Music Education Methods: From Dalcroze to Wuytack
Guido d’Arezzo and Musical Notes
Guido d’Arezzo named musical notes: ut (later do), re, mi, fa, sol, la. The syllable ut was changed to do for easier pronunciation. The seventh note, si, was named in the 14th century, derived from Sancte Iohannes. Guido invented the tetragrammaton (four lines) and taught students using hand signals.
Traditional Music Teaching:
- Repetitive exercises
- Rote learning
- Student’s written work
- Classic repertoire
Recommended Teaching Approaches:
- Encourage playfulness and motivation
- Reasoning
Neoclassicism and Romanticism in Art and Architecture
Neoclassicism in Architecture
Neoclassical architecture rejected Rococo ornamentation and drew inspiration from Greek, Etruscan, Roman, and even Egyptian art. Religious architecture declined, and public buildings like libraries, museums, and arcades were constructed. Napoleon’s propagandistic spirit emulated Roman architecture (e.g., the Arc de Triomphe in Paris). Neoclassicism also thrived in Germanic territories. In England, the Classical Renaissance persisted and was exported to the American colonies.
Read MoreJourney Through Music History: Ancient to Renaissance
Music in Ancient Greece
Music held immense importance in ancient Greek civilization, embodying beauty, harmony, and order. Appreciated for its intrinsic value rather than religious or social function, music was integral to all celebrations and public events, particularly classical tragedy, where it intertwined with poetry and dance. Mathematical formulas were employed to achieve the desired harmony and order.
Music in the Middle Ages (5th-14th Centuries)
With the fall of the Roman Empire and the
Read More19th Century Romanticism in Music: A Deep Dive
19th Century Romanticism in Music
Romanticism
A cultural and artistic movement extending into the 19th century, Romanticism reacted against classical formalism, championing freedom, emotion, and individualism.
Characteristics of Romanticism
- Emerged in the late 18th century, originating in Germany
- Individualism and subjectivism; expression of feelings
- Desire for freedom (political, ideological, etc.)
- Escapism through supernatural themes, distant lands, etc.
- Search for the unattainable, the infinite
- Interest
Arnold Schoenberg: A Revolutionary Evolution in Music
Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)
Early Influences and the Emancipation of Dissonance
Although Schoenberg’s early work in Vienna reveals influences of Brahms and Wagner, he spearheaded a musical revolution with his students. He challenged three centuries of established order by liberating music from tonality and the traditional distinction between consonance and dissonance. Schoenberg argued that dissonant notes were merely “less consonant,” thus emancipating dissonance and paving the way for new harmonic
Read More20th Century Music: A Break from Romanticism
Impressionism
The 20th century marked a departure from Romanticism and the rise of diverse musical styles. Until World War II, Romantic music coexisted with more modern forms, some entirely opposed.
These radical changes originated in the late 19th century with movements like Impressionism and Nationalism, offering a fresh alternative to Romanticism. Impressionism, emerging around 1880, was an early rebellion against Romanticism. It aimed to create evocative atmospheres and impressions through new
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