personal Copy)