Dear Richard and Vocalisters:
>On Wed, 23 January 2002, "Lloyd W. Hanson" wrote: >> This is even true in the music that is printed for children to sing >> in elementary school. Its range now is from about G below middle C >> to G an octave above. Whereas in the 1950's, elementary school song >> books pitched songs from middle C up to G an octave and a fifth above >> middle C. Quite a difference in range, and, my opinion, a range that >> is damaging for a child's voice. > >Out of curiousity, is there any difference between the two eras as >well in terms of how they're written - i.e., unison vs. part writing?
COMMENT: The song series used in most schools during the 1950's, '60's and somewhat into the '70's included songs to be sung in unison, two part and three part. The emphasis was on first learning to sing in tune (carry a tune) in the elementary school with sight singing introduced a bit in 2nd grade and part singing in third grade. By fourth grade, students were expected to be able to read unison and some two part songs. In the best elementary schools, by 6th grade the students could read 3 part songs.
This was the structure of such books as those published by Ginn and Company, American Singer and some others. The songs were primarily folk songs because classroom music of the time recognized that American folk songs were gradually disappearing with the advent of radio. As people became entertained rather than entertaining themselves the passing down of folk songs from generation to generation was no longer occurring.
All elementary music was taught either by the self-contained-classroom teacher or a music teacher who went from classroom to classroom and taught the children while the classroom teacher assisted. Colleges prepared all music education students to teach elementary classroom music as well as their speciality (band, choir, orchestra). Elementary classroom music was considered the "cradle" of music program for all students whether they continued on in music by joining the band or choir or orchestra or let their experience in classroom music be their only training, basic as that was.
In about the late 60's and throughout the 70's new classroom music books came out which were built around listening as the fundamental source of music training. Singing emphasis was reduced and record playing was emphasized in these texts. Music reading was almost completely eliminated. These books met the demands of parents and school administrators who were questioning the concept of every child learning how to sing. It was their contention that the so called "non-singing" children were embarrassed and perhaps scared by their experience trying to learn to sing.
I taught elementary school music for two years in my first teaching position in a medium sized city in central Wisconsin. I never did find a non-singing student. I did find students who were not as fast as some others in learning a new song, either by rote or by reading, but they eventually learned every song we sang and were very proud of their accomplishment. I sometimes watched students who were not as fast as some others in learning the skill of mathematics or reading and they, too, eventually learned what was required of them. And they, too, were very proud of their accomplishments.
Elementary school is place and time for learning skills such as reading, mathematics, singing, etc. Skills can only be learned by doing them. Skills require practice. And elementary schools have always excelled at providing the process that encourages and offers success through practice. In music, that approach was abandoned in favor of having a "concept" of music without developing the skills necessary to even faintly understanding the concept.
Now we have students who are far more wise about many different kinds of music but most do not have any abilities or skills in music. Just listen to "Happy Birthday" being sung in a restaurant and notice that almost no one can "carry the tune."
-- Lloyd W. Hanson Flagstaff, Arizona
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