(MUSIC)
In his art workshop, Mr. Barry Stebbing recommended listening to beautiful classical
music while drawing or painting. For that reason and because we love music, we have
inserted the Music Section here. I have also seen improvement in young children trying
to learn their vowel sounds who first learned their shaped note scale matching pitch with
the teacher. It's good ear training! And remember, hymns are great for young readers;
hyphens are used between the syllables of words and many of the songs are memorized
before a child can actually read them; the rhyming lines and music are helpful, too!
Hymns also make excellent copywork material; it's just poetry set to music.

Sometimes one verse to a particular hymn will be especially meaningful to your family.
My family enjoys singing hymns together. One of our favorites is "The Love of God."
The third verse is particularly meaningful; it reads as follows:

"Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made,
Were ev'ry stalk on earth a quill, And ev'ry man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry,
Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Tho' stretched from sky to sky."
Chorus: "O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure, The saints' and angels' song."

Colossians 3:16, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all
wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

So SING! Learn the 7 shaped notes (do, re, mi...); learn to sing harmony.
Read online articles about Solfege at http://www.amblesideonline.org/Solfa.shtml.
Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shape_note for 4 vs. 7 shape comparison.

Learn more about Sacred Harp with its 4 shapes, at http://www.fasola.org/.
Print a two page introduction at http://www.publica.com/beginnersheet.pdf.
For more history see http://www.nchgs.org/traditions/sharpnote/. Hear a variety
of Sacred Harp selections from singings across America on links from
http://www.pilgrimproduction.org/sacredharp1.html. Also see information about a video
at http://awakemysoul.com/. We recently ordered and received this DVD and were
delighted with how well it was done. It was filled with history, singers sharing their
experiences, and footage of actual singings. The music is beautiful. BTW, "Sacred Harp"
refers to the instrument God gave - the human voice. We hope to attend another singing soon!

Psalm 66:1,2, "Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Sing forth the
honour of his name: make his praise glorious."

It was recently brought to my attention that some congregations use almost exclusively
praise songs in their worship service; while these can certainly touch our hearts, one mom
expressed concern that her children were growing up without learning the rich hymns she
sang as a child. Our favorite hymnal is now availabe in a new 2nd edition with 625 hymns and
songs in traditional southern-style harmony with the added benefit of shaped notes. Many
original lyrics have been recovered, and sometimes we use the beautiful poetry in these hymns
for copywork and devotionals. One outstanding online feature is a searchable database on
MIDI files to listen to a hymn you want to learn. For information about the new edition of the
Primitive Baptist Hymnal, see http://www.harmonyhillsingingschool.org/pbh/PBHAd.htm.

A timely hymn is "If My People's Hearts Are Humbled" with music by Joseph Haydn.
Go to http://www.harmonyhillsingingschool.org/pbh/PBHAd.htm and type in #232 to
hear the tune. The words paraphrase II Chronicles 7:14 and are as follows:

If my people's hearts are humbled, If they pray and seek my face,
If they turn away from evil, I will not withhold my grace,
I will hear their prayers from heaven; I will pardon ev'ry sin.
If my people's hearts are humbled, I will surely heal their land.

Then my eyes will see their sorrow, Then my ears will hear their plea.
If my people's hearts are humbled, I will set their nation free,
If my people's hearts are humbled, If they pray and seek my face,
If they turn away from evil, I will not withhold my grace.

A beautiful acappella hymn CD directed by Sonny Lowrance is "Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah."
Order from The Baptist Bible Hour, P.O. Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217.

"Triumphal Feast" is another beautiful acappella hymn CD directed by Sonny Lowrance
and Bryce Lowrance. See http://www.harmonyplains.com. Click "Recordings" on the left.

"We Will Glorify the King of Kings" is yet another outstanding acappella CD
with many of the arrangements by Sonny Lowrance. Direct any inquiries to him
in care of Oak Hill Primitive Baptist Church, 11408 FM 1826, Austin, Texas 78737.

