Fill up the valley
Children's Activity
Object:
Teachers: It is hard to go through an Advent/Christmas season without at least once hearing some of the wonderful music from Handel's Messiah. Whether on the radio or at a concert, it is a reminder of the season. Expose children to this music and any time they hear the passage from today's lesson, it will be a strong connecting memory of the powerful words and the beautiful music. You may want to print the words on a large piece of tagboard and put them on an easel for the children to follow as they listen. Play for them the recititive and aria "Every Valley" (Handel's Messiah). Talk a little about the two different styles of a recititive and an aria. (If this is beginning to be confusing, you may want to contact your choir director for help.) A recititive is sometimes called song speech. Have the children speak the sentence: Prepare the way of the Lord. Then have them sing it with no particular tune. (You may want to demonstrate.) That's basically what a recititive is -- a short sentence that is sung. Now talk about an aria as more of a song with a longer group of words similar to hymns in church. In the style of Handel, sometimes one word is made several measures of music long by the use of runs -- groups of notes in a repeated pattern, perhaps moving up the scale with each repetition. Even if you don't understand the musical interpretation or you can't explain it, it still makes very enjoyable listening, even for children. First read the passage from today's lesson. Then play the recititive and aria and try to follow along with the words on the easel. Many of the lines will be repeated. You may want to play it over a few times and the children may want to try to sing along. Have fun with it!
Parents: During the Advent season treat your family to some beautiful music. Play Handel's Messiah during meals, perhaps at bedtime and even during chores. As children become more familiar with musical versions of scripture, scripture becomes more memorable and meaningful.
Parents: During the Advent season treat your family to some beautiful music. Play Handel's Messiah during meals, perhaps at bedtime and even during chores. As children become more familiar with musical versions of scripture, scripture becomes more memorable and meaningful.
