Composer 2012-2013

Composer Study

Term 1
Medieval Music
AO background information
Chants of Templars and cathedral/knight footage
Gregorian Chant and knight paintings 2:30mn
Medieval castles and ruins with music 9:37min


Term 2
Aaron Copland
Simple Gifts from Appalation Spring with Ansel Adams stills
Billy the Kid (partial) with western/outlaw stills. full 15min -just music
Rodeo scene 1 part 1    poor quality, amazing ballet-18min
Fanfare for the Common Man-just music 4min



George Gershwin
film-him playing I got Rhythm
I got Rhythm Gene Kelly clip
'S wonderful An American in Paris clip



Term 3
Franz Josef  Haydn
Symphony live

Hymns 2012-2013

Sept:
Sweet Hour of Prayer

background and simple tune
hammered dulcimer
background article


Oct:
A Mighty Fortress is Our God
Mormon Tabernacle at Mt. Rushmore 1962
cathedral stills and music
background and music


Nov:
All Creatures of Our God and King
stills and nice music
Carillon demo
mormon channel episode 2 of History of Hymns series (audio only)

Dec:
Once in Royal David's City
Mormon Tabernacle choir with Nativity video
boys choir video
in Cathedral with lyrics
wiki background

Jan:
How Firm A Foundation
chimes video
LDS background article
Presbyterian film on this hymn


Feb:
I Stand All Amazed
lyrics and simple tune (differ from LDS hymnal version)
informal trio
Elder Holland talk on Christ's life


March
Down to the River to Pray
(African-American Spiritual/American Folk Hymn)
Alison Krauss and black & white stills
King's Singers
Mormon Tabernacle Choir outside


April:
Nearer My God to Thee
lyrics and simple tune
A Night To Remember film clip-docudrama of the Titanic (sank April 15th 1912)
cello
Sam Cooke with Soul Stirrers variation-music only
Eastern Europe a capella-another variation
mormon channel episode 7 from a History of Hymns series (audio only)

May:
Amazing Grace
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Harlem G
ospel Choir
Soweto Gospel Choir (South African)
background

First Day of School

 

 

First Day of public school, that is, we spent with another homeschool family at the park--ice blocking on our favorite hill.
It wasn't as glamorous as Not Back to School Disneyland, which is apparentely cancelled until further notice, but it did the trick. It was just something fun to do together, and look forward to.
It only cost 8 ice blocks--and all the energy of 6 active kids....perrrfect.

Nature Journal Notes

Inside my nature notebook I like to--

Transcribe conversations:

July 20, 2011

Between a 3y/o Kingfisher and his 5y/o Mockingbird as we are working in our journals-him in a coloring book.

 

 "His face is blue cuz he ate a lollipop" as he colors.

"Was it a lollipop-or was it ice cream?" his sister projects.

"Both...It was both. He ate so much it dripped all over his coat," as coloring book person is covered in light blue pencil.

"I just love [my brother] --even if he did eat all my makeup." (matter-of-factly)

"Yeah. I was a baby then and didn't know any better....And it got all over his eyes!" --more blue.

"What's your favorite thing about my picture, mom?...What's your favorite thing about my picture mom?...Mom! What's your favorite thing about my picture!" as I finish recording their interchange and eventually look up.

Hermetically seal botanical specimens in Scotch tape:

(because it's easier than drawing, right? If it all fits, it's all good.)

Sketch environments and obliterate them with arrows of memories:

Note things We've Learned:

"April 2012
common dandelion  dent de lion-french for "lion's teeth" referring to teeth on the leaves; orig. from Europe."

Somehow makes more sense than the "Dandy-Lion" I'd always explained it to myself as...when I was 5, I mean. I don't. talk to myself. anymore.

Illustrate creatures that will stay still long enough:

only to later spend 2 hours tearing the house apart when they decide they are still feral-no matter how docile and cute the earlier act was. (much panting----and I sit down.)

Document events:

Like just when the cherries along the path, plums around the chapel, and apricots at the park are ripe for gleaning (lucky for us 1. this neighborhood used to be one huge orchard and 2. apparently no one looks at trees anymore).

and Take note of the seasons:

May 2, 2011 
My husband and children "went to the abandoned 'flower house' at the end of the path & brought these [Grape Hyacinth & Wild Rose] back and a bouquet of tulips (early Mother's Day Request!)"

- isn't the 'flower house' so much more picturesque than its other name- 'the crack house'? sigh.

Outdoor Time is Unpredictable Time

Unexpected Turns while Outside

You just never know what you'll walk into.

A beautiful morning at the "Wilderness Park" with an icy pond we threw rocks in, river we threw Pooh sticks in, and gazebo we found food wrappers and a crumpled old sleeping bag in. I quickly tried to shoo my children away from the homeless homestead, wondering who else was lurking around the "Wilderness" edges. But my 5y/o was trying to make sense of it all.
 "Oh! I know what happened! Someone had a sleepover then their mom called them for breakfast and they had to hurry before making their bed."
I didn't argue, knowing that my explanation would come up in mixed company at some inopportune time in the near future and perhaps put the kibosh on Nature Time without an escort.
"That's right dear--Oh look the swings are free and it's only 9am!"

Or the time we went to a nearby canyon trail to enjoy some peace and be at one with nature and all the rest. So we start to get out of the van and I hear this yelling from a house down and across the street.
Dropping the expletives I was able to make out that some poor thing was madly in love with "him" and some evil mother apparently didn't get "her". I thought it would blow over, but no, it continued and probably echoed off the canyon walls for even the rock climbers to hear.
Fortunately my kids were too young to really notice anything but "these sticky little yellow flowers". Still, I think we left early.Now  we visit a nearby park where a frequenting dog with no leash has taught us to close our