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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

Build your Music Theory Skills

Veronica Brandt · February 24, 2018

Coursera Music Theory OUIE, LOUIE, Phantom of the Opera and a Tribute to Henry Mancini are my main memories from Music classes in High School. We did briefly venture into Music Theory – I remember Bohemian Rhapsody employed as an example of different forms of music.

Part of me worries that everyone reading this already understands triads, secondary dominants and passing notes. Nevertheless, if anyone has felt their music background to be rather shaky, here is a free online course that can shore up your erratically collected knowledge and help you move ahead in leaps and bounds.

Fundamentals of Music Theory is a course created by teachers from the Reid School of Music, University of Edinburgh. It is hosted by Cousera, a website with many courses from educational institutes around the world.

The course itself could be taken with no prior knowledge. Reading music is very quickly described, but it quickly moves on. Someone without the ability to read music could struggle to get up to speed that quickly.

There are references to other websites for further practise, but I found taking notes with paper and pencil to be the most effective way to consolidate the new information. And playing around on the piano.

Although not aimed at Sacred or even Classical Music, the course shows how the same rules of harmony underpin all music. Now I feel better equipped to read Mr Ostrowski’s articles here about the relative merits of different harmonizations of hymns and organ accompaniments.

New enrollment periods start every few weeks. Share with your musical friends whose enthusiasm exceeds their theoretical foundations: Fundamentals of Music Theory.

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 Veronica Brandt

Veronica Brandt holds a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering. She lives near Sydney, Australia, with her husband and six children.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    “Glory To God” • (For Choir + Congregation)
    I wish to thank everyone for the nice comments I received vis-à-vis my Glory To God setting for Choir & Congregation. A gentleman with a musical doctorate from Indiana University wrote: “Love this setting so much. And I will pray, as you asked, for your return to composition more fully. You are very very good.” A female choir director wrote: “I love your harmonizations, your musicality, and the wonderful interplay you have with dissonance and consonance in your music. So fun to listen to, and great for intellect, heart, and soul!” A young woman from California wrote: “Thank you for releasing your new Glory To God in honor of Saint Noel Chabanel. I'm enjoying reading through the various parts and listening to your recordings.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    William Byrd • “Mass for Five Voices”
    Our volunteer choir is learning the “Sanctus” from William Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices. You can hear a short excerpt (recorded last Sunday) but please ignore the sound of babies crying: Mp3 recording. We still have work to do—but we’re on the right track. Once we have some of the tuning issues fixed, I desire to use it as an example proving volunteers can sing complicated polyphony.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Baptism” • A Unique Hymn
    Father Christopher Phillips is the founding Pastor of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church. One of his hymns is unique and (in my humble opinion) quite beautiful. His hymn is basically a prayer to the Holy Trinity but also speaks of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. It would be an ideal Communion hymn on Trinity Sunday or the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. You can hear live recording from last Sunday by clicking here.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The Church has always kept, and wishes still to maintain everywhere, the language of her Liturgy; and, before the sad and violent changes of the 16th century, this eloquent and effective symbol of unity of faith and communion of the faithful was, as you know, cherished in England not less than elsewhere. But this has never been regarded by the Holy See as incompatible with the use of popular hymns in the language of each country.”

— Pope Leo XIII (1898)

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