music Music as Core Curriculum in Classical Education part 1

[Christian McGuire]

When Dorothy Sayers advocated for a return to the traditional methods of Medieval Education in her public speech "The Lost Tools of Learning." (1943) , she was referring to a tradition steeped in the works of the 6th century Scholar and Roman Statesman Anicius Manlius Seuerinus Boethius.

 

Boethius is the most significant figure in the transmission of the Classical Learning into the Latin West.  For over a 1,000 year span, his works were the most widely disseminated and utilized as authoritative texts in Classical Education.  This is in large part due to the efforts of the 10th century scholar Gerbert d'Aurillac (Pope Sylvester II), who organized the familiar classical curriculum on Boethius works, Fundamentals of Arithmetic, Fundamentals of Music, Psuedo-Boethius Geometry, as well as the Calcidius Commentary on Plato's Timaeus.  While this history is intimately known by Classics scholars, it is often missed entirely by many schools who desire to provide a Classical Education. 

 

Take a moment to read Boethius best known work, The Consolation of Philosophy for it is the essential handbook for Classical Education.  It is a guide for how to think about issues, how to think clearly and deeply with a heart and mind toward understanding Nature and our role in it,  how those forces impact and influence our decisions and the strategies we employ to overcome faulty reasoning from our emotional likes and dislikes.  It is understanding that harmony between our individual Rights and our Obligations to our community and nature. Education after all is primarily a Philosophical quest.  It is perpetual questioning to arrive at understanding.
 

Music's Classical Pedigree

 

Classics scholars know from surviving 

 and paleographical evidence as well as contemporary written accounts, such as those written by Boethius, that the ancient epics and plays (Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid, Beowulf, Sophocles, Euripides, Ovid, Mesmodes) were sung and accompanied by instrumental music. 

 

In Boethius, Music is the primary voice of Lady Philosophy.  This is because in the Classical tradition, music is known to influence human behavior AND it can be measured and manipulated.  It is the conduit to understanding the Cosmos (The "Good Order").  The Western tradition of classical education holds that those without Music lack true understanding and are doomed to be passive reactors to the whims of its power.  In the Holy orders of the Catholic Church and in the theology of MartinLuther,  it is the voice of prayers because in their traditions God is the creator of the Cosmos. The 12th Century German Saint and Doctor of the Church, Hildegard von Bingen takes this tradition further in her morality play, Ordo Uirtutem in which all of the parts, from the "Soul" to the "Virtues" are singing roles.  The ONLY voice without song is the Devil - who bellows and shouts without true understanding trying to sway the weary soul to the false goods of wealth, power, and prestige.

In his treatise De Musica, the influential classical scholar, Saint Augustine of Hippo writes that anything dealing with sound is the study of Music.  On its basic level we have all experienced the power of music on our emotions from the rhythm of a dripping faucet, taking cues as to when to shift gears in our manual transmissions, judging emotion or meaning (satire or serious) by tone of voice.  These are all extremely basic musical elements, but they provide the starting point in the Classical Study of Music.

Pythagoras demonstrating Ratio in Sound via the Tectratys 

While I cannot use this time to provide a basic understanding of 

 and how music influences the meaning of a text, emotions, philosophical concepts et al.  (which it so often does by referring our minds in one direction as the text moves in another) it has always been understood as an essential component of Classical Education.  The active engaged practice of music exercises the mind to understand these nuances.

 

Think about it another way.  If Music did not have power and importance, why do movies, tv shows, commercials, and especially political ads routinely exploit its power?  Would the meaning of a political ad change if the timbre of the speakers voice were different, if the music sounded "happy" during a negative attack ad?  I do not want any of our students to grow up ignorant of this and to have their minds swayed by "shiny objects" without substance.

It is for this reason the mind requires active participation in instrumental and vocal music.  The exercise of which tunes the mind into these nuances, these complex and layered cues of timbre, pitch, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, contours, expression complex textures.  Just as the weight lifter cannot hope to gain muscle through reading about weight lifting, so too is it true with the musician athlete.

 

There exists readily available extensive historical evidence and so much peer reviewed and vetted cognitive research supports the findings of these 2,500 year old assertions as to the value and power of music. (refer here for a brief list of sources http://novamusicsupport.blogspot.com/ ) Which makes it frustrating when otherwise intelligent people continue to degrade Music as an extra-curricular. Why do some continue to ignore these facts and regard Music as if it were merely some market driven commodity for entertainment with no more value than soda, junk food or video game?

 

Music is the Core of Classical Education

Understanding Music, how it is produced, its effects upon human motivations, and how this power is utilized has been the greatest source for the development of the Physical and Behavioral Sciences.  Since Pythagoras first applied ratio to sounds, understanding Music is the clearest window into knowing the Whole of Nature. It is the voice of Philosophia of which scholars in the Ancient Greek traditions stressed its importance.  It is why the ancient epics, plays, and prayers were sung and accompanied by instruments.  Its influence and effect on humans is now confirmed by modern research in Cognitive Science. All of the STEM fields are indebted to this tradition of Understanding Music.

