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diff --git a/16225.txt b/16225.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b3472bc --- /dev/null +++ b/16225.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2447 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Music As A Language, by Ethel Home + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Music As A Language + Lectures to Music Students + +Author: Ethel Home + +Release Date: July 6, 2005 [EBook #16225] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MUSIC AS A LANGUAGE *** + + + + +Produced by David Newman, Charlene Taylor and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +Oxford University Press + +_London_ _Edinburgh_ _Glasgow_ _New York_ +_Toronto_ _Melbourne_ _Bombay_ + +Humphrey Milford _M.A._ _Publisher to the University_ + + + + +MUSIC +AS A LANGUAGE + +LECTURES TO +MUSIC STUDENTS + +BY + +ETHEL HOME +HEAD MISTRESS OF THE KENSINGTON HIGH SCHOOL +G.P.D.S.T. + +OXFORD +AT THE CLARENDON PRESS +1916 + + + + +PREFACE + + +The following lectures were delivered to music students between the +years 1907 and 1915. They have been partly rewritten so as to be +intelligible to a different audience, for in all cases the lectures were +followed by a discussion in which various points not dealt with in the +lectures were elucidated. + +An experience of eight years in organizing a training course for +students who wish to teach ear-training on modern lines to classes of +average children in the ordinary curriculum of a school has shown me +that the great need for such students is to realize the problems, not +only of musical education, but of _general_ education. + +Owing to the nature of all art work the artist is too often inclined to +see life in reference to his art alone. It is for this reason that he +sometimes finds it difficult to fit in with the requirements of school +life. He feels vaguely that his art matters so much more to the world +than such things as grammar and geography; but when asked to give a +reason for his faith, he is not always able to convince his hearers. + +He feels with Ruskin that: + +'The end of Art is as serious as that of other beautiful things--of the +blue sky, and the green grass, and the clouds, and the dew. They are +either useless, or they are of much deeper function than giving +amusement.' + +But he has not always the gift of words by means of which he can +describe this function. + +We want our artists, and their visions, and those of them who can +realize a perspective in which their art takes its place with other +educative forces are among the most valuable educators of the rising +generation. + +ETHEL HOME. +KENSINGTON, +_January, 1916._ + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAP. PAGE + + I. THE TRAINING OF THE MUSIC TEACHER 9 + + II. THE ORGANIZATION OF MUSICAL WORK IN SCHOOLS 15 + + III. THE TEACHING OF VOICE PRODUCTION AND SONGS 20 + + IV. THE SOL-FA METHOD 26 + + V. FIRST LESSONS TO BEGINNERS IN EAR-TRAINING 31 + + VI. THE TEACHING OF SIGHT-SINGING 35 + + VII. THE TEACHING OF TIME AND RHYTHM 40 + +VIII. THE TEACHING OF DICTATION 43 + + IX. THE TEACHING OF EXTEMPORIZATION AND HARMONY 48 + + X. THE TEACHING OF ELEMENTARY COMPOSITION 55 + + XI. THE TEACHING OF TRANSPOSITION 60 + + XII. GENERAL HINTS ON TAKING A LESSON IN EAR-TRAINING 65 + +XIII. THE TEACHING OF THE PIANO 70 + + XIV. SUGGESTIONS TO STUDENTS ON LEAVING A TRAINING + DEPARTMENT 79 + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE TRAINING OF THE MUSIC TEACHER + + +Let us consider the case of a young girl who has finished her school +education, and has supplemented this by a special course of technical +work in music, which has ended in her taking a musical diploma. She now +wishes to teach. What are the chief problems which she will have to +face? She must first of all make up her mind whether she wishes to +confine her work to the teaching of a solo instrument, together with +some work in harmony or counterpoint, along orthodox lines, or whether +she wishes to be in touch with modern methods of guiding the _general_ +musical education of children, as taken in some schools in the morning +curriculum. If the latter, she must enter on a course of special +training. + +There is also a practical reason why many who wish to teach music at the +present time are entering a training department. In a paper recently +issued by the Teachers' Registration Council we find the following +paragraph dealing with 'Conditions of Registration': + +'The applicant must produce evidence satisfactory to the Council of +having completed successfully a course of training in the principles and +methods of teaching, accompanied by practice under supervision. The +course must extend over a period of at least one academic year or its +equivalent.' + +Now, those who have studied the question of the teaching of music in +accordance with modern methods have realized that music provides a +_language,_ which should be used primarily for self-expression and +intercourse with others. The whole of life depends on the expression of +ourselves in relation to the community. 'Self-expression is a universal +instinct, which can only be crushed by a course of systematic ill +treatment, either self-inflicted or inflicted by others. It is +self-inflicted if we conform to false standards of convention, or create +for ourselves a standard of life which is out of touch with humanity as +a whole. It is inflicted by others if they force us when young into a +wrong educational atmosphere, and paralyse our faculties instead of +developing them. + +To the favoured few real creative power comes by instinct, but to a +great many a small degree of this power can be given by education, and +in this way an extra outlet is possible for self-expression. The child +should be trained when quite young to think in terms of music, in the +same way in which it is trained to think in its mother-tongue. The +fundamental work should be taken in class, not at an individual lesson, +and should be compulsory for all children. We do not inquire whether a +child is gifted in languages before we teach him French, and we must not +ask whether he is gifted in the language of music before placing him in +the music class. Again, short frequent lessons are more beneficial to +the young beginner than longer lessons at greater intervals, for, as a +new 'sense' is being opened to the pupil, a long lesson produces an +unhealthy strain. + +The scheme of work to be followed in such a class will be dealt with +later, but we may note here that training given in accordance with the +above-mentioned aim will produce a marked increase in the vitality and +general intelligence of a child. The reflex actions of intense +concentration for a short time, followed by the giving out of creative +work, will send a child back to its other lessons with an alert mind and +with increased vigour. + +A large number of schools and private families are offering posts to +teachers who are able to teach along such lines. Every year the number +of such posts steadily increases, and it will not be too much to predict +that in the near future few schools in the first rank will be without +teaching of this kind. The salaries offered are naturally higher than +those obtained by the old-fashioned 'orthodox' teacher, as more has to +be done, and classes have to be managed instead of individual pupils. + +It is impossible to over-estimate the importance of securing plenty of +experience in teaching classes of average pupils of all ages, under +expert supervision. Many an apparently promising teacher has come to +grief in the first post taken, because the knowledge gained has been too +theoretical, and has not been checked by class experience with really +average pupils. The question of discipline is an easy one with an +individual pupil, but in class work it assumes a different proportion. + +For the purpose of teaching ear-training, without instrumental work, a +high degree of musical gift is not necessary. Any one who is fond of +music, sympathetic with children, and willing to work, can manage the +course of work necessary before being able to teach classes up to a fair +standard. + +The work, which often appears bewilderingly difficult to one who sees it +for the first time, becomes quite simple when approached step by step, +and in company with fellow students. It is also interesting to know that +some of the most satisfactory results obtained in certain schools during +the last few years have been arrived at by teachers possessing only an +average knowledge of an instrument, but who have thrown themselves with +enthusiasm into the study of music as a living language. Such teachers +are bound to succeed, because they are attacking the subject in a +genuinely educational spirit. + +A word now on another aspect of the question of training. There is going +to be an enormous difference in the young girl's outlook on life. For +perhaps the first time she has to adopt the attitude of the one who +gives, not of the one who receives. Hitherto she has been receiving +food, clothes, money, education, help in her difficulties, &c., and now, +Fate waves a wand, and the child who has been the centre of interest in +her home and in her school has to learn to give--and to give +generously--as others gave to her. + +For the real teacher is never paid for all she does. Her salary is not +augmented in proportion to all the extra help she gives to the backward +or delicate pupil--to the hours of drudgery, outside school hours, +willingly given in order to be prepared for every eventuality of school +life. Such things are never paid for in money, the only reward is in the +partial realization of the standard attempted. + +Another point. The ideal teacher must have real personality, and this is +a thing of slow growth, but which can be developed under expert +guidance. There must be sympathy, tact, and humour. In adopting the +attitude of the giver instead of the receiver the young teacher is too +apt to put away the remembrance of childish difficulties, and to forget +the restless vitality which made her, as a child, long to fidget, and do +anything but learn. + +There is another thing to bear in mind. The majority of amateurs are +never subject to the same criticism as the professional. Everything is +'watered down'. 'Very good' has often been the verdict of the critic, +but an unspoken addition has been--'for an amateur'. + +Now in a training department one of the most valuable points of the +training consists in the outspoken comments. And this does not only +refer to musical work, but to personal faults. We all know that if a +mannerism does not interfere with the unity of a strong personality, it +may be left alone. But there are some mannerisms which merely express +the weaknesses of those who possess them, and which spoil the expression +of the personality. These must be cured, and will be faithfully dealt +with in the training department. + +Lastly, if the course of training be taken in connexion with a school, +opportunities will be afforded of getting an insight into general +organization and schemes of work for children of all ages. + +An accusation often levelled at the musical members of a staff is that +they keep to themselves, and do not identify themselves with the general +school life. In some cases this may be due to lack of willingness, but +in the large majority it is due to lack of training in, and realization +of, the unity of such life. + +A student who takes every opportunity given to her during her year of +training will not only learn how to organize the general musical life of +a school, through the medium of ear-training and song classes, recitals, +music clubs, &c., but will be ready and proud to show initiative in +other directions. + +We cannot do without the visions of our artists, and a country or a +school, is the poorer when full use is not made of the driving force of +artistic inspiration. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE ORGANIZATION OF MUSICAL WORK IN SCHOOLS + + +The musical work in a school falls roughly into four divisions: + +1. Ear-training, leading on in later stages to harmony, counterpoint, +&c. + +2. Voice production and songs. + +3. Instrumental work. + +4. Concerts, music clubs, &c. + +To take these in order: + + +1. _Ear-training._ + +When the necessity for this work has been realized the next step is to +consider how the time can be found for it in the school curriculum. +Those who have seen some of the results in schools which have taken the +work for some years are sometimes inclined to think that a large +expenditure of time has been involved. But, provided the children have +begun the training when quite young, it is neither necessary nor +desirable for them to have more than one forty-minute lesson a week +after they have reached the age of twelve years. We must remember that +in all 'language' work the ideal plan is to begin with very short and +fairly frequent lessons. Ear-training which is to be treated on the +lines suggested will be opening up a new 'sense' to the pupil, and the +concentration necessary is such that the children cannot stand the +strain of a long lesson. + +The following lengths of lessons are therefore advisable: + +For children from four to seven years of age, a quarter of an hour four +days a week. + +From eight to twelve years of age, twenty minutes three days a week. + +From thirteen years of age upwards, forty minutes once a week. + +Now as to schemes of work. + +For those between the ages of four and seven the time should be spent in +singing at sight easy melodies in major keys, and in ear tests of two or +three notes at a time. + +For those between eight and twelve sight-singing in minor keys and in +two parts should be added, also the dictation of melodies and of +two-part tunes. When this work is securely grasped the treatment of +chords can begin, also extemporizing of melodies with the voice, +together with transposition and harmonizing of easy phrases at the +piano. + +For children of thirteen years and upwards the above can be continued, +together with sight-singing in three parts, dictation in three and four +parts, extemporizing at the piano, and more definite work in harmony, +counterpoint, and elementary composition. + +After the age of fourteen it is well to make the work voluntary. By this +time it is possible to distinguish between children who are sufficiently +interested in music to make it worth while for them to continue the +work and those who will be more profitably employed in other directions. +The latter will have learnt how to take an intelligent interest in +music, and how to 'listen' when music is being performed. The classes +will now become smaller, an advantage for the more detailed work. + +It is important to note that the best results in ear-training will only +be obtained if the classes do not exceed twenty-five pupils in number. + + +2. _Voice Production and Songs_. + +These classes can be larger without prejudice to the work, but the above +classification as to age is desirable. Children between four and seven +years of age will probably learn songs connected with their kindergarten +work, so it is difficult to say exactly the amount of time to be spent +in song lessons, as the work will overlap. Those between eight and +twelve should have one song and voice production lesson a week, of not +less than twenty minutes. Those over thirteen will probably be working +at more difficult songs, and will need not less than thirty minutes once +a week. + + +3. _Instrumental Work_. + +It is very desirable that all children up to the age of eight who are +learning an instrument should do so in a _class_ for the first year, +rather than in individual lessons. Much of the fundamental work at an +instrument can become wearisome to a young child unless taken in company +with others of the same age. + +A practical consideration involved is that this makes it possible to +charge a smaller fee for each pupil, and this fact may influence a +parent to let a child begin an instrument earlier than would otherwise +be the case. + +It has been found that children started in this way develop much more +rapidly than if they had individual lessons. The stimulus of class work +for the average child cannot be over-estimated. + +When this preliminary year's work is over, the child can go on either to +three twenty-minute lessons a week by itself, or two half-hours. If +ear-training is being done at the same time, it is possible to shorten +the amount of instrumental practice each day. In few cases should it be +allowed to exceed half an hour up to the age of thirteen, and in many +cases twenty minutes is found sufficient. + +After the age of thirteen it is again possible, as was the case with the +ear-training work, to distinguish between the musical children and the +others. The former should increase the amount of practising each day; +the latter, if they continue to learn, should not exceed half an hour. +The piano lessons will in most cases consist of two half-hours a week. + + +4. _Concerts, Music Clubs, &c._ + +It is a good plan to arrange for a short recital to be given every term, +at which not only the more advanced pupils will play, but children at +all stages of development. It is wise to insist on all music being +played by heart, as in this way an invaluable training will be given +from the very first. + +In the case of a prize-giving or large school function it is of course +necessary to show only the best work. + +A music club is a great stimulus to the musical life of a school. A good +plan is to arrange a series of short lectures on such subjects as the +origins of harmony, acoustics, the chief difference between music of +different schools and periods, &c., and to follow these by accounts of +the lives and works of the great composers. Children are delighted to +come to such meetings, especially if their aid be asked in illustrating +the lectures by playing specimens of the music referred to. + +In the organization of musical work in a school it is of the utmost +importance that there should be a central musical authority, responsible +for bringing all those engaged in the teaching into touch with each +other. If this be done, not only will overlapping of work in the various +classes and lessons be avoided, but a driving force of musical +comradeship will be initiated which will produce a genuine musical +atmosphere. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE TEACHING OF VOICE PRODUCTION AND SONGS + + +It is perhaps more rare to find a successful teacher of songs than of +any other subject in the school curriculum. There are many reasons for +this. In many cases a visiting teacher takes the work, who finds it +difficult to learn the names of all the children in one lesson a week, +and who therefore starts at a disadvantage. Then the size of the class +for songs is always larger than that of classes in other subjects, and +there is therefore more inducement to inattention on the part of the +children. + +Nothing is more pitiful than to see a young, inexperienced mistress +grappling with a large class of healthy, restless children, who know +from experience that the weekly song lesson may be turned to good +account for their own little games! + +There is, of course, the born teacher, who sends an electric shock +through the room directly she enters it, and who, without asking for it, +secures instant silence and eager attention. Such people are rare, and +it must be our task now to give a few practical suggestions to those +less fortunate people who do not possess the innate gift, but who are +willing to learn. + +To begin with, the teacher of songs must have real personality; and if +she does not possess this by nature, she must do her best to develop +what she has. She must be full of vitality, she must understand +children, and, above all, she must be genuinely fond of music, in such a +way that she cannot do without it. The last qualification often implies +a certain sensitiveness, which finds a difficulty in accommodating +itself to a workaday world, where people have little time, or +inclination, to study the 'moods' of others. Very artistic people are a +well-known difficulty to the authorities of schools. In order to excel +in their art, they must not only have a 'capacity for taking pains', but +a reserve store of emotional force, on which they draw for +self-expression through their art. Now the possession of such a reserve +store does not always imply a power of keeping it in reserve! During the +course of training the attention of such people should be directed to +the high ideals underlying all true educational work; they should +realize the real function of music in education--that it is not to be +taken as a mere accomplishment, or technical art, but as a means of +self-expression. + +We will now consider a special case. Let us suppose that a new mistress +is taking a song lesson with a large class of children, who have the +reputation of being troublesome to manage. On entering the classroom it +is a good plan to go straight to the platform, without speaking a word +to the children on the way, whatever they may be doing. From this +vantage ground the teacher should look the class over for a few seconds, +still without speaking. There is nothing more impressive to a restless +class than the sight of a mistress not in the least disturbed by their +doings, yet taking everything in. If the mistress has cultivated a sense +of repose and self-confidence this action on her part will produce the +feeling of a centre of force in the room--and the force will radiate +from her. The children, without knowing exactly what has happened, will +feel different, and will be pliant and easy to manage. Directly the +mistress is conscious of this change of atmosphere she can start the +lesson. But she must now gradually merge her personality into that of +the class--she must work _with_ them, not outside them. It is difficult +to put this idea into words, but all real teachers will see the meaning. +There is no driving force to equal that which works from within a +community--not from without. + +Now for the lesson itself. + +It should start with a few simple exercises in voice production. +Excellent suggestions for these will be found in a little book called +_Class Singing for Schools_, with a preface by Sir Charles Stanford, +published by Stainer & Bell, also in the Board of Education Memorandum +on Music. A special point must be dwelt on. Children should never be +allowed to use the chest register. Their voices should be trained +downwards. In the singing of scales there should be a leap to, or a +start on, a note high enough to be out of the chest register--such as +the high E[b]. The descending scale should then be sung. Breathing +exercises should be taken at the beginning of the lesson. A good +exercise is to exhale on the sound 'sh'. The children will stand in easy +positions for this, the hands on the ribs, so that they can feel the +ribs expanding and contracting during inhalation and exhalation. The +shoulders should be kept down. The advantage in using the sound 'sh' is +that the teacher can thereby tell how long each child makes its breath +last. + +When these exercises are finished, and a few scales and passages have +been sung, the class should sit down while the teacher speaks about the +new song to be sung. In schools where sight-singing is taken as part of +the regular curriculum it is not necessary to work at this in the song +class. In beginning a new song the chief thing is for the teacher to get +the class to seize the spirit of it. If difficult words occur, they may +be explained later, but it is absolutely essential that the children +shall get hold of some idea which they can express in singing. + +Mr. W. Tomlins, who came over from New York in order to show some of his +methods for dealing with large classes, produced some admirable results. +He worked up the enthusiasm of his classes to such an extent that the +effect of their singing was electrical; and it was all due to the few +words he said before the song was sung, not to any corrections he made +later. It is not necessary for a teacher to _conduct_ the songs all the +time during the lesson, or the fact that the class is expected to watch +the baton tends to make them rigid in their attitudes, and therefore, to +a certain extent, in their singing. The best results are obtained when a +class stands to sing. Some well-meaning teachers forget that the +children have probably been sitting in their classrooms for the greater +part of the morning, and are only too glad to stand for a change. They +can sit between the songs, when finding their places, and so on. + +Songs should be chosen in which the pitch is not too low. Many people +have the mistaken idea that young children cannot sing high. Listen to +their shouts in the playground, to the notes they use when calling to +each other, and this idea will soon be corrected. The lowest note in the +voice of a young child is generally E, and it can take the high F or G +quite easily. + +Droners should not be allowed to sing with the rest of the class, or the +pitch will be lost at once, to say nothing of the spoiling of the +general effect. + +Flat singing is often due to bad ventilation of the room, more often +still to boredom. A good plan in this case is to raise the pitch a +semitone; it is often just as easy for singing, and invariably produces +a sense of cheerfulness. + +Children should never be allowed to sing loudly, especially when very +young. It is most difficult to cure the habit when once formed. +Attention should be paid to articulation from the very first. A useful +lesson is taught the class if, from time to time, half of them go to the +end of the room, and, with closed books, listen to their companions +singing a verse of a song which is new to them. The difficulty they +experience in following the words will not soon be forgotten. + +Attacks should be absolutely precise. The two-and three-part +contrapuntal singing which is done in the sight-singing classes is +admirable for this, as the whole effect is blurred or entirely spoilt +in such clear-cut work by a false entry. + +For all large school functions, such as a prize-giving, the songs should +be sung by heart. This is not necessary in ordinary class work, as the +aim there is to teach as many good songs as possible, in order to form a +standard of real musical literature. But at the set performance nothing +is more delightful than to see children rise, and, without any flapping +of pages, or uncomfortable attitudes for seeing the words in a book, +sing straight from their hearts. However simple the music or the words, +the effect will be well worth the little additional trouble. + +Our last consideration is that of the songs to be chosen to learn. +Little children should rarely sing anything but unison songs. +Folk-songs, such as those edited by Cecil Sharp and others, and, for the +very little ones, traditional nursery rhymes and game songs are the +best. From the ages of ten to fourteen years such books as Boosey's +_National Songs_ or _Songs of Britain_ should be the staple work, while +for older children the great classical songs may be added. A good book +for these is the _Golden Treasury_, published by Boosey. + +Songs by living composers should be strictly limited in number, though +not excluded. These have not stood the test of time. We teach +Shakespeare in our literature classes, not a modern poet--the essays of +Bacon, not those of a modern essayist. And our reason is that the only +way to create a standard of taste is to take our children to the +classical fountains of prose and poetry. We must do the same in music. