Mark - Music education: source readings from ancient Greece to today

MUSIC EDUCATION

Music Education: Source Readings from Ancient Greece to Today is a collection of thematically organized essays that illuminates the importance of music education to individuals, communities, and nations. The fourth edition has been expanded to address the significant societal changes that have occurred since the publication of the last edition, with a greater focus on current readings in government, philosophy, psychology, curriculum, sociology, and advocacy. This comprehensive text remains an essential reference for music educators today, demonstrating the value and support of their profession in the societies in which they live.

Michael L. Mark is Emeritus Professor of Music at Towson University, where he served as Dean of the Graduate School. Previously, he was head of the music education program at The Catholic University of America.

MUSIC EDUCATION

Source Readings from Ancient Greece to Today

Fourth Edition

EDITED BY

Michael L. Mark

Towson University

Fourth edition published 2013

by Routledge

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First edition published 1982 by Routledge

Third edition published 2008 by Routledge

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Music education : source readings from ancient Greece to today / edited by Michael L. Mark.Fourth edition.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. MusicInstruction and studyHistorySources.

2. MusicPhilosophy and aesthetics. I. Mark, Michael L., editor.

MT2.M94 2013

780.71dc23

2012029344

ISBN: 9780415506885 (hbk)

ISBN: 9780415506892 (pbk)

ISBN: 9780203694398 (ebk)

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Preface

Historically, music has been a part of every culture and society. It has served a variety of functions, including religious, social, entertainment, and educational. As will be understood from the readings that follow, music has not served the same function in every culture and society. Leonard Tan reminds us that since antiquity, philosophers have engaged in intense discourse with regard to the value of music. The following excerpts present a landmark debate between two rival philosophical schools in ancient China: Mohism and Confucianism. The first excerpt from the treatise Against Music was written by Mozi (ca. 470 BCE391 BCE) of the Mohist School. Mozi argues that although music gratifies the senses, it is not one of the three necessities of life. The second excerpt from the treatise Discourse on Music was written by Xunzi (ca. 312 BCE30 BCE) of the Confucian School as a rebuttal to Mozi. In building his argument, Xunzi exploits the fact that the Chinese language uses the same character to denote music and joy. He claims that since music is joy, and joy is an essential aspect of human nature, humans cannot possibly live without music.

Mozi

The Value of Music: An Ancient Chinese Philosophical Debate

Against Music

It is the business of the benevolent man to seek to promote what is beneficial to the world, to eliminate what is harmful, and to provide a model for the world. What benefits men he will carry out; what does not benefit men he will leave alone. Moreover, when the benevolent man plans for the benefit of the world, he does not consider merely what will please the eye, delight the ear, gratify the mouth, and give ease to the body. If in order to gratify the senses he has to deprive the people of the wealth needed for their food and clothing, then the benevolent man will not do so. Therefore Mozi condemns music not because the sound of the great bells and rolling drums, the zithers and pipes, is not delightful; not because the sight of the carvingsand ornaments is not beautiful; not because the taste of the fried and broiled meats is not delicious; and not because lofty towers, broad pavilions, and secluded halls are not comfortable to live in. But though the body finds comfort, the mouth gratification, the eye pleasure, and the ear delight, yet if we examine the matter, we will find that such things are not in accordance with the ways of the sage kings, and if we consider the welfare of the world we will find that they bring no benefit to the common people. Therefore Mozi said: Making music is wrong!

Now if the rulers and ministers want musical instruments to use in their government activities, they cannot extract them from the sea water, like salt, or dig them out of the ground, like ore. Inevitably, therefore, they must lay heavy taxes upon the common people before they can enjoy the sound of great bells, rolling drums, zithers, and pipes. In ancient times the sage kings likewise laid heavy taxes on the people, but this was for the purpose of making boats and carts Now if musical instruments were also used for the benefit of the people, I would not venture to condemn them. Indeed, if they were as useful as the boats and carts of the sage kings, I would certainly not venture to condemn them.

There are three things the people worry about: that when they are hungry they will have no food, when they are cold they will have no clothing, and when they are weary they will have no rest. These are the three great worries of the people. Now let us try sounding the great bells, striking the rolling drums, strumming the zithers, blowing the pipes, and waving the shields and axes in the war dance. Does this do anything to provide food and clothing for the people? I hardly think so So Mozi said: Making music is wrong!

Xunzi

Discourse on Music

Music is joy. Being an essential part of mans emotional nature, the expression of joy is, by nature, inescapable. This is why men cannot do without music. Where there is joy, it will issue forth in the sounds of the voice and be manifest in the movement of the body. And it is the Way of Man that singing and movement, which are excitations of mans emotional states according to the rules of inborn nature, are fully expressed in music. Hence, since it is impossible for men not to be joyful, where there is joy, it is impossible that it should not be given perceptible form. But if its form is not properly conducted, then it is impossible that disorder should not arise.

The Ancient Kings hated such disorder. Thus they instituted as regulations the sounds of the Odes and the Hymns to offer guidance. This would cause the sounds to be sufficient to give expression to the joy, but not to lead to dissipation. It would cause the patterns to be sufficient to mark the separations, but not so as to seem forced. It would cause the intricacy or directness of melody, the elaboration or simplification of instrumentation, the purity or richness of sound, and the rhythm and meter of the music to be sufficient to stir and move the good in mens hearts and to keep evil and base qi sentiments from finding a foothold there. Such was the plan of the Ancient Kings in establishing their music. Yet Mozi condemns it. How can this be endured!