His Handbook has been prepared in order to bring about a greater harmony in teaching, and to explain in detail the various steps which must be taken in the study of the books of the different series.
Mere methods are of little value unless the material
His Handbook has been prepared in order to bring about a greater harmony in teaching, and to explain in detail the various steps which must be taken in the study of the books of the different series.
Mere methods are of little value unless the material is in strict accordance with the right educational idea; indeed, with the best elementary method the music may be such as utterly to defeat the plan. It is important that every succession of tones, however simple, should be introduced and studied with the musical development ever in view.
Mere sight-singing, however skilfully exercised, is but a stepping-stone to the right musical rendering. When the first is over-estimated, we have little that is helpful to the student or singer. Every technical point should im mediately have its musical application. This is an original feature of the Normal Music Course.
This principle applies in a large degree to music without words, so that the language of tones may exercise the strongest inﬂuence over the mind. In the songs with words, the words must be chosen with the greatest care, each poem simply as read expressing a positive idea. In the union, then, of the music and words, there must be the most positive agreement. The music is the most pertinent and suggestive; but the words, as far as possible, should second the expression of the tones; and in the combination there should be the most accurate correspondence. This correspondence should always be shown after the preparatory work with music and words is fully mastered, so that in the rendering of either there may be no uncertainty. Mere prettiness should never take the place of the best and most earnest expression of musical and l