Dalcroze Today: An Education through and into Music(Clarendon Paperbacks)

This is an English translation of La Rhythmique Jaques-Dalcroze by Marie-Laure Bachmann, first published in Switzerland in 1984. The book was commissioned by the Institut Jaques-Dalcroze in Geneva and is the first to give a comprehensive account of the work and ideas of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, 1865-1950, educational pioneer, musician, and creative artist. With its detailed and copious references to archive material the book gives us a fascinating insight into the inception and development of Jaques-Dalcroze's work, from the end of the last century up to the present day. It traces his growing ideas on the use of movement and of improvisation in the process of music learning, and the application of these ideas to the vital experiencing of musical material, both for children and adults. Dalcroze's work begins with the primacy of individual response, the right of all to develop their individual minds through interpretative gesture; this, among other outcomes, enables a process of stringent self-monitoring in the development of the musical ear. The experience of overt physical response, which may involve the whole body, is seen to take precedence in the learning process, unequivocally and at all ages, over information gathering and problem solving. The principles of Jaques-Dalcroze are salutary and more relevant now than ever before. Indeed, many areas of musical activity would by enriched by an understanding application of his ideas, for example pre-instrumental learning, the training of young instrumentalists, performing, music therapy, and of course, the whole domain of music education.

Table of Contents:
Part I. Introduction; Initiations; Part II: Eurythmics: ends and means; The grammar of eurhythmics; Part III: Eurythmics and children; Appendix: Professional courses in Dalcroze eurhythmics

About the Author :
Marie-Laure Bachmann has lectured extensively across Europe and in America on the philosophy of Dalcroze, and has written several articles for the Swiss musical journals. She lives in Geneva.

Review :
`Drawing extensively both upon archive materials and on experience in teaching children and adults, the author has produced a valuable reference work for advanced students and professionals in music education and music therapy that clearly demonstrates the wide applicablity of Dalcroze's teachings in today's diverse educational settings.' E. Franklin, Winthrop College, Choice, April '92 'Marie-Laure Bachmann has accomplished a difficult synthesis. Not only does she describe in detail specific games and other movement activities that are effective in helping students learn about and perform music, but she has also suffused these materials with a sensitive evocation of the spirit of Émile Jaques-Dalcroze's work. Bachmann achieves a satisfying balance in the overall design of her book ... rich in content ... this book should be read by all who are serious about Dalcroze studies.' Julia Schnebly-Black, Dalcroze Society of America, Notes, March 1993 'This book, faithful to the original title, is a very detailed account of the nature and development of Jaques-Dalcroze's work. In the relatively sparse literature on this subject this is an interesting and valuable contribution to the field.' International Journal of Music Education, Numer 20, 1992 'the book offers a well-documented and sensitive analysis of the subject from an unusually skillful kaleidoscopic point of view.' American Music Teacher, August/September 1993