Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-06-08
MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS.
Something of Interest TO Parents and
Those who Believe In Musical Cul'
tnrP.

tuTes
Once every day, in the well.ordered ant
pleasant schools Of our city, may be seen
sight which ought to be Of peculiar interest
to every parent and lover of children IL
Burlington. As the hands Of the clock ap
proach the appointed hour, the call-bell al
the teachers desk is struck, with a clear and
81 gnifcant ring which all the scholars un
derstand. The classes file in from thereof.
alton rooms; one OF the teachers takes heI
place at the piano, and at the striking
of the chords, the children rise, turn in posi-
ton, and march in perfect order and time up
and down the several aisles. 1t is the houI
for singing, and the pupils are taking their
places In the several sections OF the room,
allotted them according to the different parts
in music which they sing. 10 the primary
schools, where part music Is not sung, the
children arc seated by classes. All now is
ready; books are carefully closed and laid
away upon the desks; every child sits up
right, with bright, cxpectant face. waiting
the first signal of the teacher, These few
minutes devoted to singing every day, arc
looked forward to by the children with eager
ness and.pleasure. They arc glad and ready
when the moment comes. 1t is Que
of the days, we will assume, when the in
structor of music in the public schools, MIR.
N. IL. Thompson, makes his regular visit TO
the school. His first word TO the children
is Attention Every eye is fixed upon
him, as he steps to the piano and gives the
keynote. Then, without further word, he
steps forward upon the platform and raises
his hand with the fingers closed. Instantly
full, clear, well-modulated note breaks
from the lips of the scholars. The instructor
opens his hand, and another syllable OF the
scale comes from the children. Then, rapid
ly, using seven different positions OF the
hand, the instructor carries the class through
the scale. The several positions, out
of their consecutive order. follow, and with
bright faces fixed thoughtfully upon their
instructor, the pupils watch the mysterious
signs, and interpret them with wonderful &c
curacy. After this had been satisfactorily
done, If the school is above the primary
grade, the instructor introduces the element
of harmony, using both hands to direct the
several parts. The effect of the rich, clear
young voices, blending in three and four
part chords is exceedingly beautiful. When
this preliminary sign-manual drill has been
performed, the instructor places q musical
exercise upon the board, asks for the key,
the first syllable, etc. Then he strikes the
hiSt uOtc VI thC Piouo, ouu viz Shhu-
ren sing the exercise, without hesitat-
ing, using the proper syllables and
observing the proper time, variation in length
of notes, rests, etc. Then follows an exer-
else in the new system of French time name
reading, in which every note and every dot
and rest has its own name, graduated in
length and number of sylables to the guam
tity of the note or rest it represents. The
names Of the rests are whispered, and the
names of the notes intoned or sung. An
other exceedingly interesting exercise, and
quite wonderful in its way, is one recently
introduced by Mr.. Thompson in our schools
The left hand of tho instructor is raised,
with the fingers spread apart, to represent
the five lines and four spaces of the scale.
Then three fingers of the right hand
are employed to represent the notes
of the different parts on this scale.
The instructor gives the pupils the signature
and key Of the exercise he wishes them to
right hand between or upon the fingers of the
left, to indicate the position of the notes, he
carries the pupils through some intricate
studies in harmony, which are almost ai
wonderful to look upon US to hear. The
first part of the half-hour is usually given tc
exercises like the above, representing the
fundamental principles and rudiments OF the
art and culturing eye and tone to quicknes:
and accuracy in music reading. Then fol
lows the singing proper, from thu
series of music readers used in thu
schools-L. W. Masons of Boston
by far the finest set of music primers eveI
published IN this country. Many Of oul
readers, no doubt, have heard the schoo
children sing at their public exhibitions ant
exercises, and know what proficiency they
have attained in the reading and rendering
of really first-class music. Most OF tn,
pieces in the Mason music readers arc ex
quisite gems adapted from the German, will
German words translated. They differ en-
trely from the sentimental and hum-drun
trash found in most of the singing books pre-
pared for children. Both words and mus
are of exquisite beauty and sweetness, an,
the sentiment expressed is always pure AM
| ennobling. To hear, as we did the othe
morning, the children of one of the most pre-
missing schools in the city sing q couple O
those delightful German songs-onc of then
n four.part song-with oil the voices in pei
feet harmony and time, the tones pure an
easy, the meditation delicate and true, wa
indeed n pleasure, and one which ever
music lever and parent in this city ought t
enjoy not only once, but often for til
children need the stimulus Of appreciatio
and interest on the part of their elders. an
their elders need to see what sort of work
being done here in our schools-a work, W
are sure, which is not surpassed for il
results in any city of New England.
Mr.. Thompson has been musical instrut
tor in our schools for nearly five years. an
it would not be too much to say that he hi
entirely revolutonized the Old-fashione
methods of instruction, and placed oil
schools in the very front rank OF model
musical instruction. 1t is largely from h
advanced views on musical subjects that h
success is due-as well as to faithful pc
sonal effort The lold notion that chi
could not sing if it did net feel inclined t.
, and did not have much of voice to sta
with is one that has been pretty effectual
exploded in our community. Out of Il
1900 children under instruction in music
our public schools, perhaps less than eight
t ten do not sing with the classes and the
from some physical inability, temporary
permanent, which renders the use of Il
Q voice impracticable. Every child, says Il
, instructor in our public schools, unless ply
ically disabled, can be taught TO sing, al
, to sing we'll No child should be excuse
4 whose voice can be used at all, or Is capat
c of informing. The first attempt at singing
: almost always, more or less, of the nature
: informing. Imitation is the beginning of
c struclion in vocal music. The child learns
= distinguish between notes by followi
k with its own voice the voice of the teacht
e The work of instruction in primary schools
y almost entirely done by imitation. Hence t
!. necessity of having in our primary scho'
IS one teacher, at least, capable of carrying @
y the plan of the instructor by the use of vol
IS and instrument. There are three classes
IL children, as regards singing: First,
lc positive, those who are naturally fond
a. music, and have good voices to start wit
IN second, the passive, those who do not C,
a. much about it, one way or the other. but c
of sing If they choose; and third, the negati
j. those who do not want to sing, and ins
r, that they cannot. The two latter elias
C. eau be trained to sing, and even taught
lis love music, though it may take longer Il