 

We know music in many ways: singing, instruments, theory.  It can motivate us, inspire us, annoy us, compel us to buy, or vote for a certain candidate.  The Language Arts are indebted to the Understanding of Music.   For whatever is conveyed in the best Rhetoric can be supported or undermined through its learned application.

http://novamusicsupport.blogspot.com/p/resources.html

For the classical mind: Rhetoric and Music only lead to Virtue when they are in accord with the Cosmos. Or In the words of Lady Philosophy
...I call to my aid the sweet persuasiveness of Rhetoric, who then only walketh in the right way when she forsakes not my instructions, and Music, my handmaid, I bid to join with her singing, now in lighter, now in graver strain. Consolation of Philosophy Book II.

 

Adapted from:
http://www.christianmcguire.com/2015/04/music-in-classical-education-part-1.html

 

Christian McGuire
http://www.christianmcguire.com/p/blog-page.html

Collegium Musicum Novae - organizer

Christian McGuire is a professional musician, historian, music educator, and Liberal Arts Education advocate who holds a Master of Arts in Musicology from the University of Minnesota and B.A.s in Philosophy and Classical Languages from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.  He teaches private students in Electric Bass, Classical Guitar, and beginning Piano and has taught Music History and Theory at Augsburg College and the McNally-Smith College of Music. Between 2004-2008 he was the musicologist and study guide author for the Minnesota High School Music Listening Contest. He is a Fencing Foil specialist and a practicing black belt in mixed martial arts under Master Jake Erling from The Art Martial Arts in Falcon Heights, Minnesota.  

 

 

[composr]

I am certainly in favour of music being in the core curriculum for a Classical Education. We are planning to do this at home as well, and similarly I have a background in Music Education, composition, performance etc., and have a deep desire to communicate that onwards. I am planning a music curriculum steeped in fundamentals of theory, music history and performance that will more or less align with the cycles/historical periods.

 

Additionally,  I would point to Comenius as intensely influential on the Mediaeval and Rennaissance educators in the Classical tradition.

 

[chiguirre]

 

It is for this reason the mind requires active participation in instrumental and vocal music.  The exercise of which tunes the mind into these nuances, these complex and layered cues of timbre, pitch, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, contours, expression complex textures.  Just as the weight lifter cannot hope to gain muscle through reading about weight lifting, so too is it true with the musician athlete.

What would you recommend to homeschoolers who don't have the budget to do music lessons and don't have access to public school music programs? What free or cheap resources would help reach these goals?

[wintermom]

I completely agree that it is really sad that music education has been made a low priority in North America. It seems to be part of the tend where in almost every aspect of education in North American the standard has been lowered. It starts with teacher training and educational requirements, continues in the classroom, and up through to high school and often beyond into university. 

 

Math teachers used to be required to have an undergraduate degree in Mathematics, science teachers in science, physical education teachers a degree in Human Kinetics, and so on. It's no longer required to have a degree (or even a university level course) in the subject one teaches. Why would we then be surprised that there is a very low, or non-existant, level of music education in the public school system? The same goes for physical education, art, math, science, English, etc. One subect area that's a little harder to teach without any experience at all is a foreign language. I'm sure that there are some questionable teachers "faking" it in this area, though.

 

I'm not exactly sure why the status of music, art and physical education is so low (stereotypically) in the homeschool world. Perhaps it's a question of lack of time, money and personal experience. It does excist, though. It could also be that Post-secondary educational institutions don't seem to place a high importance on these subjects either, unless directly linked with the specific program.

 

[IsabelC]

Haven't got time to read the links now, but music is certainly a priority here. We are requiring the children to take an instrument and learn the basics of music theory. Music and math are the two things that the kids have to do every day.

[Sarah0000]

I've never had any formal music training, and I still feel the lack. I knew I would make it a priority for my children from the get go. I believe the ability for self expression through music is an intrinsic human quality, but most people do not have the skills to utilize it. I've seen this with my toddler who will bang out different sounds on the piano declaring "This is a slow, slow lizard!" or "This is Superman saving the day!" I certainly never taught him that.

[FO4UR]

Interested.

 

 

I'm not a fan of Dorothy Sayers.  I align very closely with Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education.  That does effect how I treat music education.  I don't teach music b/c it fits into some vision of "classical" education, but b/c it is intrinsically human, and my first point to consider in education is that children are born persons.

 

 

To dissect sound, to analyze a melody or harmony, to ponder the emotive responses desired, etc...that is the work of an older student (teens and +).  Younger students need to frolic in the sound waves and feel the rush, feel the calm, feel the suspense...or you will lose them to music forever.  

 

Composer Study, intelligent listening, mimesis, explorative play, ear training, and a very careful introduction into notation comprise the younger years.  The middle years should be building upon those things with instrument work (voice included). Analyzing is highly fun for those who have that foundation.  I would not be interested in a curric that pushed analysis too early.

