The musical competence

The music education, from the rhythmic experience that we can experiment in our body in motion, proceeding with its applications in vocal and instrumental eventually, leads as a result to a progressive development of musical competence.

First, the same rhythmic ability can develop from simple to more complex procedures, in which the overlap of different events can be practiced by one person, or by more people in interaction.

Vocality can develop from monody to polyphony, ie the superimposition of many voices in mutual independence.

The musical competence will develop later in the discovery of the wealth of harmonic procedures, in the variety of musical forms (in analogy with literary forms, until the discovery of the autonomy of the musical language), in the knowledge of scales and modes that do not necessarily correspond to those more familiar to the dominant cultural context. We will then arrive to grasp the historicity of musical language and to take a critical relationship with the contemporary.

It will also come to understand that some contemporary phenomena, that the market wants to impose as a "genius", are not even remotely comparable in artistic quality and skill level, with other personalities, also contemporary to us, who are other things caliber.

Certainly, music education, as every human competence, is favored if it develops from childhood. But the fact remains that the musical competence can develop in every person, and in all stages of life. Surely also count attitudes, the bent; but I would not put too much emphasis on these aspects, which can become a convenient alibi for both the teacher hurried, both for the lazy learner. What interests me more stress the potential that each person can grow, at any time of life, for their own welfare; a being that, again, involves the body, emotions, intellect and spirituality, all vital functions harmoniously stimulated by this wonderful experience.

Study of an English hymn by Samuel Wesley

Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810-1876) was an English organist and composer.

Born in London, was descended from the family of the founders of the Methodist movement, the Awakening of the Anglican Church.

His hymn called Aurelia, present in the collection Selection of Psalms and Hymns, edited by C. Kemble, published in 1864, is still sung in English-speaking countries, in particular with the words Another year is dawning.

This is the text, by Frances R. Havergal (1836-1879):

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.

Another famous text, which also inspired the Italian translation, is The Church's one foundation, by Samuel J. Stone (1866):
 

The church's one foundation

is Jesus Christ her Lord;

she is his new creation

by water and the Word.

From heaven he came and sought her

to be his holy bride;

with his own blood he bought her,

and for her life he died.

Elect from every nation,

yet one o'er all the earth;

her charter of salvation,

one Lord, one faith, one birth;

one holy name she blesses,

partakes one holy food,

and to one hope she presses,

with every grace endued.

Though with a scornful wonder

we see her sore oppressed,

by schisms rent asunder,

by heresies distressed,

yet saints their watch are keeping;

their cry goes up, "How long?"

And soon the night of weeping

shall be the morn of song.

The music is typically nineteenth century, leaning on sweetly dissonant harmonies, which accentuate the expressive character.

Here's the music (with Italian text):

And here is the audio files, recorded live at the piano: sopranos, altos, tenors, bass. 

If desired, you can exercise the execution with a polyphonic listening made in MIDI format.