Appeidixesmade that there is an urgent need for the private teacher to become more
closelyacquainted with character and presentationof music studies in schools.Commission BThe task of Commission Blwas perhaps the most difficult one. If it was impos-
sible to weave the many strands together and to arrive at a unified pattern, it
was an education to listen to the various speakers, to observethe growing inte-
rest of the members of the commission, to follow the lively debates, to record
the valuable suggestions made and recommendations finally agreed upon.
Folk music had more than its share in the proceedings. It was defined
and defended as a social binding force (Miss M. Karpeles, United Kingdom);
it was recommended as fostering a sense of participation in active music
making (Mr. Kennedy, United Kingdom); it was discussed from many
points of view, aesthetic, sociological and anthropological. Aduit learning
was the subject of two exposes presenting Danish and English solutions of
the problem (Mr. W. Hansen, Denmark, Miss M. Ibberson and Miss
E. Palmer, United Kingdom). Miss Holst spoke of the importance of
listening. A panel discussion (Sir Robert Mayer, chairman) with the par-
ticipation of representatives of broadcasting organizations, recording
industries, youth organizations and music critics led to considerable dis-
agreement with regard to the musical material itself-a disagreement be-
tween purism or musical absolutism and a musical relativism which has a
sociological rather than an aesthetic bias.
Several speakers discussed the subject of music and record libraries;
Mr. P. Montani (Italy) spoke on behalf of music publishers; Mr. H. M. Sarn-
beth (Germany) spoke about and demonstrated the making of instruments
by the children themselves.
No agreement was reached with regard to music in industry which was
described as both a stimulating experience and a lowering of the art. (The
subject had been introduced by Miss J. McVeigh, United States ofAmerica.)
Music in workers’ leisure time was discussed by Mr. J. Poels, Belgium.
Expos& on ‘Music in Therapy’ and on ‘Music in Prisons’ (presented by
Miss Hendrick Duchaine, Belgium, and Mr. C. Cape, United Kingdom)
rounded out a programme perhaps too kaleidoscopic for so short a time,
too varied and problematic, yet stimulating and exciting.
Commission C
Commission C2 was chiefly concerned with teachers’ training, and the differ-
ence between the general classroom teacher and the specialist, both in- Chairman: Mr. Egon Kraus (Germany); rapporteur: Mr. Walter Lemit (France).
- Chairman: Mr. Charles Dennis (United States of America); rapporteur: Miss Ingeborg
Kindem (Norway).