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE SOL-FA METHOD + + +To those who are not accustomed to the Sol-fa notation it appears at +first sight a useless encumbrance. Excellent arguments are produced for +this view. Many musical people can scarcely remember when they could not +sing at sight and write melodies from dictation. They picked up this +knowledge instinctively, and cannot see why others should not do the +same. Unfortunately everybody has not proved able to do so, hence a +multitude of 'methods' for teaching them. + +The most familiar of these consisted in trying to teach the pupil to +sing intervals, _as_ intervals, at sight. Thirds, fifths, sixths, &c. +were diligently practised. But pupils did not always find it easy to +sing these intervals from all notes of the scale, unless in sequence. +The major third from _doh_ to _me_ seemed easier than that from _fah_ to +_lah_, and so on. Thus in the majority of cases sight-singing in classes +resolved itself into the musical children leading, and the others +following. It is rare to find a large class in which there is not one +musical child, and the only sure test of progress is to make the less +musical children sing at sight alone from time to time. + +Now, if those who have 'picked up' the knowledge of sight-singing +without knowing how they did it be asked to explain how they arrive at +their intervals, it will be found that _tonality_ plays a large part in +their consciousness. In other words, they are perfectly certain of their +key-note, and at any moment could sing it, even after complicated +passages. + +This fact is the root of the Sol-fa system. The child is taught to think +of all the notes of the scale in relation to the key-note. A very +sensible objection is sometimes raised to this, i.e. that it must surely +entail a great deal of detachment from the matter in hand if the mind +has to grope for the key-note between every two consecutive notes of a +melody. But this process becomes automatic very quickly. We are not +conscious of references to the multiplication tables every time we do a +sum, yet we could not do the sum without these. And it is the same with +the Sol-fa system. The child need very rarely actually _sing_ the +key-note when considering another note, she refers the latter to it +unconsciously. + +There is one curious anomaly in the orthodox Sol-fa system, which has +caused a good deal of amusement to its critics, and has ended by causing +a cleavage on the part of many who are otherwise in cordial agreement +with the broad lines of the method. This is concerned with the treatment +of the minor key. The orthodox Sol-fa teacher relates the notes of the +minor scale, not to the key-note, but to the third of the scale, i.e. to +the key-note of the relative major. The confusion which this plan +produces in the sense of tonality can readily be imagined. When singing +in major keys the pupils are told to refer all notes to the key-note for +'mental effect', but in the minor key this is strictly forbidden. To +take an instance. In the scale of C major the child has been trained to +feel the sharp, bright effect of the note G, the fifth from the key-note +C. It would naturally feel the same effect for the note E in the key of +A minor, when related to the key-note A. But the orthodox Sol-fa teacher +says: 'No. You must feel the calm, soothing effect of E in relation to +C!' Can the child be _really_ trained in this way? If it were merely a +difference in detail of the treatment of the two modes this error could +be forgiven, but it is a difference in fundamental principle. + +One of the many difficulties caused occurs in transposition on the +piano. When transposing from, say, C minor to F minor, the child must +first think in E[b] major, so as to get the pivot of reference, then in +A[b] major for the new pivot A[b]. Yet all the time its real sense of +pivot, which, be it noted, has been admirably trained by the Sol-fa +treatment of the major scale, is in favour of C and F respectively. + +The method evolved for the minor key by those who wish to uphold the +fundamental principle of the key-note being the pivot of reference for +_all_ keys, major and minor, is a very simple one. It consists in giving +to the third and sixth of the harmonic form of the scale their logical +names of _maw_ and _taw_. The sixth of the ascending scale in the +melodic form will of course be the same in the minor as in the major. + +There are two other points in the orthodox Sol-fa system which are +modified by those who wish to use it as a crutch to staff notation. The +first of these concerns the rather complicated time notation of all but +the first sets of exercises. Directly subdivisions of the beat are +introduced the notation becomes difficult to read without putting a +strain on the eyes. The little dots, dashes, commas, &c., worry +children. Experience has proved that when a class is ready for anything +beyond the very simplest time values it can leave the Sol-fa notation +altogether, and keep entirely to the staff notation. This is, of course, +an advantage, and is what is being aimed at. + +The other point is connected with the use of what are called +'bridge-notes'. When a modulation is introduced which entails a fairly +long reference to a new key, the note leading directly to it is of +course accidental in the first key and diatonic in the second. This is +called a bridge-note, and must be thought of in two ways, first in the +old key, then in the new. Thus its name must be changed, as a prelude to +using the new pivot. + +Now, in teaching staff notation it is neither wise nor necessary to +introduce extended modulations very early. The aim is to make it +possible for children to sing fairly easy melodies in all keys, major +and minor, with incidental modulations, as soon as possible--then to +revise the work, introducing more difficult modulations. This end will +be attained by deferring the use of bridge-notes until the children are +ready to sing melodies in the minor keys which modulate to the relative +major. If the above-mentioned plan for the treatment of the minor key +be adopted, bridge-notes will be essential at this stage, and the +melodies, at any rate at first, cannot be sung without their aid. A +further reference to this matter is given in the chapter on the teaching +of sight-singing. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +FIRST LESSONS TO BEGINNERS IN EAR-TRAINING + + +The form of these lessons will vary slightly according to the ages of +the children. We will suppose these to lie between seven and nine years, +when the children can read and write. + +At the first lesson the scale of C major should be played, from middle C +to high C, ascending only. Then repeat middle C, and stop on it a +little. Do this three or four times, telling the children to count the +notes as you play up the scale. When they are all sure that eight notes +have been played, ask them why they think you repeated the middle C at +the end. They will probably say: 'To make it sound finished.' In other +words, they have grasped the 'mental effect' of the key-note _in every +key_, the pivot round which the other notes revolve. Give the hand sign +for this note, according to the Sol-fa plan, and tell the children that +the note is called _doh_. Now repeat the scale, but this time play it +from high C to middle C, repeating the high C at the end. The children +will see at once what has happened, and that the high C now 'finishes' +the passage. Thus it will be called 'high _doh_', and the hand sign will +be repeated, but at a higher level. Be careful not to bend the hand at +the wrist when giving this sign, or the effect of finality and repose +will be lost. + +At the second lesson, repeat this work, the children telling you what to +do. Then make eight large dots on the blackboard, and against the first +and eighth of these write _doh_ and _doh'_. Now play the first five +notes of the scale, and repeat the first as before. Ask how many notes +were played. Then play them again, but starting from the fifth +downwards, and repeat the fifth at the end. Ask the children why they +think you did this. At first they will not be able to express what they +feel, but gradually the idea will emerge that you want to call attention +to something of interest. People often call to each other by singing up +a fifth. The new note is sharp and bright in sound when related to the +key-note. Hence the hand sign. Give the name _soh_, and write it against +the fifth dot on the board. The children should now sing from the three +hand signs known, also from the notes on the board. They should also +identify the notes when played in groups of two and three on the piano. + +When they can do all this easily, the next note, the third of the scale, +is taken in the same way. The 'mental effect' is calm and soothing, +hence the hand sign. In addition to singing from the hand signs, and +from the Sol-fa 'modulator' which is gradually being constructed on the +board, the children can now sing from the horizontal Sol-fa notation, +and from the staff notation. The first of these is invaluable in the +early stages, as it absolutely precludes guessing. In singing from the +modulator this is possible to a certain extent, as the relation of each +note to the key-note is shown roughly in _distance_ by the dots between +the notes. There is no such help given in the horizontal notation. + +In beginning the work in staff notation the notes of the scale will be +thought of as steps in a ladder. In all keys, when _doh_ is on a line, +_me_ and _soh_ are also on lines, and high _doh_ is on a space; but when +_doh_ is on a space, _me_ and _soh_ are on spaces, and high _doh_ is on +a line. These are very simple matters, but children are simple people, +and will not despise such hints. + +The next notes of the scale to be taken are _ray_ and _te_, then _fah_ +and _lah_. The last two are the most difficult. A good pattern to fix in +the children's minds is: + + _d f m l s t, d--_ + +which splits up into: + + _d f m--; d l s--_ + +If these are really known, no trouble will be found with the notes _f_ +and _l_. + +Plenty of exercises should be given in which the notes of the scale are +taken in relation to the high _doh_. Possible notes should also be taken +above high _doh_ (such as high _ray_, high _me_, high _fah_ in the scale +of C) and below _doh_. With regard to the latter, the key may be changed +from time to time when taking Sol-fa work from hand signs or the +modulator, or from Sol-fa notation, in order to get a wider range for +the notes above mentioned. Thus, if the class be given the _doh_ of G +major, they can sing low _te_, low _lah_, low _soh_, and low _fah_, or, +as these notes are written in Sol-fa notation, _t,_ _l,_ _s,_ +_f,_. These points are sometimes overlooked by mistresses, and the +early training loses in thoroughness. + +Directly the children are sure of the diatonic notes of the key of C +major they should take the sharpened fourth (_fe_), the flattened +seventh (_taw_). and the sharpened fifth (_se_). Later on they will +learn that these notes often introduce modulations to the dominant, +subdominant, and relative minor keys respectively. + +Extemporizing with the voice may now begin, along the lines suggested in +Chapter IX. An extra interest will thus be added to the lesson, and the +child will have its first initiation into 'self-expression' through the +art of music. