I'd like to both crow about the achievements of my 5th grade Catholic school class and get an idea about what other people are doing:
Got it (they can sing it without me, from memory):
Pater Noster
Ave Maria (the typical setting as found in the Liber Usualis)
Salve Regina (simplex)
Kyrie 8
Sanctus 8
Agnus Dei 8
Agnus Dei 18
Alleluia (just the alleluia and jubilus) from Assumption of BVM.
Almost got it (I have to help them along sometimes):
Salve Regina Solemn Tone Monastic Use
Tantum Ergo (the Corpus Christi melody)
Kyrie 4
Gloria 8
So, as we say in Texas, it ain't braggin if it's true...
By the way, at the beginning of the school year the choir director had a hissy fit when she heard my plans, "Children can't sing that!" Ipso facto...
Also, when they in fact COULD sing it, she assumed I was running some kind of chant cult wherein nothing was done all day but chant. Time spent: 10 minutes a day, at the beginning of their religion class. If that. Sometimes we don't study chant at all for a few days, besides our daily morning prayers.
bgeorge77 - You keep on doing what you ae doing! The so called music director obviously doesn't know a thing about music and kids. My kids over the last 30 years could sing just about anything placed before including the most difficult of classical pieces and chants.
Wow. They can sing Salve Regina Solemn Tone Monastic Use. Our adult schola is learning this these days. It''s a challenging piece for us. (But we love it. So beautiful.)
What a beautiful way to start the religion class. I hope someday all the Catholic children learn to sing chants.
Ken of Sarum: Could you provide some recommendations for things to teach? What chants are beautiful and usable? (By usable I mean that there's no way I am going to be able to be allowed to let them sing propers at the Mass, so what ordinaries, hymns, or common antiphons etc.) They've gone WAY father than I thought they would this year, so I'm kind of running out of ideas.
Hello, bgeorge77. I thought this might interest you and others with a beginning schola and/or children's schola. We get to sing lots of beloved Gregorian chants we learned so far(mostly easy ones) and pray for vocations. We are looking forward to this.
Holy Hour for Vocations and Benediction
with Gregorian Chant
On Feb.21 (Sunday), 12:10 PM
at St. Benedict Church in Baltimore
saintbenedict.org
2612 Wilkens Ave, Baltimore, MD 21223
Chant List for Holy Hour and Benediction
1. Anima Christi (Children sing; during Preparation of the Holy Hour)
2. O Salutaris Hostia (everyone)
Prayer
3. Adoro te devote (children and men)
4. O Panis Dulcissime (children)
5. Ave verum Corpus (women)
6. Jesu Dulcis Memoria (Adults and children)
Scripture Reading
7. Veni Creator Spiritus (children)
8. Ubi caritas (adults & children)
9. Adoramus te Christe (Adults)
Prayer for Vocations
10. Salve Regina (Solemn tone, Adults)
11. Ave Regina caelorum (men)
Scripture Reading
12. Ave Maria (Mode VI, children)
13. Ave Maria (Mode I, children)
Benediction
14. Tantum Ergo (everyone)
Priest: Panem de caelo praestitisti eis
Response (all): Omne delectamentum in se habentem
Thanks, Francis. I hope 'Snowpocalypse' we had this week gives my schola members chance to learn to practice at home. We did 'online class' this week. I also learn to trust my chanters :-)
bgeorge77, The Ave Maria is a responsorium breve from Latin Mass Hymnal which I use for the children's schola. I found this hymnal from this forum.
It says in the hymnal,
this short version of the beloved "Hail Mary' prayer is a combination of the salutation of the Archangel Gabriel and St. Elizabeth's greetings to the Blessed Virgin.
It's very simple and beautiful. (I have the boys and girls sing different verses and sing them together for the refrain.)
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