The Level III course on Modes currently stands as the “top” module of an online course designed to nurture a mature understanding of chant singing through a judicious mixture of private reading/practical reflection and a weekly online class. The practical elements of the course vary from finding appropriate texts that illustrate a particular convention to reading a small, well-chosen selection of essays and books. The tutor’s pointing out what to read and when in Willi Apel’s book on chant opened up this book to me in completely new ways, in particular giving me insights into the earliest development of western chant. Cantillation, something I had hardly considered, was a really valuable  tool - in fact the course gave me a number of ways of looking at chant with more confidence and a deeper historical understanding. As we discussed, Apel’s work - and Angela’s explanation of the development of tracts - has allowed me to approach more complex chant pieces than I would normally have looked at as a (largely) solo singer. 

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"Underpinning, I think, all your teaching is the idea that the words are no mere adjunct to the glorious melodies, but that the voice of the Church expresses in both words and melody important aspects of prayer.This is a key message, and allows the students to explore texts at a very deep level. 

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"In terms of teaching materials produced by Angela as the course tutor, these were of highest quality: relevant, interesting and in their own way fun - the weekly practice of repeated singing of phrases particular to modes or pairs of modes comes back to me whenever I am preparing a piece for singing in a liturgical context and has since stopped me from getting stuck in a difficult piece. The small group worked together well, and materials for performance were introduced without any pressure. 

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"It was interesting to note that when we met together (on line), conversation varied from theory and practice within the chant to broader consideration of choir management, pastors’ motivation. The conversation was stimulating and engaging, and any part of the tutorial input meant that any straying from the agenda was well supervised and kindly brought back to the matter in hand. 

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"Angela, your sureness with your subject and your concern for all of us in your small class meant that, to paraphrase an educational term ‘no cantor was left behind.’ I’d say thank you for your clarity of expression, your openness to other people’s ideas and for your deep scholarship, all of which have had a profound influence on me. Ad multos annos.”

 

Nick Swarbick, MA,  SFHEA

Affiliate Tutor, School of Education,Oxford Brookes University

& co-host of The Liturgical Looking Glass, Radio Maria

England

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