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE TEACHING OF SIGHT-SINGING + + +Instruction in sight-singing should begin by teaching the staff notation +through the Tonic Sol-fa method. Objections to this are sometimes raised +by very musical people, who have no recollection of any 'method' by +means of which they themselves learnt to sing at sight, and who +therefore think their pupils can pick up the knowledge in the same +instinctive fashion. Experience proves that this is very rarely the +case. + +With very little children it is well to keep entirely to hand signs and +ear tests until all the notes of the scale are known, through their +'mental effect'. One reason for this is that such children cannot read +or write, so no musical work can be done with them which implies this +knowledge. Care must be taken to vary the lessons as much as possible. + +At one lesson the teacher can give the hand signs and ear tests herself. +At the next, one of the class can give the hand signs for the rest of +the class, and the teacher the ear tests. At the next, a child can give +the ear tests, and so on. An experienced teacher will find plenty of +similar ways for producing new interest in the lessons, even though the +actual amount of work done be necessarily small. Nothing is gained by +hurrying over the initial stages of ear-training. The foundation must be +securely laid, or trouble will come later. Those who have had +experience of class work in kindergartens know the special difficulties +to be met--the irregularity of attendance, the constant stream of new +pupils coming in, and so on. Unless plenty of opportunity is given for +revision the work will suffer in thoroughness. + +For children who take this work between the ages of eight and twelve, no +better scheme for sight-singing can be found than that contained in +Somervell's _Fifty Steps in Sight-singing_, supplemented by the +children's books, _A Thousand Exercises_, published by Curwen. It is +essential to read carefully the appendices to this work, especially that +concerned with the minor keys. Another book of sight-singing exercises +which follows the same sequence is the _Rational Sight Reader_, by +Everett, published by Boosey. + +In teaching the keys of G major and F major it is most important that +the class shall themselves discover the necessity for the F[#] and B[b] +in the respective signatures. Inexperienced teachers sometimes teach +this as a dogma, and thereby deprive the children of the delight of +discovering it for themselves. + +Thus, if the scale of G major be played with F[n] instead of F[#], the +class will discover that _taw_ has been played instead of _te_, and will +soon find out how to correct the wrong sound. + +Similarly, if the scale of F major be played with B[n] instead of B[b], +they will say that _fe_ has been played instead of _fah_. + +If the order of keys taken be that of the _Fifty Steps_, the following +diagram will show at a glance the underlying plan: + + 7 5 3 1 2 4 6 + E[b] | B[b] | F || C || G | D | A + +It should be noted that so far as the positions of the notes on the +stave are concerned, the key of A[b] is as easy to sing in as the key of +A, D[b] as D, and so on. This fact is sometimes overlooked, and +unnecessary difficulties are created for the children. + +It is important for a class to sing at sight fluently in one key before +attempting a new one. Some teachers take keys in groups, and try to +teach them all together. This plan rarely leads to satisfactory results. + + +_Minor Keys._ + +It is wise to defer the treatment of these until all the major keys have +been mastered. The harmonic form of the scale of C minor should then be +taken, the children identifying the two notes new to them as the +flattened third and sixth of the scale. It is a good plan to get them to +sing a few melodies from the blackboard which are in C minor, but which +bear the signature of C major, the flattened third and sixth being +supplied. This impresses the new notes on the children. + +Later on, the correct signature should be evolved by experiment, and the +same plan followed for the other keys, before the 'rule' for finding the +signature is discussed. The melodic form of the scale can then be +taught, and both forms practised to give plenty of freedom in the new +tonality. The various minor keys should then be taken in the same order +as that in which the major keys were taken. + +It is advisable to limit the work at first to melodies which do not +modulate to the relative major. Later on, when the children are fairly +fluent, they can take these. At first they will have to make use of +'bridge-notes' at the modulation, but, with a little practice, they will +soon be able to sing at sight to _lah_. + +_Part-singing._ + +Children should not be allowed to sing part-songs until they can sing at +sight in parts. The reason for this is that in the majority of +part-songs the under parts are written too low for the child voice, and +if they are _practised_ several times in succession, harm is likely to +result. If, on the other hand, the songs can be read at sight, the parts +can be interchanged, and the voices of the children do not suffer to the +same extent. The greatest difficulty in teaching part-singing is a moral +one: a child who takes an under part does not like the feeling of some +one singing above her. The voices must be divided carefully for this +work--some teachers prefer to get the balance on the side of the under +parts, in order to avoid the feeling that it is necessary to shout in +order to be heard! The ideal plan is to interchange the parts freely at +the same lesson. + +Exercises should be chosen at first in which the under part starts on a +fairly high note and, if possible, before the upper part enters, in +order to give confidence. The under part should also move freely, and +should not consist of long holding notes. Exercises in which the parts +cross afford excellent practice. Good instances of easy exercises are to +be found in Nos. 9, 68, 80, 101, &c. in Book III of _A Thousand +Exercises_; also in the many canons to be found in that book. + +Sight-singing in three parts should always begin with exercises written +in the contrapuntal style. There are instances of these in _Three-part +Vocal Exercises_, by Raymond, published by Weekes & Sons. This book is +also suitable for use where men's voices are obtainable, the two treble +parts being taken by two tenors, and the transposed alto part by a bass. + +A good series of part-songs is to be found in the Year Book Press, which +only admits songs by standard composers. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE TEACHING OF TIME AND RHYTHM + + +It is impossible to over-estimate the importance of careful study before +a teacher attempts to train children in a sense of time and rhythm. + +Not only must an intellectual conception of the importance of the +subject be arrived at, but a subconscious realization of it. The +function of rhythm in the world should be perceived, and such natural +phenomena as day and night, the seasons, the tides, and countless +others, seem to be examples of the same principle. The same influence +may be traced in social activities. Work cannot be organized and carried +on where rhythmic order is not found, and no conception of the brain or +of the artistic faculty can emerge uninformed by rhythmic continuity. + +A human being imperfectly endowed with a sense of balance or rhythm is a +danger to the community, and one who is entirely without this sense is +spoken of as 'insane'. + +In the training of the teacher it is well to call attention first to the +rhythm of speech, before entering into that of music. Those who have had +a literary education have already studied the metrical properties of +poetry and prose. They will readily agree that such phrases as: + +'My father's father saw it not.' +'Happy New Year to you.' +'Because I sought it far from men, + In deserts and alone.' +'We must go back with Policeman Day, + Back to the City of Sleep.' + +can be thought of as written in [2/4], [3/4], [4/4], [6/8] times +respectively. + +M. Jaques Dalcroze has shown, through his Rhythmic Gymnastics, the +extraordinary effect that rhythmic movements can have, not only on +physical health, but on mental and moral poise. For highly nervous +children some such work is of especial benefit, but for all children it +is of great value. It should be supplemented in the ear-training class +by constant practice in beating time to tunes. The teacher begins by +playing simple tunes, with strongly marked accents. The children should +discover these accents for themselves, and should be taught to beat +time, using the proper conductor's beats from the first. + +The French time names--_ta_, _ta-te_, &c.--are invaluable in early +stages. They are based on sense impression, and are picked up quickly by +the children. By taking the crotchet as the unit to start with, the +old-fashioned plan of exalting the semibreve, the least used note in +music, to a primary place, is avoided. + +If the order given in Somervell's _Fifty Steps in Sight-singing_ be +followed, the question of complicated time will not be forced too early +on the attention of the children. Pupils trained on other systems have +sometimes been found incapable of singing melodies written in +complicated time, even though they can beat time to the notes, giving +the time names, without mistake. The same thing is noticeable in their +instrumental work. This is due to the fact that one side of their +training has been developed at the expense of the other--time at the +expense of pitch. There seems little point in teaching a child such +time-values as + +[Illustration: (crotchet tied to first note of a quaver triplet, +followed by four semiquavers and another crotchet)] + +when it can only read at sight in the key of C major! + +In taking an exercise in sight-singing for the first time with a class +at an elementary stage the following practice has been found beneficial: + +1. The children sing the tune straight through at sight, without +stopping, the teacher beating time. Mistakes are then pointed out and +difficult phrases practised. + +2. The children stand and sing the tune straight through again, beating +time as they do so. + +3. Individual children then stand and sing the tune by themselves, +beating time. In this way the child gets to know the sound of its own +voice, and the teacher can correct any individual faults of intonation, +voice production, &c. Some children will always have an inclination to +shout when they sing with others, partly through excitement and partly +because they cannot hear their own voices in any other way. If this be +permitted the quality of tone will rapidly degenerate, and the effect of +the whole class work will suffer. + +Nothing is more delightful than to hear young children sing quietly, and +without in any way forcing their voices. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE TEACHING OF DICTATION + + +So long as the work done in ear-training is in the very elementary +stages the best form of dictation will be: + +1. Ear tests, consisting of two to three notes at a time, which should +be written in staff notation as soon as possible. + +2. Monotone time tests, which should be quite short, as the constant +repetition of the same note in pitch is irritating to the more sensitive +ears in a class. This point is sometimes overlooked, with the result +that only the less musical children get any real benefit from the tests. + +By the time that children can sing at sight in the key of D major they +will be ready to take down from dictation short melodic phrases in time +and tune. A useful plan is for the phrase to be played over three times, +the children listening carefully and beating time. They should then sing +the phrase once through to _lah_, and write it down. + +This method of dictation is more satisfactory than that of dictating a +bar at a time, as it draws attention to musical phrases as a whole. +Later on it will be found possible to dictate in the same way longer and +longer phrases. Incidentally the memory is being trained as well as the +ear. + +The class should be accustomed to write phrases which do not +necessarily begin on the first beat of the bar. The handwriting, exact +position of accidentals, &c., should be carefully watched. With young +children it is well to use manuscript books which have the lines ruled +very widely apart--a little child's hand soon gets cramped if it is made +to write in an ordinary manuscript book. + +When a class can take down simple melodies correctly it is time to begin +two-part work. As a preliminary, get a child to play middle C on the +piano, then to combine with it each of the notes of the scale of C major +in turn. The class will decide which of these two-part chords are +pleasant to listen to. Opinion is generally unanimous in favour of the +third, sixth, and octave, which will therefore be the basis of the first +exercises in two-part dictation. + +Plenty of practice should be given in isolated examples of these chords, +in more than one key, before the class attempts to combine time with +tune. When they are ready for this, the work should begin with very +simple phrases, with plenty of repetition to enable them to be quickly +memorized. A later stage introduces the use of passing notes. It is +better to play the exercise through first without these, and when it has +been written and corrected, to play it again, inserting the passing +notes. + +Before a class has finished the major keys it should be ready for the +dictation of three-part chords. As the children are accustomed to the +sound of the chord of the third on all degrees of the scale, it will be +a natural experiment to play a particular combination of thirds, thus +arriving at the triad. After this has been played on all degrees of the +scale, the class should be asked to decide which of these chords it will +be well to get to know first. They will remember that the first three +keys in which they learnt to sing were C, G, and F major, and will +therefore suggest that the tonic, dominant, and subdominant chords +should be chosen. + +At this stage it should be pointed out that all the notes of the scale +are contained in one or other of these chords. This is a seed which, if +well planted, will suggest the first principles of harmonizing melodies +later. + +We must now work at the three chords carefully. Begin by making the +class sing them in arpeggio, and in a definite rhythm, so as to get +precision. Each chord should be sung once very slowly, so as to get the +notes correctly, and absolutely in tune; then twice more quickly, so as +to get the feeling of harmony. This step is invaluable in its later +results--a child will often be heard to sing different chords in +arpeggio, when in doubt as to the chords to use in harmonizing a melody. + +When the three primary chords are known the others may be added, +together with the dominant seventh and the inversions, in all keys. This +last step must not be hurried. The average class rarely finishes +three-part chords in less than a year, and unless plenty of time is +given difficulties will crop up later, when four-part chords are begun. + +It is not enough for children to be trained to listen to the actual +notes of a chord--they must feel the mental effect, in the same way in +which they felt these effects in the case of the notes of the scale. + +A later step is to make use of the position of the chord in a +sequence--for instance, the child soon gets to notice that many phrases +end with the progression subdominant, dominant, tonic. + +We now come to the consideration of the dictation of four-part chords. +These need not be sung in arpeggio. As a first experiment it will be +necessary to play the chord to the class with each note doubled in turn, +so that they may feel the necessity for doubling the best note. + +This experiment is most valuable, as it gets the child away from the +cramping feeling of keeping a rule merely because it is mentioned in a +text-book. + +Plenty of phrases with the primary chords in root position must be taken +before the other chords are treated. For at least a year the class will +not be able to _write_ four-part dictation; the time should be spent in +identifying the chords when played. + +The chant form is the best for elementary work. It is very simple, and +can be adapted to every sort of sequence. Passing notes, appoggiaturas, +suspensions, &c., should be avoided at first. When the diatonic chords +and their inversions are known the principal modulations should be +studied. It will probably be necessary for the teacher to write her own +tests, as there are very few books of chants published which contain +enough exercises on the use of the easier chords. + +The last step in the teaching of dictation is the treatment of what may +be called the 'mixed phrase', i.e. one in the course of which the +number of parts varies. This is the most difficult stage of all, and +will need the utmost patience on the part of the teacher. But by this +time the children will have begun some of the practical work at the +piano described in the chapter on 'The Teaching of Extemporization and +Harmony', and this will help them to recognize easily the drift of the +mixed phrase. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE TEACHING OF EXTEMPORIZATION +AND HARMONY + + +In early days the art of melody was developed before that of harmony. +The same plan should be followed in the general musical education of the +child. + +As every child possesses a voice, but does not in every case learn an +instrument, it is clear that the fundamental training in music must be +given through the use of the voice. The first step will consist in +learning how to sing at sight and how to take down easy melodies from +dictation. Parallel with this work the child should be taught to +extemporize melodies, and to sing them. + +Quite little children will take pleasure in completing a musical phrase +of which the first few bars have been given them. The procedure will be +as follows: + +1. The teacher writes two bars in C major, [2/4] time, on the +blackboard. + +2. The class sings it through twice, first using the Sol-fa names for +the notes, then singing to _lah_. + +3. Volunteers are then asked for to complete the phrase by adding +another two bars. The more musical children in the class will at once +respond, and their efforts will stir the ambition of the others. It will +soon be a question of taking the children in turn, a few at each +lesson--so eager will they be to 'express themselves' in melody. + +It is important not to be too critical of these early efforts. The +great thing is to get the children un-self-conscious--variety of melodic +outline and of rhythm will follow quickly enough. + +The next step will be for two children in the class to extemporize the +whole phrase between them, one taking the first two bars and the other +the last two. The key and time should be varied as much as +possible--keys a fourth or fifth apart should be used in succession, or +the children will assume that any melody can be sung by them in any key, +which is obviously not the case. A melody sung in C major, which uses +middle C and high F, cannot be sung in the key of G major with the child +voice. + +The class will now find it quite easy to extemporize the whole of a +four-bar phrase. Suggestions can be made by the teacher, such as: + +'Begin on the third beat of the bar.' + +'Introduce two triplets in the course of the phrase,' and so on. + +When this becomes easy to them they will be ready to begin eight-bar +melodies. At first the teacher will give the first four bars, and +different members of the class will finish the tune. Modulations should +now be introduced. The same procedure as before should be followed, +until any child in the class can give the whole of a tune, in any given +key and time, and with a given modulation. + +Next comes the sixteen-bar tune, in which at least one modulation should +be introduced. A good plan is to begin with the well-known simple form: + +1. Four bars to the [6/4] [5/3] cadence. + +2. Four bars to the principal modulation. + +3. Repeat the first four bars. + +4. Four bars to the end. + +Three children can be used for this, in the following way: + +The first child sings the first four bars, the second goes on to the end +of the eighth bar, then the first child repeats what she sang, and a +third child finishes. This affords excellent practice, particularly for +the first child, who soon learns to confine herself to a simple opening, +as this must be remembered and repeated later. + +Memory plays a much larger part in the power to extemporize than many +people realize, and if this step in the preliminary work be +conscientiously taken there will be abundant results later. + +We now come to the important stage of extemporizing on the piano. It +must be remembered that a very thorough foundation of the knowledge of +chords has been laid by the ear-training work, leading up to the power +to write down chords from dictation, and to sing them in arpeggio. + +The first exercise will consist in playing a very simple tonic and +dominant accompaniment on the piano, while a melody is extemporized with +the voice. There is far more variety possible in this than appears at +first sight. For instance, the sequence of the chords may run in any of +the following ways, among others: + +I V I V I I V I } + } +I I V I I I V I } + } +I I I V I I V I } + } +I V V I I I V I } + +Those who have studied elementary algebra will recognize a simple +application of the theory of permutations! + +It is interesting to note the ease with which children will do this +exercise, if they have been carefully trained in all the preceding work. +Grown-up students are usually very much slower than children at it, +partly because they are inclined to be self-conscious, and to worry +about the sound of their voice, &c. But the child who has been +accustomed to sing at sight and to extemporize with the voice in front +of a class is not in the least embarrassed at being told to go to the +piano and combine a sung melody with a simple piano accompaniment. At +first there will be a tendency to restrict the melodies to the actual +notes of the tonic and dominant chords, but with a little practice +passing notes, &c. are soon added, and graceful little tunes will +result. + +The next exercise consists in the use of three chords, tonic, dominant, +and subdominant; the melody, as before, being sung. At this stage it is +wise to let the dictation work in the class take the form of phrases +which can be harmonized with these chords, so as to accustom the +children to use them. This gives invaluable practice in the first +principles of harmonizing melodies, and should precede all formal +treatment of the subject. + +Another useful exercise at this stage is to let the children add a +second part, either above or below a given melodic phrase. This will be +the foundation of later work in formal counterpoint. + +The class is now ready for the treatment of modulations on the piano. +If the preliminary work in cadences, dominant sevenths, &c. has been +conscientiously done in all keys there will be no difficulty in +extemporizing a sung melody, which modulates, and adding a simple +accompaniment at the piano. + +Other chords can now be added, and the children will be ready to +extemporize short tunes, entirely at the piano, without the aid of the +voice. To some people this may seem an easier thing to do than to +accompany the voice, but experience has proved the contrary. The child +is so accustomed to use the voice that it will at first be inclined to +think of all melody as vocal, and will be a little troubled when told +not to think about vocal pitch. + +The discipline of these early restrictions is obvious, and cannot be +over-estimated. It quite does away with the 'hymn-tune' style of early +composition, which is such a trap to many amateurs. + +Side by side with this work it is advisable to get the class to +extemporize chants, under the same restrictions as have been put on the +melodies, i.e. they will begin by using only tonic and dominant chords, +then adding the subdominant, and so on. The double chant will give +opportunities for more than one modulation being introduced at a time. +This work will prepare the way for figured basses, and more formal +harmony. The children will learn to avoid consecutive fifths and eighths +because they gradually notice the ugliness of them, which seems a better +plan than to learn to avoid them as a 'rule'. + +There is an interesting reference to methods of teaching harmony in the +Board of Education Memorandum on Music, issued in 1914. + +The writer says: + +'It cannot be emphasized too strongly that the current method of +teaching harmony, whereby pupils are taught to resolve chords on paper +by eye, quite regardless of the fact that 99 per cent. of them do not +realize the sound of the chords they are writing, is musically +valueless. + + * * * * * + +'In no other language than that of music would it be tolerated that the +theoretical rules of grammar and syntax should be so completely +separated from the actual literature from which they are derived, that +the pupil should never have perceived that there was any relation +whatever between them. + + * * * * * + +'Another very common result of the neglect of an aural basis for harmony +teaching is that students who can pass a difficult examination, and +write correctly by eye an advanced harmony exercise, are often quite +unable to recognize that exercise played over to them on the piano, or +even to write down the notes, apart from the time, of a hymn or a tune +that they have known all their lives.' + +The whole chapter in this memorandum is well worth reading. + +The final stages in the teaching of extemporization will consist in: + +1. Expressing a given idea in musical form, e.g. a march, or a gavotte. + +2. Extemporizing on a given theme. + +Although these last stages may be thought to be beyond the power of the +average child, experience has proved that it is not so, provided the +previous work has been carefully graded, and that none of the early +steps have been omitted or hurried over. