Nov. 27, 2006 - In Rebellion
I'm having SERIOUS issues with Charlotte Mason... yet again. This time - it's music.
Charlotte Mason is SUPPOSED to be a 'liberal education'... meaning it covers all aspects, not just the 'classics' or 'modern' popular things. At least, in the 1800s, that's what she was touting... but it's been a couple (couple?) decades since then, hello. And I've noticed that while mothers using Charlotte Mason pretend that they're giving their children a 'liberal' education, they're actually giving them a classical education. Because they're still in 1800 mindset and not thinking 2006.
The music is DRIVING ME INSANE. Beethoven, Mozart, Rachmoninoff, Debussy, Lizst... sure, I studied them in college. It was mostly NOT fun for me as a 19 year old... it's NOT fun for a 6-year old, either. She's bored. *I'm* bored. Not that classical music isn't important, but we've been schooling eight weeks now... it's OLD.
So I hauled out the Beach Boys last week. Surfin' USA, Good Vibrations... we've been rockin' out. THAT'S a liberal education. THOSE are classic songs, too - ((shrugs)) Classic Rock! This week..? It's Petula Clark. Downtown is a classic. We'll watch Finian's Rainbow and SEE Petula Clark. It'll be a blast. I've already got Beach Blanket Bingo on reserve on Blockbuster so she can experience the 50's surfer scene... she's HOOKED on Beach Boys, so I know she's gonna dig Jan & Dean. And if I remember correctly, Leslie Gore sings Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows, in Ski Party. ((You know Leslie Gore - It's my Party, and I'll cry if I want to??)) Unconventional, I know - I'm sorry... I know every word of just about every 50's song that's out there, and I love it all. I know tons of showtunes, standards, folk songs, country... I love a good bossa nova, jazz, or R&B tune... I want my child to love 'em, too. Elvis! Elvis isn't even on the recommended music rotation. What is that?!?! Heck, I'm thinking at this point of adding the B-52s, Weird Al and Madonna to the mix... why not!?
Not that we won't hit classical, too... but I'm sick to death of one composer a month, with a list of songs the students should hear and you can't do partials... ((BS - if you know the themes, the famous parts, you're ahead of MOST of the people out there! I was looking for 'The Entertainer' in my sheet music library the other day, and Brian said, "Never heard of it." I sat down and (by ear) picked out the melody line, and immediately he said, 'I've heard that!' THAT'S what a liberal education in music is about - being able to recognize songs... not to have the impossible goal of listening to every movement of every Hadyn suite ever written, hello...
This next quarter (according to the Anna CM schedule) we were supposed to be doing Gershwin. I got the 'recommended' listening out of the library, put it on, and about gagged. I LOVE Gershwin... but the advisor council obviously is more after acceptable classical education more than fun. I'd rather turn on Disney's Fantasia 2000 and let Lydia watch Rhapsody in Blue and relate the song to a cartoon and enjoy it than to have her sit and half-listen to something she doesn't even CARE about! That's not education, it's force-feeding. We watched Swing Time the other night - Fred n' Ginger - and she got to hear "Let's call the Whole Thing Off" (which you could also hear on When Harry Met Sally... LOVE that soundtrack, it's all 1940's songs!) Even kewler - they danced ON ROLLERSKATES - it was phenomenal to watch!!! I want her to know Irving Berlin, FUN Gershwin, Rogers & Hammerstein, Sinatra, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and more! I want her to see the waltz, mamba, cha-cha, hand jive... why not even throw in Takin' Care of Business's 'The Alligator'. ((Which *I* once did in rollerskates!!))
On the same topic (Rebellion and music)... I'm working on my X-mess tapes this week. I promised myself that if we were here beyond Rosh Ha'Shana, I'd make cassettes of all my X-mess music, taking out all the songs that mention Jesus as part of Christmas. Last year I listened to all instrumental to avoid the words, and it SUCKED - this year, I'll enjoy my music... just minus a few songs here and there! ((grins!))
Comments
Nov. 28, 2006 - Classical Music....
Posted by Belinda
I remember taking a music class in college. At the time I managed to learn and recognize MANY classical pieces. The professor required that we hear a couple of seconds of the piece and then we had to record the composer and name of the piece. Somehow, by a miracle, I aced the class.
Do I know the names of any pieces now? No. Do I recognize composer names? A few. Do I know the titles of the pieces? Probably not. Do I care? No. Has it hurt my life? No. Not that I have ever seen.
I enjoyed your entry. I LOVE it when people have the guts to question what everyone else says!! We need to think for ourselves and so do our children!!
God Bless You,
Belinda
