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“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Taka… What?

Lucas Tappan · October 13, 2015

LMT Note Chart ODAY I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE briefly about the final of three goals I have for my probationers during our first month of rehearsals, teaching rhythm.

It is easy to teach a child what a quarter note is and that it receives 1 beat, and even how to clap four quarter notes in a measure. The same generally goes for half notes and whole notes. However, I have found that the trouble with reading rhythms began when I asked probationers to clap any kind of syncopation. I tried teaching new students to read rhythms using the traditional counting of the beat method (1, 2, 3, 4), but students struggled with the concept that in music the beat began at 1, not zero, which meant that a note that received one-and-a-half beats ended on the “and” of two, instead of one. They also struggled to speak the beat while clapping rhythms that didn’t even fall on the beat (they wanted to clap on every beat as well as where the rhythm dictated).

Some time ago, I switched to teaching Kodaly based rhythm syllables, which worked well up to a point. This year, with the help of our new music teacher, we switched to Takadimi (click here for a clear and succinct guide to Takadimi), which has been working incredibly well. Takadimi allows the child to focus entirely on speaking the rhythm he is clapping, instead of doing two things at once (speaking the beat on top of clapping the rhythm). Later on, once children have achieved rhythmic fluency, it it much easier to teach them to speak the beat at the same time as clapping the rhythm. Kids love this, too!

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Lucas Tappan

Dr. Lucas Tappan is a conductor and organist whose specialty is working with children. He lives in Kansas with his wife and four children.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

Alabama Assessment!

We received this evaluation of Symposium 2022 from an Alabama participant:

“Oh, how the Symposium echoed the words of Cardinal Merry Del Val: …choosing only what is most conformed to Thy glory, which is my final aim. In one short and fast paced week, the faculty and attendees showed me the hand of God and our Lady working in our lives. The wide range of education—from Gregorian Chant, jazz modes in organ improvisation, to ‘staying sane’ while leading a choir—were certainly first-class knowledge from the best teachers of the art. However, the most powerful lesson was learning how to pray as a choir. The sacrifice of putting songs together, taking time to learn the sacred text, meditating on the church teaching through the chants, and gaining the virtues required to persevere in these duties were not only qualities of a choir but of a saint. The sanctification of the lives of the attendees was a beautiful outcome of this event … and that in itself is worth more than a beautifully-sung Solesmes style chant!”

—Jeff Ostrowski
PDF Download • Trinity Sunday (22 pages)

Feel free to download this Organ Accompaniment Booklet for Trinity Sunday (Second Vespers). Notice how the modes progress by number. Psalm 1 is mode 1; Psalm 2 is mode 2; Psalm 3 is mode 3; Psalm 4 is mode 4; Psalm 5 is mode 5. I am told by an expert that other feasts (such as Corpus Christi) are likewise organized by mode, and it’s called a “numerical office.”

—Jeff Ostrowski
10 June 2022 • “Official” rhythm of plainsong

I continue to search for the most beautiful way to present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores. (Technically, the “pure” rhythm of the official edition is what everyone is supposed to use.) You can download my latest attempt, which is the Introit for this coming Sunday: Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Because this is not an ancient feast, the Introit had to be adapted (perhaps around 750AD). Prior Johner says the adaptation is “not an entirely happy one.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“I left music college swearing never to write another note again … It was during the mid-1980s when esoteric and cerebral avant-garde music was still considered the right kind of music to be writing.”

— James MacMillan

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