 

 

BSE Music Ed Voice (Mother of the child who sang Puccini before he knew who Puccini was...mimesis! :lol: )

 

 

 

Side note: Most parents do not have any sort of music education upon which to pass on to their children. (Music Education in the 80s and 90s was deplorable!) That is the most difficult hurdle to overcome in creating a curriculum.  Ex. Much of my early years teaching is done via singing.  I can do that b/c I have a trained ear and solfa is 2nd nature to me.  A homeschool mother who has little-to-no music background cannot draw upon nothing and give something.  I would be highly interested in hearing how a curric, aimed for homeschoolers, manages that problem. 

[Christian McGuire]

I completely agree that analysis should be left until the student is older.  At a younger age however exposure to music both in passive listening and active participation is essential to develop a basic ear which will be necessary for the later analysis.

Just as students learn language by participation they don't begin analysis of the language until later and progressively build upon the knowledge.

 

A difficult part I have had in teaching many college courses for non-music majors lay in teaching students to hear past the lyrics.  So I develop many exercises to have them actively listen, memorize and sing back portions of the music in the various layers that are not lyric / melody dependent. beginning with the bass as it provides the structural harmonic, metric and rhythmic foundation for form in most common forms of western classical and popular music since the invention of Opera ca. 1600.

 

I am currently working on some of my own videos to help explore these topics as a guide for listening.  

 

Here is one video I quickly threw together for some desparate college students a few years ago, which uses the Childrens tune, BINGO as it relates late Baroque era themes.

Here is the corresponding analysis text (for older students) https://www.academia.edu/3092592/BINGO_-_Ritornello_Form_and_Chords_KCMcGuire_ 

 

I have also created a number of playlists here: https://www.youtube.com/user/mue129/playlists

===

And for what its worth, I only cite Dorothy Sayers (and CS Lewis for that matter) as popularizers of Classical education. I would never use them as expert sources.  Being a Classicist whose research specializes in the transmission of Ancient Greek music theory and philosophy into the Latin West, I tend to use those sources and blend them with the best modern findings research in Cognitive development have shown..

 

Christian McGuire

http://www.christianmcguire.com/

[Susan in TN]

What would you recommend to homeschoolers who don't have the budget to do music lessons and don't have access to public school music programs? What free or cheap resources would help reach these goals?

One way to start is to make a list of folk songs of your country, print out the words (if your kids are readers), find a youtube version that you like, and make a point to learn the songs one by one. Then find folk songs from around the world that you like and do the same. Passing on traditional songs is the most basic way to teach music, and easy enough to do with technology available today. (We are in the US and learned songs like the national anthem, America the Beautiful, Yankee Doodle, Let My People Go, etc. and some fun Irish, English, & Australian (Kookaburra!) folk songs - haven't attempted foreign languages yet :) )

 

Next I would teach some basic rounds using the same method - first learning the basic tune and words. Singing in a round is a fun way to teach the brain how to perform one part while simultaneously hearing and coordinating with another part. It also develops a sense for chordal structures and coordinating rhythms.

 

Here is a blog post that talks about singing together (no need to aspire to Von Trapp status ;) ).

https://spinninginmyteacup.wordpress.com/2008/04/20/singing-rounds-with-children/

 

She has some good links to music with basic midi recordings.

 

If this is as far as your musical education goes, you have done well. Dh and I are both classically trained musicians who teach our own kids as well as others, and it is hard even for us to coordinate a solid musical education with six kids and all the other demands on their education and life in general. Our kids learn instruments that we can teach ourselves - private lessons are expensive! We do make singing a regular part of our day - even if it is just 10 minutes as part of "story time".

 

When our kids are high school age, if they have developed a gift and/or desire to learn more in-depth music, we will pay for lessons and music theory classes at the local university or community college (dual enrollment). A study of the science of music might be interesting as well.

[Susan in TN]

Hey, Christian, is the Minnesota Youth Symphony still meeting at Augsburg? I spent many, many Saturday mornings in the halls of their music department. :)

[IsabelC]

Also, don't forget that you can weave a lot of music history and world music topics into other areas of learning, as part of history, geography, social studies and so on. You learn about the reformation, for example, and when you are reading or discussing how that changed the styles of artistic expression, you can pick some composers or musical works to look at in more detail, both in secular and sacred music. Or if your kids enjoy art and art history, you can compare and contrast music and visual arts from the same school or period, such as impressionist music and impressionist painting. 

 

Regarding the analysis, I disagree with the idea that it shouldn't be introduced too soon. I think that any child old enough to talk can start with analyzing melody, harmony and rhythm, provided they are interested and you guide them in a very simple and age appropriate way. Most kids can do a lot more than people think, as long as you don't let anyone tell them that it's difficult or boring. My 6yo can construct major, harmonic minor and melodic minor scales by ear in any key, for example, and she isn't some kind of prodigy, just a kid with a reasonably good ear. They learn things from hearing and/or playing examples, and there is no need to bog them down with terminology if they're not interested in that (there's nothing wrong with a little kid calling it an "Amen ending" instead of a "plagal cadence"). Or you can go both ways, for example I explained to Ms. 6 that placing her finger too high was making her C play sharp, and we need a more definite C natural to establish the key of G major, I wasn't sure she understood, so I told her to make the first three notes (B-C-D) sound like "dormez-vous" which we sing in the same key and, hey presto, we got better intonation.