Amahl and the decline (?) in music education

[Guest]

After reading a favourable review in IRR, I have just bought the newly-released Naxos recording of the 1951 performance of Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors. Mention of the piece brought back memories of primary school radio broadcasts in the late 1950s, where it was featured, alongside other songs, in the weekly programmes. I think the programme was Time and Tune (or it could have been Singing Together, with William Appleby.) Whatever it was, it has stuck in my memory for 50 years. I have not listened to the disc yet, but looking through the synopsis, I can recall most of the significant melodies - and I have heard the piece perhaps only once in the intervening years.

My question is this: what are children of this age (9/10) presented with now? Challenging contemporary operas, written within the last decade, as this was? I doubt it! Can we expect an audience to be created for future years if such music is not presented to them? Please don't say that it's above their heads or that it would not interest them: my contemporaries and I lapped it up. (And I was in a small rural primary school - certainly no musical hothouse!) Or has society and its expectations changed? I imagine that this is not just a BBC problem or even a British one.

Do any others recall those broadcasts? I am hoping that this will be the actual recording used then.

[Serial_Apologist]

We staged "Amahl and the Night Visitors" at my school, which would have been around 1963, when I was 17; and I can't remember at the time thinking of the work as particularly challenging, as compared with the Bartok and Schoenberg I was taking out of the school record library, and assuring my uppity teenage self that one day all this would be as Mozart to me!

Seriously, though, I know just what you mean.

S-A

[Mary Chambers]

I remember the schools broadcasts well, though we didn't listen to them at school. If I was at home ill, or during my holidays, which were a bit longer than those of most schools, I listened avidly. Like you, I worry about what children are being given now, if anything.

[VodkaDilc]

I agree that it's not challenging, but I think the point is that we listened to it alongside the usual spirituals and folksongs on that programme - and made no distinction. I fear that today it might be wall-to-wall The wheels on the bus go round and round.

[Chris Newman]

Enlightened headteachers recorded those Schools Radio programmes in the 1950s and 60s. Together with the accompanying booklets they meant that teachers unable to play the piano or guitar could provide a well-structured Music lesson (not to mention the cross curricular activities that were available with a little imagination). We learnt quite sophisticated songs and garnered information about composers' lives.

[mangerton]

I remember those programmes, late 50s and early 60s. I think T & T was for younger pupils than "Singing Together", but at this distance I could be wrong. From an even younger age, I remember "Music and Movement".

These programmes were much enjoyed as we didn't get much music at my primary school.

[VodkaDilc]

Enlightened headteachers recorded those Schools Radio programmes in the 1950s and 60s. Together with the accompanying booklets they meant that teachers unable to play the piano or guitar could provide a well-structured Music lesson (not to mention the cross curricular activities that were available with a little imagination). We learnt quite sophisticated songs and garnered information about composers' lives.

I don't think the concept of recording had reached my primary school. I think the broadcasts were at 11am, so that meant a shortened morning break on that day. As well as the Menotti and a huge variety of songs, the broadcasts also included, as far as I can remember at such a distance, The Three-Cornered Hat, Lieutenant Kijé and similar attractive fare.

Singing Together was certainly for the top end of the primary school, introduced by William Appleby, who became Music Adviser for Doncaster, I believe. I think Amahl was in T and T, possibly introduced by Gladys somebody!! I recall that William A would begin with "Good morning, schools", and after a difficult song, would suggest we try again and do it better this time. Did some of us think we had two-way radio?

[Suffolkcoastal]

I can remember Music & Movement and Singing Together, plus Music Time on the BBC's School Programmes back in the early/mid 1970's when I was at Primary School, it certainly brings back memories. My music teacher at Middle School 1976-8 got the school together to perform Noyes Fludde and even inspired our class to watch the 1st ever Young Musician of the Year in 1978 and the class talking about it enthusiastically afterwards. Nowadays the chance of a class at a secondary school all watching something like Young Musician of the Year voluntarily and discussing it is just about zero!

[Mary Chambers]

I loved Music and Movement. Again, I listened to it at home. 'Finding a space' (was it the programme where they said that?) wasn't a problem, since I was listening by myself.

[Dave2002]

I have known some children to like Oliver Knussen's works - Higglety Pigglety Pop and Where The Wild Things Are. We saw these at the old Glyndebourne.

[mangerton]

I loved 'Finding a space' (was it the programme where they said that?)

Yes! I remember it being quite difficult in our school hall.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Yes! I remember it being quite difficult in our school hall.

Don't get me going on music education. There are pockets of good practice, but the general picture has been one of massive dumbing-down since the 1970s. "Give the kids what they want" has been the cowardly attitude of more and more schools. Of course there are many in denial, but that's to be expected.

[VodkaDilc]

Don't get me going on music education. There are pockets of good practice, but the general picture has been one of massive dumbing-down since the 1970s. "Give the kids what they want" has been the cowardly attitude of more and more schools. Of course there are many in denial, but that's to be expected.

Many of us agree with you. There's a chapter in Alex Ross's Listen to This which suggests it's true on both sides of the Atlantic. I am pleased to be out of it all now, after thirty-odd years. (Apart from my little bit of 1-1 teaching on a couple of days a week.)

At least I have the benefit of a decent pension; those labouring in schools today soon won't even have that to look forward to!

[MrGongGong]

its interesting to note that the "decline" in music education has been accompanied by a huge leap in the performance standards of the young people who are applying to music colleges ........ have you heard the NYO recently ? compared to the 1970's
there ARE lots of things wrong with the way music education works in England but the received wisdom that its all doom and gloom is simply not based on real experience.

[VodkaDilc]

its interesting to note that the "decline" in music education has been accompanied by a huge leap in the performance standards of the young people who are applying to music colleges ........ have you heard the NYO recently ? compared to the 1970's
there ARE lots of things wrong with the way music education works in England but the received wisdom that its all doom and gloom is simply not based on real experience.

I worry about the other ninety-odd percent!