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE TEACHING OF ELEMENTARY COMPOSITION + + +A wise musician has drawn attention to the fact that music has a more +important educational function than any foreign language, being a common +language for the expression of emotion, imaginative power, and rhythmic +feeling. He went on to say that, as a training, it is of use from the +very earliest years, and for all classes of the community. + +If we agree with this view--and it is encouraging to note the increasing +number of those who do so--we must so organize the musical education of +children that a time comes when they will be ready to 'express +themselves' in music in the same way in which they can express +themselves in their native tongue. + +An earlier chapter in this book has dealt with the teaching of +extemporizing, first, treated as vocal expression, then as instrumental. +When a class of children has arrived at the stage of being able to +extemporize a tune of sixteen bars, in any given key and time, and +introducing given modulations, it is quite ready to begin the more +formal study of composition, and to be initiated into the mysteries of +form. Hitherto the experiments of the class in this direction have been +chiefly spontaneous; the teacher has of set design left the child who is +extemporizing as free as possible, but the time has now come for a new +'window' to be opened in its mind. + +A preliminary talk should be given on the need of form in music. It must +be pointed out that we cannot be intelligible without it, that it is not +enough to have a language at our command; we must have _shape_ in order +to convey our ideas to others. The child should realize that the great +artists in all the arts are under the same necessity as the youngest +beginner in composition. Inspiration must be embodied in a definite +form, or others cannot share the vision of beauty. + +For a time the child now has to learn to select a musical form, then to +choose a musical thought which can be fitly expressed in it. It will +seem a cramping process after the freedom of extemporizing, but the +child who loves the work will willingly submit to the discipline. It +cannot be too often impressed on the young teacher that children as a +whole _like_ discipline. They despise those who are indifferent to it, +and give a ready submission to those who expect it, provided they feel +sure of an underlying sympathy. + +The first lessons in form should consist of the analysis of simple +tunes, preferably of the Folk Song type. The forms known as AB, ABA, and +the variants derived from these will be explained, and the class will +write examples of each, at first not harmonizing the melodies, but +afterwards doing so. The old dance forms will then be taken. At this +stage it is absolutely necessary for those of the class who are musical, +and who wish to give a little extra time to music, to go through a +course of strict harmony and counterpoint; endless time will be wasted +if they do not do so. The work will be very much lightened because of +the foundation already laid, for, without knowing it, the children have +been doing a little free counterpoint for some time, when they added +vocal parts to a given melody, and their knowledge of practical harmony +will make it possible for them to take many a short cut in the formal +work. + +The dance forms, together with very simple fugues and contrapuntal +studies, and a few 'free' exercises in songs and short pieces, will be +as far as the majority of children will get in the study of composition. +But there will always be a few in each class who will be eager and able +to go farther, and to begin the study of sonata form. For such children, +and certainly for all teachers of music, there can be no better +text-book than Hadow's _Sonata Form_, published in the Novello Primer +Series. This book is often described as 'more exciting than a novel'! +Somervell's Charts for Harmony and Counterpoint are also most valuable, +and will save the necessity of a text-book in these subjects--at any +rate for the beginner, who works under guidance. + +There is one curious fact about all but the most musical children when +they begin to _write down_ tunes of their own composition. They make +mistakes which they have never made when _extemporizing_ the same type +of tune. This seems to arise from the fact that they suddenly feel +self-conscious--they have more time to think when writing than when +singing or playing, and are inclined to compose one bar at a time +instead of phrase by phrase. They will produce a tune of seven +bars--they will end on a weak beat--they will come to a full stop in the +middle of an eight-bar tune on the tonic chord, root at the top--the +last half of the tune will have nothing to do with the first half. We +could write a page of their possible mistakes! + +The cure for these lapses is to insist on the tunes being sung before +being written. The old unconscious habit will then assert itself, and +the little tunes will fall into shape. + +It is a useful lesson to get a class to criticize all original tunes +when played by the young composer. For one thing, the criticism of our +contemporaries often carries more weight than that of our elders; and +for another, the practice arouses the critical faculty, and teaches the +children to listen keenly, for they have not the written tune in front +of them. + +After a little practice quite good criticisms will be given by children. +They will notice such points as a weak scheme of keys--undue repetition +of the chief melody--a clumsy modulation--a trite ending--an +over-laboured sequence--a tendency to borrow ideas from others, and so +on. + +This training will be of the greatest possible value to them later on in +the concert-room. As a writer in _The Times_ once put it: + +'The vague impressions which are all that many people carry away from +the concert-room would be replaced by definite experiences. + + * * * * * + +'Mental analysis is not, of course, the main object in listening to +music, but it is a most powerful aid to full appreciation. It is the +failure to perceive any definite relation between the parts and the +whole that baffles so many people, and sends them away from the +concert-room remarking that they cannot understand "classical" music.' + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE TEACHING OF TRANSPOSITION + + +A great many musical people will not take up the subject of +transposition seriously, because they have no idea of the lines along +which to work. They all agree that the knowledge would be most useful to +them, especially from the point of view of song accompaniment, but the +path seems to be beset by so many difficulties, and the results of their +first attempts are so pitifully small, that they generally give up all +hope, and all effort. Then again, some of the books published on the +subject are not very helpful to the average student. Some of them seem +to start with the assumption that the student is very musical, and can +do a great deal by instinct. They therefore give only the roughest +directions. Others begin sensibly enough, but leave out so many steps in +the work that a student may be forgiven for throwing them aside in +despair. + +Now there are three chief reasons why the musician would do well to +study transposition: + +1. For the purpose of song accompaniment. + +2. As an aid to committing music to memory, especially that written in a +form where different keys are used for the presentment of the same +material. + +3. As an infallible test of a sound 'general' musical education. + +The last reason is not often advocated, but a little thought will show +that it is impossible for the average student, not specially gifted in +any way, to transpose even an easy piece of music at sight on the piano, +without proving the possession of a trained ear and a knowledge of +practical harmony. For class work with children it can be made a still +more valuable test of progress. For the average child will be quite +unable to transpose a simple ear test--such as _d f m l s t, d_--on the +piano, from one key to another, say a fifth away, without a good deal of +accurate knowledge. + +The first exercises in transposition will be very simple--any child of +seven or eight years old, who can sing at sight, and take down ear +tests, in the keys of C and G major, can be expected to do them. They +consist in: + +1. Singing any well-known hymn-tune, or simple melody of the Folk Song +type, using the Sol-fa names of the notes. It should be sung phrase by +phrase, until every child in the class is sure of the correct notes. + +2. The children should now go in turn to the piano, and each play a +phrase of the melody, first in C major, then in G. + +It is important to emphasize the fact that the tune must be well known +to them, or an extra difficulty will be introduced. + +As the children learn more and more keys, these tunes should be +transposed into them. + +Provided the class does not consist of picked musical children, there +will always be a few in it who do not learn the piano. This work will +be one of their opportunities for learning a little about it. +Interesting results have been obtained from such children, if the +teacher is enthusiastic and ready to help. + +By the time that the class has begun the study of three-part chords the +transposition will become more and more interesting, as sequences of +chords can now be transposed. When the first steps in extemporizing on +the piano are begun, the transposition advances by leaps and bounds. The +children will be delighted to play their little tonic and dominant +accompaniments in every key--to change from major to tonic minor by +flattening the third and sometimes the sixth of the scale. + +There is a sense of freedom and power in such work, to which the class +will readily respond. They soon realize that certain melodies 'only +sound nice' in such and such a key, and in this way the foundation of a +'colour sense' will be laid. Also, apart from the question of the key in +which a melody sounds best to a child, another point comes into notice. +The child cannot sing certain notes in certain melodies unless it keeps +within a certain range of keys. This teaches them something. The point +has been referred to in the preceding chapter. + +Altogether it will be seen that the study of transposition is opening a +new window for them into the fairyland of music. + +Later on, when a child can compose short harmonized tunes of its own, it +is well to hold up the ideal of being able to transpose them into any +key, and in certain cases, where the melody lends itself to the +treatment, from major to minor, and vice versa. This work must of course +be voluntary, but a child is well rewarded when it finds that it is only +the first step which costs, and that the second of such tunes is so much +easier to transpose than the first! + +And the time comes when a child will sit down to the piano, and will +extemporize quite happily either in F major or in F[#] major, whichever +is suggested. Such work is well worth any initial trouble taken--it is a +combined process of ear and mind which has a far-reaching educational +effect. + +The last stage of all in this work consists in transposing at sight from +the printed page. Hitherto the ear and the mind have been chiefly +employed, but now the _eye_ must be trained to do its share. + +It is found useful to make children say the names of the chords aloud +when they are beginning this sort of transposition. The habit sets up a +connecting link between the various faculties in use, in some curious +way. The eye can help by noting the intervals between successive notes +in the various parts, and especially in the outer parts. It sees the +general drift of the piece before the mind comes into play--the coming +modulations and so on. In fact, it is not too much to say that it is +best, in certain musical phrases, to rely on the eye alone, e.g. rapid +decorative passages, which are not always easy to analyse at first +sight. + +A word of warning must now be given. Those who attempt 'short cuts' in +this work