Login required
Religion, Devotion & Meditation
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services.
named after Pope Gregory I, Bishop of Rome from 590 to 604, who is traditionally credited for having ordered the simplification and cataloging of music assigned to specific celebrations in the church calendar.
KS1/2 idea: a good example of unison singing by male voices (KS1) and consistent texture (KS2).
Official classification: Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Audio, Male, Male Voice Choir, Unison, Curriculum support
Audio clip of sacred Gregorian chant.
KS1/2 idea: a good example of unison singing for KS1 and continuous unchanging texture for KS2.
Official classification: Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Audio, Male, Male Voice Choir, Unison, Curriculum support, Unit 12. Bhajan/qawwali
From Marc-Antoine Charpentier's sacred music suite entitled Te Deum (c.1690)
KS1 idea: listen (and move) to the strong steady beat throughout, also listen to the contrast between sections with brass playing and those with mostly woodwind and strings.
Official classification: The Baroque Era, Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Classical Pieces, Audio, Charpentier, Marc Antoine, France, Curriculum support
This film explores how Sufism -- the mystical dimension of Islam that preaches peace and tolerance -- encourages music as a way of deepening one's relationship with God.
Producer: Link Media, Inc.
Official classification: Asia, Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Video, Curriculum support, Islam, Sufism
This extraordinary documentary explores with unparalleled intimacy one of the most cherished of Hindu religious aspirations: to die in the city of Varanasi, on the banks of the sacred Ganges.
Producer: Link Media, Inc.
Official classification: Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Video, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Curriculum support, Unit 12. Bhajan/qawwali, Hinduism
Biblical story, audio narration from storynory.com
Official classification: Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Stories, Audio, Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Curriculum support, Storynory.com
Tracks 9 and 10 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Listen to this' for Key Stage 3. English sacred music of the late Middle Ages from Amon Ra album 'Worcester Fragments' performed by The Orlando Consort (1'32") (1'37") Main features: early church music, ostinato, drone. These two extracts are sung by unaccompanied male voices. The Track Explorer has four learning tracks focusing on the titles of the extracts, vocal texture, description of texture and the lowest part.
Official classification: Listening, Rounds , The Middle Ages, Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Interactive Activities, Early Music, Polyphony, Unison, Drone, England, Track Explorer, Curriculum support, Saydisc Records, Saydisc/Charanga World Music
Extract from the illustrated Rudiments of Wisdom encyclopaedia by Tim Hunkin. www.rudimentsofwisdom.com.
Thousands of cartoons covering almost everything there is to know!
Official classification: Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Curriculum support, Rudiments of Wisdom
Track 5 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Religions of the World' (1'35") Music from a Zen Monastery. This music features a drum and bell. The Track Explorer has two learning tracks focusing on the instruments and change in tempo.
Official classification: Listening, Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Interactive Activities, Japan, Track Explorer, Buddhism, Saydisc/Charanga World Music
Track 7 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Religions of the World' (0'18") Marshall Islands, Micronesia. This is a call to worship sounded by a bell made from a suspended gas cylinder. The Track Explorer has one learning track focusing on the bell.
Official classification: Listening, Example Instruments, Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Interactive Activities, Micronesia, Israel, Church bells, Track Explorer, Christianity, Bell ringing, Saydisc/Charanga World Music
Track 4 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Religions of the World' (3'07") Tibetan Bon-po singing bowls. This piece features traditional Tibetan instruments such as a conch, yak-horn and singing bowls. The Track Explorer has one learning track focusing on the instruments.
Official classification: Listening, Example Instruments, Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Interactive Activities, Japan, Conch, Tibet, Tibetan Singing Bowls, Track Explorer, Buddhism, Yak Horn, Gong, Saydisc/Charanga World Music
Track 8 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Religions of the World' (0'41") The Bell of the Coptic Church, Nazareth. This is call to worship on a powerful and beautiful, sounding bell. The Track Explorer has one learning track focusing on the tolling of the bell.
Official classification: Listening, Example Instruments, Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Interactive Activities, Israel, Church bells, Track Explorer, Christianity, Bell ringing, Saydisc/Charanga World Music
Track 3 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Religions of the World' (4'20") Temple ceremony for the deity Mahakala. This music features traditional instruments of Tibetan Buddhism. These are the cymbals, horn and drum. The learning track of the Track Explorer focuses on the instruments and voices.
Official classification: Example Voices, Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Interactive Activities, Chanting, Tibet, Track Explorer, Unit 12. Bhajan/qawwali, Buddhism, Saydisc/Charanga World Music
Track 6 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Religions of the World' (0'49") The bells of St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol. This is a peal of twelve bells. The Track Explorer has one learning track focusing on the change ringing.
Official classification: Listening, Example Instruments, Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Interactive Activities, England, Church bells, Track Explorer, Christianity, Bell ringing, Saydisc/Charanga World Music
Track 10 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Religions of the World' (1'19") Music from the 'Golden Age' of English church music. This is an example of Tudor polyphony. The Track Explorer has one learning track focusing on the four parts.
Official classification: Listening, Part-singing, Tudor England, The Renaissance, Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Interactive Activities, Female, Male, Track Explorer, Christianity, Byrd, William, Saydisc/Charanga World Music
Track 9 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Religions of the World' (1''36") Latin Plainchant sung by the monks of Prinknash Abbey. This is a hymn in plainsong style, dating back to the tenth century. The Track Explorer has two learning tracks focusing on structure and the unaccompanied male voices.
Official classification: Listening, The Middle Ages, Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Interactive Activities, Male, Early Music, Unison, Track Explorer, Unit 12. Bhajan/qawwali, Christianity, Saydisc/Charanga World Music
Track 2 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Religions of the World' (2'59") Sheng-guan music from China. This ceremonial music features a traditional Chinese wooden wind instrument, the guanzi. The Track Explorer has two learning tracks focusing on the guanzi and accompanying instruments.
Official classification: Listening, Example Voices, Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Interactive Activities, Pentatonic Scales, China, Chanting, Tibet, Di-zi, Track Explorer, Buddhism, Guanzi, Sheng, Gu, Chazi, Saydisc/Charanga World Music
Track 1 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Religions of the World' (1'24") Call to worship at the Mula Gadha Kut Buddhist Temple, Sarnath. This piece features a bell and the chanting of monks. The learning track of the Track Explorer focuses on the sound of the bell.
Official classification: Example Instruments, Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Interactive Activities, Pentatonic Scales, China, India, Di-zi, Track Explorer, Buddhism, Guanzi, Sheng, Gu, Chazi, Bell, Saydisc/Charanga World Music
From second act of Oratorio composed in 1741 by German-British composer George Frideric Handel.
Perhaps Handel's most well known piece, it's use and influence has been prolific ever since.
Official classification: The Baroque Era, Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Classical Pieces, Audio, Oratorio, Handel, George Frideric, Curriculum support, Christianity
Sacred music from Mass written around 1562 by Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. This is an often-performed mass and was always sung at the Papal Coronation Mass (the last being the coronation of Paul VI in 1963).
KS1/2 ideas: this Gloria is sung by a male voice choir, so a good example of male voice for KS1. Listening at KS2 may focus on the unaccompanied, four part harmony singing.
Official classification: Part-singing, The Renaissance, Religion, Devotion & Meditation, Classical Pieces, Audio, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Child, Male, Curriculum support, Palestrina, Giovanni Pierluigi da