Gregorian Chant for the Teacher, the Choir, and the School

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. While it is, of course, proper to have the whole Mass sung according to the rite of the feast, this rule may be relaxed in the case of a new choir, and the easier settings learned first. When you start your new choir class, don't waste time in trying the voices of the boys. Get as many as you are able to handle easily, and start them all on the first exercises. Boys may be taken as soon as they are able to read. You will soon find out whether you have any one whose ear is deficient, by his not be ing able to follow the tune. You may have some boys who try to sing an octave below. These, and those whose ears seem to be defective, should be taken out of the main class and worked with separately for a time before you finally decide whether you will retain them or not. The choir should have a comfortable practice room one which is used for no other purpose. Besides the seats, coat and hat hooks, book closets, etc., you should have a blackboard and a grand or square piano, which should be always kept in good order. An upright piano is not suitable, because the teacher, when using it, must necessarily turn his back to the class. As Gregorian chant can be sung intelligently from its own notation only, don' t get editions of the chant books ln modern notation. If you do so, you will have to teach your singers to attach to the various signs meanings which do not belong to them, and when you come to the stu modern music, all this work will have to be undone. Don't send your new choir into the church before it is properly the work expected of it. The time required for the preliminary tra course, depend a great deal upon the quality of your raw material.