will certainly come to grief, unless they are born with the +faculty--undoubtedly possessed by a few--of being able to transpose by a +sort of instinct. Such people are fortunate, but it is not our present +task to attempt to guide them. We are concerned with the average child, +taught in fairly large classes, in the ordinary school curriculum, and +with only a very limited amount of time at our disposal. + + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +GENERAL HINTS ON TAKING A LESSON IN EAR-TRAINING + + +All those who teach ear-training should keep a book in which they write +on one side of the page the proposed scheme of work for each lesson, and +on the other the actual work done. All sorts of things may happen in the +course of the lesson to upset the proposed scheme. The children may find +the new work easier, or more difficult than was expected, a question +from a child may suddenly reveal a piece of ignorance which necessitates +a digression--every teacher is aware of the 'unknown quantities' in +class work. Unless the proposed scheme of work is checked by what is +done in each lesson, there will be difficulties later. + +Again, each lesson must form a definite link between past and future +lessons. It is often a temptation to a teacher of initiative to draw +attention to a new aspect of the subject, in which she happens to be +specially interested at the time, when the previous work is not in a fit +state to be left, even for two or three lessons. Something happens to +make her realize this, and the new piece of work is hurriedly +left--suspended in mid-air, as it were--and is not referred to again +until an accident recalls it to her mind. Such teaching certainly has +the charm of novelty to a class, but we must remember that one of the +faults of childhood is an undue readiness to pass on quickly to learn +'something new' before the previous work is secure. + +In taking a lesson the teacher should aim at speaking in her ordinary +voice. Inexperienced people sometimes imagine that it is necessary to +shout when speaking in a fairly large room. But provided the voice is +clear, and the articulation good, a low voice carries just as well as a +loud one, and certainly produces a greater sense of repose. + +Another fault to avoid is monotony of tone--we need 'modulations' in +speaking just as much as in music, and a class is keenly, though often +unconsciously, susceptible to this. A change of position is helpful. The +voice of the mistress will brighten at once if she comes down from the +platform and walks about a little. But she must never turn her back on a +class when actually telling them something. Musical people, who have not +the same experience in such matters as the ordinary teacher, constantly +do this, and will even hide the greater part of a blackboard when +pointing to notes of a tune. + +In beginning a lesson the maximum effort will be gained if communal work +be taken before individual, i.e. sight-singing before dictation, +extemporizing, &c. The reason for this is obvious, a certain momentum is +thus generated, which is impossible later, when the force has been +diffused. + +Before a tune is sung at sight the class should analyse it, giving the +key, time signature, starting note, modulations, sequences, general +construction, &c. Remind the children from time to time that the last +sharp in a signature gives the _te_ in a key, the last flat the _fah_; +that when modulating to the dominant key the _fe_ of the first key +becomes the _te_ of the second, in going from a key to its subdominant +_taw_ becomes _fah_, for the relative minor _se_ becomes _te_, and for +the relative major _taw_ becomes _soh_. Also that if in a minor key +_taw_ occurs in an ascending scale passage, or is taken or left by leap, +it is a sign of a modulation to the relative major. + +In starting the tune the tonic chord is played, and the teacher beats a +whole bar, together with a fraction of the next if the tune begins on an +off-beat, before the class takes it up. + +Do not _tap_ time when beating: it cultivates a habit of inattention on +the part of a class. Nor should the teacher beat time when the class is +doing so, unless for a moment, to correct an error. One reason for this +is that if the time signature be anything but [2/4] or [6/8], the +teacher's arm moves in a different direction in certain beats from that +of the class facing her, and this is most confusing. + +Never correct a mistake by singing the right note yourself. This would +be teaching by imitation--as we teach a bird to sing a tune--not +teaching by method. + +Remember that we are not aiming at artistic performance in a +sight-singing class, so do not hammer away at a tune until the +performance of it has reached your ideal. If you do, your aim is +'performance'--not sight-singing. + +If a child makes a mistake in dictation, do not tell it what is wrong, +unless you are very short of time. Get it to sing the phrase it has +written to Sol-fa names--in this way it will find out its own mistake. + +In writing notes, either on the blackboard or on manuscript paper, it is +not necessary to fill up all the space between the lines, as is done in +printed music. If children are allowed to do this, they will spend a +long time over their exercises. Teach them to turn all tails of notes +_up_ which are written on lines or spaces below the third line, and +_down_ for those above. The direction of the tails of notes on the third +line itself will depend on the context. These directions refer, of +course, to the writing of melodies. It is often necessary to remind even +grown-up students that accidentals must be placed _before_ the note +affected, not after it; also that a dot after a note which is written on +a line must come on the space next above, not on the line itself. +Children often forget that the leading note in a minor key invariably +carries an accidental. + +We must now say a little on the subject of revision. It is a fault of +the young teacher that she often entirely neglects this, with the result +that her class can only sing accurately at sight, and do dictation in, +the last key learned. During the first few lessons in a new key it is +certainly inadvisable to give exercises in the preceding ones, as the +whole attention must be concentrated on the new tonality. But other keys +should be taken at least once in three weeks. An impatient person may +say: 'But properly taught children could not forget so soon!' Yet, at +times, we are all hazy on almost any subject, but it does not follow +that we are either fools, or badly taught: we are simply human! After +all, machines get out of order, so why not the most complicated machine +of all--the human mind? + +Again, it is only the inexperienced teacher who thinks her class has +been badly taught by her predecessor. Many a student in training is +inclined, after the first lesson with a new class, to come to the +distracting conclusion that the children know 'nothing'. This generally +means that, after the holidays, the former work needs a little revision +before new work is begun. + +In taking a fairly advanced class a teacher is often worried because +there is not enough time in a single forty-minute lesson a week to touch +on all of such subjects as chords, cadences, extemporizing, +transposition, &c., in addition to sight-singing and dictation. It is +certainly quite impossible to do so, and this is one of the reasons for +apparently slow progress. But there is, however, a good side to the +difficulty, for such work ought not to be hurried, and it is well to +leave a little breathing space between the references to it. + +Teachers are sometimes heard to speak with regret of the high spirits of +their classes, which lead to restlessness. But we should never regret +_force_ in a child, and we must realize that all pent-up force needs a +safety-valve. It must be our business to direct such force into safe +channels. Keep the children really busy, give them plenty to do, and +there will be no cause to regret their vitality. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE TEACHING OF THE PIANO + + +It is impossible, within the limits of a chapter, to do more than dwell +on a few practical points connected with the teaching and organization +of this work in a school. As was said in the preceding chapter, the +ideal for all young children who are about to learn the piano is that +they should first go through a short course of ear-training. If this be +done, the progress in the first year's work will be about three times +what it would otherwise be. If the ear-training be done along the lines +suggested in earlier chapters, the child will have been taught to sing +easy melodies at sight, she will have approached the question of time by +means of the French time names, she will have learned to beat time with +the proper conductor's beat, to find notes on the piano, and, what is +more important, to know these notes by sound, in relation to fixed +notes. + +In this way some of the processes which a child goes through in +beginning to learn the piano are taken one at a time, in company with +other children, and are therefore not hurried. + +When the time has come to begin the piano, the child should join a +_class_ for this for one year. Such a class should not exceed six in +number. During this time she will add to her knowledge the first +principles of fingering, will play easy exercises for fingers, wrist, +&c., and will learn a few easy pieces and duets. + +From the very first she will be taught to analyse a piece before she +begins to play it--she will find out the key, time, cadences, sequences, +passages of imitation, modulations, &c. If the melody be within the +range of the child's voice she will then sing it, beating time as she +does so. After these preliminaries it is only a question of technique to +learn to play it. The last stage will consist in learning the piece by +heart. The day has long gone by when it was considered a sign of +exceptional musical gift to be able to do this. All experienced teachers +know that, provided a child is having its ear trained by some such +method as that suggested above, it can learn a piece of music by heart +almost entirely away from the piano. That is to say, instead of the +wearisome repetitions which were formerly necessary before a piece could +be played by heart, it is possible, directly the technique is mastered, +and in many cases before this is done, to learn the piece away from the +piano. The benefit of this is obvious, and the nerves, both of the +player and of the unwilling listeners, are the gainers. + +A little thought will show that it should be no more difficult for +average children to learn a piece of music by heart in this way, than +for them to learn a piece of prose or poetry by heart. The initial steps +are exactly the same--the language has to be known, and it is then a +question of memory, and memory alone. Who would think of learning poetry +by heart by the process of repeating it aloud a hundred or more times? +Yet this is what was formerly done in the case of music. + +Sixty years ago no girl was considered educated who could not play the +piano a little. Since then a reaction has begun to set in. The standard +of playing has gone up to such a degree that parents are often heard to +say that their child is not musical enough for it to be worth while to +teach it an instrument. This is a pity. Music is used so much in our +daily life that we cannot do without our 'average performers'. The +soldier marches best to a tune, the sailor heaves his anchor to a song, +the ritual of all forms of religion needs the aid of music; we need it, +not only in the pageantry of our processions, but in the solemn crises +of life and death. For these purposes artists of the first rank are not +necessary. + +Every child, however apparently unmusical, should be given its chance, +at any rate up to the age of twelve years. During this time, the stress +should be placed, for the unmusical child, not so much on perfection of +technique, but on the ability of playing easy pieces really well, and to +read at sight such things as duets, song accompaniments, &c. + +If, in addition, the children have joined an ear-training class, they +will, at any rate, be intelligent listeners for the rest of their lives +to other people's playing. + +For all children, sight reading should form part, not only of every +lesson, but of every day's practice. Many books for sight reading have +been published, well graded, some of them beginning with little pieces +in the treble clef only, and going on to advanced tests. The following +are a few, selected from many other excellent ones: + +Schaefer (3 vols., published by Augener). + +Hilliard (5 vols., published by Weekes). + +Somervell (2 vols., published by Augener and Weekes respectively). + +Taylor (1 vol., published by Bosworth). + +As a child will need more than one such book in the course