Music Education

Its time to go back a long way to see how this wonderful system began.

Music Education in Ancient Greece and Rome.

Emphasis on the writings of Plato, Aristotle, Quintillian, Cicero, and Moses (we are aware that Moses is neither Greek nor Roman).

Music Education

In the educational systems of Israel, Greece and Rome, it was taken for granted that the aesthetic component of experience as portrayed in the arts (sculpture, dancing, and music) operated part and parcel with the physical, cognitive, and religious components of higher education. (Broudy, 1990)

Hebrew Music Education

Huh? Why start here?

Hebrew Music Education

(Deu 31:19 NIV) "Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them. (Deu 31:22 NIV) So Moses wrote down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites.

Hebrew Music Education

(1 Chr 15:16 NIV) David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals. (2 Chr 20:21 NIV) After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever."

Hebrew Music Education

(1 Chr 25:6 NIV) All these men were under the supervision of their fathers for the music of the temple of the LORD, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king. (2 Chr 5:12 NIV) All the Levites who were musicians-Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives-stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets.

Music Education in Ancient Greece and Rome

The Ancient Greeks

Basic Greek Views on Music:
Music is of divine origin The discipline of music encompassed much more than it does today Music has special powers: Can cure sickness Can purify (or contaminate) the body and mind Can work miracles Can influence behavior

Greek Scientists

Pythagoras (ca. 500 B.C.)

Music and arithmetic are one and the same

X 2xy= MUSIC
Numbers are key to the physical and spiritual universe Music is made up of numbers and given ratios

Ptolemy (ca.
Certain modes correspond to certain planets

The Greek Philosophers

PLATO (ca. 380 B.C., wrote Republic) ARISTOTLE (ca. 330 B.C., wrote Politics)

Music as force of both good and evil.

Platos Educational Philosophy

Chief function of Education is to make one fit to rule: Build a solid moral character by developing the body and the mind Music and Gymnastics primary areas of study: Music to develop mind and to shape proper character, gymnastics to make body strong to better serve state Music for knowledge, not pleasure The effects of the modes and the danger of corruption Believes new trends demonstrate ethical decline, and that schooling can counteract this trend

Platos Model
Standard: Elementary, secondary At age 18, 2 years of military education #1. If showing promise as a great warrior:

Serve in army
If demonstrating great intellect:

#2. If no further promise of great intellect: Enter lower position of civil duty If showing promise as great intellect: 5 more years of study #3. If still showing promise of great intellect: 15 years practical experience

10 more years Higher Education

At age 50, become an Elder statesman

Aristotle
Education as a branch of politics Schools should be run by State Education for the rich and the poor (but not for everyone) Education should be liberal, not practical, and should follow natural growth patterns

Aristotles Model
Early education should be built on PLAY, should be moral and physical Pre-adolescent education should help develop a sense of shame and a a desire for success

There should be little academic training before 14

Education from 14-21 should involve: ethics, politics, literature, poetry, and rhetoric High Education should occur beyond age 21 and include: biology, physics, psychology, and logic

Contrasting City-States
ATHENS:
Democratic ideals, broader concept of citizenship Well-rounded individuals, liberal education Militarized State, rigid control over schooling Education is about creating perfect warriors

SPARTA:

Basic Educational System in Athens

Educational system not for personal service, but as a means of making an ideal citizen: geared for the upper class boys Education strongly encouraged by public opinion Three levels: Elementary, Secondary, and Higher Education Not fully controlled by the state, but later laws make Elementary education compulsory in: letters, music, and gymnastics Music seen as a broader discipline, and one essential for developing moral character as well as intellect, ideal for the ideal well-rounded Athenian citizen. Music taught through imitation and repetition, use of mnemonic devices Singing and dancing taught together

Spartan Education
At birth, a boy was brought before magistrates Brought up by family until age 7 Placed in public barracks from 7-18: Semi-militaristic training Music in the form of war songs, singing and dancing for morale and to enhance physical training Age 18-20: Intense military training Age 20-30: Active military service Age 30: Eligible to become full citizens, and urged to participate in the training of young men

Music Education In Ancient Rome

Marcus Fabius Quintilian was appointed professor of rhetoric by Emperor Vespansion which was the official recognition of the responsibility of the government for public instruction. In his Instituto Oratoria he mentions several aspects of music education in the teaching of rhetoric which was the most essential element of Roman Education.

Instituto Oratoria

Musicians are at the same level of respect as Prophets and Philosophers. The Study of Music is the most ancient study. Some believed that the study of grammar (the highest of studies) was subordinate to the study of Music.

In Meanders play The Changling he mentions that the greatest expense in a boys education was the amount paid to teachers of music and geometry. Cicero, on comment of Themistocles, because he could not play the Lyre, was accounted but ill-educated. (Mark, 2002)

On the education of the Orator.

Music has two modes of expression: Vocal utterance and gestures of the body.

Vocal utterance theory

Modulation of the voice Metric Melody and Sound
Rhythm

Gestures Theory
Inflection

of the voice and body

Body movement (language) can only be learned by the study of music (Mark, 2002)

Quintillian on Harmony

The Laws of Harmony are useful for stirring and soothing the emotions. The knowledge of the principles of music have the power to excite or assuage the emotions of mankind. He sites an example of the Flute Player.

While playing a song in the Phrygian mode while a priest was offering a sacrifice, the priest, driven mad by the song, threw himself over the precipice to his death. The Flute player was charged with Manslaughter. (Mark, 2002)

Cicero on Music Education

The musical discussion here involves Pythagorean theories of numbers as applied to the harmonic proportions of musical intervals, the souls relation to the body compared to musical proportions. The motion of each of the planets revolving about the earth produces a definite musical tone: eight spheres revolve (in this system there are nine spheres, the stationary earth included), but only seven tones are produced, since the orbits of Mercury and Venus are alike and thus make the same sound. (Somnium Scipionis)

Sequence of Roman Education

At around age 12, those boys whose families had enough wealth moved on to learn under the grammaticus, who taught language and literature, as well as music and philosophy. At around age 16, the young Roman began his education under a rhetor, a teacher of rhetoric whose curriculum included rhythm and vocal inflection (Dobson, 1932).

In Conclusion
The study of Music was considered a critical element in a boys Liberal education which would make him a free man and a good citizen. Both practical and theoretical applications were taught, although the process evolved to a greater emphasis on the theoretical application.

To take test, click on link

Music Education in the Ancient Greeks Test.doc