FEEL LIKE I HAVE BEEN PREPARING more for this year’s homeschool chant classes than the last few years put together. My previous post was about preparing flashcards and quizzes. Today my focus is more on the visual art side.
My husband had some posters printed to promote his drawing business at a local agricultural show. Preparing those files for the printers, I thought of all those beautiful photos of illuminated manuscripts now available on the internet under Creative Commons licences.
So, today I have been browsing the libraries, poring over descriptions in French, German and Italian, looking for pieces of music that could be relevant to the class. Here are my favourites for today:
- Einsiedeln, Stiftsbibliothek
- Orselina, Convento della Madonna del Sasso
- Aarau, Aargauer Kantonsbibliothek
All from Switzerland, many, many, many miles away.
The plan is to go through a collection of chant fragments based around the mysteries of the Rosary. Here in Australia we have four school terms:
- Term 1 largely in Lent, – sorrowful mysteries
- Term 2 in Easter/Pentecost, – glorious mysteries
- Term 3 Ordinary Time, – luminous mysteries
- Term 4 leading up to Advent – joyful mysteries
And also planning to ensure everyone knows how to sing Pater Noster, Ave Maria, Gloria Patri and Salve Regina. All in 35 minutes, twice a month. Which is a little ambitious, which brings up the idea of making this available online for eager students.
Next I need some way to present recordings to the class…