of her study, +and as she cannot play the same test twice, a plan has been made in some +schools for the music to be sold second-hand from one pupil to another, +through the medium of a mistress, in the same way in which ordinary +school books are sometimes passed on. This reduces the expense of +constantly having to buy new books for sight reading. Another plan is to +establish a lending library, each child to pay 2_d._ or 3_d._ a term. + +In the teaching of 'pieces' music mistresses should bear in mind that +children must, from time to time, revise those which they have finished. +Nothing is more irritating to a parent than to be told by a child that +it has 'nothing to play' to a visitor. The mistress who is anxious to +get a pupil on as quickly as possible often overlooks this point, and an +entirely wrong impression is given of the child's progress to the +parent. + +We now come to the vexed question of the interpretation of music by +children. An interesting point can be noted about the practice of the +early classical composers. They were accustomed to give the minimum +amount of indication as to tempo and general detail for the performance +of their works. + +And to what conclusion does this lead us? Surely this--that these giants +in music recognized the necessity for every performer of their works to +express _themselves_ through the music, subject to the broad conditions +laid down by the composer. As Hegel said: 'Music is the most subjective +of all arts.' And is it not true that it is this constant necessity for +personal interpretation, so strongly felt by the majority of artists, +which gives the permanent interest to music? + +We say, 'by the majority of artists', for now and then we meet an artist +who seems to have strayed from the path of beauty, and who is devoting +his energies to an ascetic determination to keep alive one particular +interpretation of a composer's work, or works; who dictates these +interpretations to his pupils, and who talks of other artists who feel +the bounden duty of self-expression through the said works as +'outsiders', and 'not in the cult'. Such musicians do not appear to see +that such an attitude is 'idolatry' pure and simple. They have not +pondered the well-known anecdote of Brahms, who, when asked by a singer +whether his interpretation of one of his songs was 'the right one', +answered: 'It is one of the many hundred possible interpretations.' + +A word must now be said on the organization of instrumental work in the +school. It is important that this should be in the hands of one person, +who will not only keep a supervising eye on questions of method, choice +of music, lengths of lessons and practising, &c., but who will evolve +some means of testing the progress of the pupils every term, in the same +way in which their progress is tested in other subjects. The progress of +the individual pupil should not be a secret between herself and her +particular mistress! + +It is a good plan to arrange a short recital every term in a school, at +which from twenty to twenty-five pupils should play at a time. Such +recitals should not exceed more than 1-1/4 hours in length. Nothing is +more wearisome to the outsider than to listen to amateur performances +which stretch out to two and sometimes to three hours' length. If the +above plan be adopted, no child will be able to play more than one short +piece. A mistress who is ambitious for the success of a few specially +gifted pupils will sometimes suggest that a recital shall consist of the +performance of two or three of these only, and that each pupil should +play more than once. + +Such suggestions should be frowned at. + +What we want, if we have an educational end in view, is not so much to +give the few musical children in a school the opportunity of gaining +experience in playing in public, and indirectly of showing their +progress to an admiring audience, but we want to give every music pupil +in turn the same opportunity. + +All children need experience before they can play to others in such a +way that they not only do themselves justice, but give pleasure to +their listeners. + +Pieces played at such recitals should invariably be by heart. The +nervous pupil may possibly break down at her first appearance, but she +will be quickly succeeded by a more confident player, the little victim +of 'nerves' will be soon forgotten, and the experience gained in this +way is invaluable. + +Before a recital a rehearsal should be held in the same room in which +the recital is to take place. Few people seem to realize the immense +difference made to children by a change of environment at such a time. +The pupil who will play her piece on the piano without one mistake to +her mistress, and in the room to which she is used, will often be +troubled at playing it on another piano, and in another room. + +A child was once known to break down in an evening recital, and when +asked the reason, said: 'I have never played that piece before with a +candle near me, and I didn't like the shadows on the piano.' + +This sort of remark gives a real insight into the child mind. + +Another small point may be mentioned. In the lessons just before a +recital the mistress should go to the end of the room in which the +lesson is given, while the child is playing her recital piece, in order +that her supporting presence near the child may not be missed at the +recital. + +The recital will probably be followed by some form of reception by the +school authorities of the parents of the pupils. No teacher should miss +this opportunity of getting to know the parents of her pupils. A +friendly talk over the progress, or lack of progress of a child will +often result in sympathetic help being given at home, and, in any case, +the teacher will probably learn something about the character and home +environment of the child which will help her in her work. + +Partly owing to lack of time, and partly because some pieces will not be +ready, a certain number of children will not be able to play at the +school recital. Such children should be gathered together at the end of +the term, and should play to the mistress who organizes the work. In +this way they too will gain experience, and a little focus will have +been made for their work. + +We must add one final suggestion. Each music mistress should keep a +register, in which she notes not only the names of her pupils, the times +of their lessons, absences, late arrivals, &c., but an exact list of all +the work done by them, with dates. This is invaluable, not only for +gauging their progress, but as a means of quickly ascertaining their +work in musical literature. It is, alas! a day of examinations, and with +the many little books of studies and pieces which have to be got up for +outside examinations there is a serious fear of the systematic education +of a child in classical musical literature being interrupted, or, at any +rate, put on one side for a time. Such a book makes it possible for the +mistress to keep a definite scheme of work in view for each pupil, and +the busier the mistress, the more she will need some such aid to her +memory. + +The pupil should also keep a register, in which she notes the exact +amount of time spent daily in practising, and the way in which she +divides it. This book should be brought to each music lesson, and should +also be shown to the supervising mistress at the end of each term. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +SUGGESTIONS TO STUDENTS ON LEAVING +A TRAINING DEPARTMENT + + +In finishing a course of training along the lines we have been +considering, it is well to take a bird's-eye view of what has been done. + +In all communal work the results fall roughly under two heads: + +1. The getting of new ideas, and of new ways of presenting old ideas. + +2. The development of character, due to the mixing with fellow students +and with those who are directing the work. + +So far as the actual work is concerned, stress has been laid on the +following: + +1. The necessity of considering music as a language. + +2. Various methods for teaching in accordance with this idea. + +3. The principle of the inclusion of the work in the regular curriculum +of schools, with class treatment. + +In the short space of one year, which is all that can be generally +spared by the student, it is impossible for her to realize the full +bearing of all that has been done. It is only when we see such work in +perspective, after the lapse of a little time, when it has been possible +to work out at leisure some of the practical points involved, that we +can perceive all the ground covered. + +Many students have experienced considerable difficulty at first in doing +themselves what they have seen children do, who have been trained along +these lines, i.e. to write down two-, three-, or four-part exercises in +dictation, to transpose at sight, to extemporize without hesitation at +the piano, &c. The feeling of working against time, of examinations to +be passed, of discouragement at apparently slow progress, has possibly +produced a state of mental indigestion, and the only cure for this is +Time, the universal doctor. + +The student is now at the point of entering a new sphere of work. The +instrument has been sharpened. How is the application to be directed? A +word of warning is necessary. The young and enthusiastic teacher, fresh +from the inspiration of a year's work with those interested in her +development, is too often apt to be over-rigid in enforcing a new +presentment of ideas. + +'This way, or no way!' is her cry. + +Now all sound educational work must possess an intrinsic quality of +pliability: it must grow, expand, and be capable of development in a +hundred ways. Small points of method must be adjusted to the particular +class and pupil, and a generous recognition of the useful parts of other +people's 'methods' will be the surest way of obtaining recognition of +our own ideals. Provided a firm attitude be maintained on essentials, it +is often possible to compromise on minor details. Above all, an open +mind must be preserved in the presence of advice, however +inexperienced. Many a young teacher has failed in her first post because +she has given the impression to those in authority that there is one, +and one only, way in which she can do her work--one, and one only, +possible scheme of division of classes and hours for lessons. + +An arrangement far short of the ideal must often be accepted, with a +courteous protest, but it will assuredly be modified later by the +authorities when the teacher has won confidence by arousing the interest +and enthusiasm of the pupils, and by showing good results from the +lessons. + +Has not every new presentment of every subject in the school curriculum +been greeted with the same chorus of depreciation at first? Why should +music, the latest arrived of the subjects on the regular curriculum, +fare differently? + +Remember that the head of a school has often to keep in mind, not only +his or her ideals in education, but the wishes of a governing body and +of the parents. + +A short demonstration of work done under imperfect conditions will often +throw a flood of light on the aims of an enthusiastic teacher, who has +been struggling in difficult surroundings. 'I had no idea you were doing +all _this_ with the children' has been the admiring comment of more than +one former unsympathetic critic, and conditions are at once altered in a +generous spirit. + +Above all, the young teacher must remember that it is of the first +importance not to lose her enthusiasm for the work. She must keep +herself up to date by being in touch with general musical life outside +her immediate circle. She should belong to a musical society, and take +every opportunity of attending lectures, &c. She should organize musical +clubs and meetings among her pupils, and encourage a healthy attitude of +kindly criticism. + +And, finally, she must be always working at something to do with her own +music, for directly she ceases to put herself, from time to time, in the +attitude of the learner, she will cease to be a sympathetic and +stimulating teacher. + +It is a good plan to keep a musical diary, in which our own progress and +that of our pupils is recorded, together with notes on current musical +events--concerts attended, and so on. Such a record is most useful for +reference, and for encouragement in dark hours, when it seems impossible +to re-establish a lost sense of proportion. + +PRINTED IN ENGLAND +AT THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Music As A Language, by Ethel Home + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MUSIC AS A LANGUAGE *** + +***** This file should be named 16225.txt or 16225.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/2/2/16225/ + +Produced by David Newman, Charlene Taylor and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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