Question regarding Words with Wings
  • ElizabethS
    Posts: 47
    Apologies if this question has already been asked, or if this is a stupid question to ask in the first place. :)

    I recently started using Words with Wings with my children's choir, and although, in looking through the book, I'm pretty confident in being able to teach almost all of it, there's one thing hanging me up, and that's the wavy lines introduced in Lesson 6. I gather that it has to do with the movement of chant, and that I should actually be having the kids do some physical movements to the wavy lines...but what exactly, I don't know. Can anyone help me at all? I have to teach this lesson fairly soon so I'd like to know what I'm doing. :)
  • marajoymarajoy
    Posts: 781
    oh come on... I know that SOMEBODY on here can answer this better than I can! (I suspect you're not getting answers b/c the question has less to do with Words With Wings and more to do with the actual method of conducting/learning chant.)

    It has to do with the rhythm? Like, something involving waving your arms in the groups of two's and three's... (As you can tell, I am neither very familiar with this method/style of chant, nor particularly like it.)

    Bumping this so hopefully someone else will chime in and possibly be able to direct you to some sort of resource where you can learn more about it...
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    Awhile ago there was a short video clip of Scott Turkington explainging this 'wavy movement'. I can't find it. If someone can post the link, it will be a big help.
  • Andrew Motyka
    Posts: 944
    It's called chironomy, and it has to do with marking the ictus. The trick is not to think of the ictus as a "beat," but as an organizational concept. I believe in WwW it is conceptualized as a "lift" in the sound.
  • AOZ
    Posts: 369
    That is precisely right. WwW, however, never gets into the ictus and the theory behind it, so I can see how this is a bit confusing. Where ever there is an ictus, there is an upward motion or wave. Depending on the musical phrase itself, it may be an arsic movement or a thetic movement. Hard to explain here. Back when I was translating and working on this book, I questioned the inclusion of the wavy lines because their origin is a little complicated. I would say that the best thing to do is to look where the movements are, and even more fundamental than that...keep moving. The idea is that the children learn about a musical flow that doesn't plunk down; and that they learn to feel the music and its movement. Does this help at all?
    Thanked by 4Jenny ElizabethS noel jones, aago bonniebede
  • ElizabethS
    Posts: 47
    Thanks for the comments, everyone. I think I get the basic idea - will just try and practice a bit more before moving on to that lesson. The book is working perfectly so far, by the way. Some of the kids in my choir are already finding themselves able to sight-read things like Adoro te devote. It's wonderful!
  • bonniebede
    Posts: 756
    Elizabeth, what age are you working with? I just got WwWand it looks quite difficult to me, whereas the Ward books seem much more basic. I am thinking of working with 6 yr olds. would be interested to know what age you are working with. Thanks
Add a Comment