Teach young children songs with hand motions; sing songs related to Bible stories; sing
hymns. When helping young singers, point to the hyphenated words in your hymnals.

Ephesians 5:19, 20, "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all
things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;"

Rod and Staff has music (shaped notes and basic theory) workbooks, music "theory"
flashcards, Our Hymnal of Praise, etc. You can call Ph(606) 522-4348 for a catalog or write
Rod and Staff Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 3, Hwy. 172, Crockett, Kentucky 41413-0003

Songs of Our Heritage tape and book is from Bob Jones University. Books about hymn
writers we have enjoyed include 101 Hymn Stories and Favorite Men Hymnwriters.

Favorite CD's or tapes have included Steve Green's "Hide Him in Your Heart" Vol. 1 & 2,
"Kids Classic Hymns," "Songs of Praise," "Go to the Ant" by Judy Rogers, and "Wee Sing
Bible Songs" which includes Books of the Old Testament and of the New Testament.

We enjoyed several of the "Wee Sing" tapes when our children were younger; now we are
getting them back out for our grandchildren. A helpful site that lists the names of the songs
for selected cassette tapes or CD's is http://www.liveandlearn.com/weesingaudio.html.

Listen to and study the music of great composers; our favorites include Bach,
Beethoven, Handel, Mozart, and Vivaldi. Read an excerpt from The Mozart Effect
by Don Campbell at http://www.westmark.pvt.k12.ca.us/music.html.

Juvenile Biographies about great composers by Opal Wheeler are excellent;
many libraries still have them, and some are being reprinted. Like the Childhood
of Famous Americans series, they begin in the composer's childhood. They also
give information about specific works and why or at what time in the composer's
life it was penned. Most, if not all, of these now famous men overcame obstacles
or great hardships to pursue music study and write their masterpieces.

"I know that God has bestowed a talent upon me, and I thank Him for it."- - Haydn

Biographical sketches about Haydn and Bach with links. See
http://www.geocities.com/heartland/grove/6932/wheeler.html.

"The aim and final reason of all music should be nothing else but the glory of God
and the refreshment of the spirit." --Johann Sebastian Bach

Read a biographical sketch of Mozart with many links at
http://www.geocities.com/thephunnyfarm/wheelermozart.html.

Vocabulary to accompany "The Great Musicians Series" by Opal Wheeler
and Sybil Deucher; also has lists of the periods of music. See
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Grove/6932/wheelervocab.html

See Ambleside website for study of composers, folk songs, and hymns at http://www.amblesideonline.org/.

It's challenging and rewarding to learn to play a musical instrument. You might try the
recorder or flutophone, the harmonica, the tin whistle, the fife, the guitar, the violin, the
piano, keyboard, or another instrument. Music books are available for the clarinet, flute,
alto sax, trumpet, or trombone with "play along" CD; it sounds like you're playing with an
"orchestra." It has been fun getting that old clarinet out of the closet from bygone years,
and joining our community band, also. Do try to make good music a part of every day!

My husband coached high school baseball for 27 years. Instead of the familiar quote,
"Practice makes perfect," he often told his players, "Practice makes permanent." How
you practice will greatly affect your performance whether it's in sports, music, penmanship,
or whatever. He also embraced the philosophy that almost everyone has the desire to
win (or do well); what makes the difference is having the desire to PREPARE to win.

"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much:" Luke 16:10a

Our talents and abilities are gifts from the Lord God.
"The talent I have is not mine;
It's on loan from Heaven above -
So I practice and polish and use it,
And offer it back with my love."

1 Corinthians 4:7, "For who maketh thee to differ from another?
and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst
receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?"

James 1:17, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down
from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

Another recommended site from us is Sing 'n Learn: making learning fun with music.
A wide variety of subject matter is available including math, geography, history, science,
literature, KJV scripture songs, The World's Greatest Stories, character building songs
like "Go to the Ant" by Judy Rogers, and much more, including videos, curriculum, and
homeschool "help" books. See http://www.singnlearn.com/.