Arsis and Thesis Handout for My High Schoolers
  • ossian1898ossian1898
    Posts: 142
    It is late, I am fasting, and we had a rough Ash Wednesday sung Mass this evening. I am preparing lesson plans for tomorrows Sacred Music class, which I did not have time for previously. So this is the hand out my students will get tomorrow, since I found the Solesmes language too soupy for high schoolers to handle. It is very basic, and all that I will have time for tomorrow since we have a big vespers service on Friday to practice for.

    I actually plan on taking a ball to class tomorrow. When you see the attachment you'll understand. Live demonstration and all. I hope I am not ruining the children. But maybe this will help someone else here explain a difficult concept to non-musicians.
    arsis explained.pdf
    255K
  • BenB
    Posts: 36
    Do allow me to offer you every encouragement in all of your undertakings, I will pray for your continued perseverance.

    The ancient Greeks used the imagery of waves on the ocean, but that is a little difficult to simulate in a classroom. The ball bouncing provides something tactile and tangible that should hopefully aid in comprehension.
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    This is great! I never thought of AT as ball bouncing. (I usually tell the chanters think of it as ocean wave or draw number 8 side ways. This is much more fun, especially for kids. ) I think kids will love it. In teaching I find sometimes this kind of impromtu kicks off. Thanks for sharing. (Just be careful if you are planning to let kids demonstrate or experimenting it. Especially boys, you know they can become rather goofy.)
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    This will definitely get them thinking! Congratulations.
  • ossian1898ossian1898
    Posts: 142
    Well, I am happy to report that my students ate it up. They were all talking about it, and the concept was easily grasped. I also have a method of teaching neumes that I call the "Neume Song", which I should record for everyone. Essentially we sing the names of the neumes in rhythm and with their functioned attached. It is a lot of fun.

    The boys did get a bit goofy but thats ok. They all understood the concept, which is what is important. We passed the ball around and when we threw without bounce we said "Arsis!" and then when it bounced we said "Thesis!" So it eventually becomes "Arsis! Thesis! Thesis! Arsis! Thesis! Thesis! Thesis! Arsis!" and so on...
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    Neume Song! Can't wait!
  • francis
    Posts: 10,867
    I will exchange my Harmonic Species page for your Neume Song!
  • ossian1898ossian1898
    Posts: 142
    I don't know what a Harmonic Species is..but I will gladly record the Neume Song in audio format next week and post it here on the forums.
  • JDE
    Posts: 588
    Ossian, congratulations! I love this. I will use it with my *adults*, who also need the help. It is an excellent image.
  • JDE
    Posts: 588
    Also eagerly looking forward to hearing (and maybe seeing, hint hint) the Neume Song.

    BTW, who should be the second Patron Saint of Chant?

    Why, St. John Neume-mann, of course . . .
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