Muh in education
to modify the picture; the educationist, for example, has once more
become one of the most important factors in the State.
The greatest problem is everywhere how to reconcile the demands
of the different social groups. Many believe that this can more easily
be achieved with the aid of music than without it. Consideration of
our history and our finest traditions leads us to a new, modern eva-
luation of ethics and religion; or, if we speak in terms of music alone,
we come once more to appreciate the spiritual values of medieval and
the social values of baroque music, and so bring the best kind of
‘practical music’ into our daily lives. We regain our belief that music
can help to establish human contacts and bring nations closer together
through mutual understanding, instead of separating them.
But what would be the value of a reform which rested solely on an
historical basis? The result would simply be a short-lived ‘renaissance’.
We need some new ideas. After World War I, youth began to make
a new life for itself in, and with, music; within the musical youth
movement, we had community singing and the playing of classical
and modern music. The very style of modern music, with its simplicity
of melody and vitality of rhythm, appealed to these young people.
Educationists fastened on these new features. Eurhythmics began with
Dalcroae; today there are a number of methods and tendencies, but
only one aim-to awaken creative powers through a combination bf
music and movement. In this connexion we should mention Elfriede
Feudel and more particularly, in recent times, the German composer
Carl Orff and his Schdwerk. In England, Arnold Dolmetsch revived
the popular melodies, dance music and instruments of an earlier age.
But most encouraging of all was the fact that the best composers once
again began to write music for practice, education and everyday use.
Paul Hindemith, whose Canticle to Hope is the pi2ce de risiftunce of this
Unesco congress, and BCla Bartok stand in the front ranks of those
who are endeavouring to recreate music for singers, instrumentalists
and amateurs, as well as for connoisseurs and all music lovers. Con-
currently there is, in all countries, a revival of school music. The saying
of a German music-historian, ‘The future of music is in the schools’,
is no longer a piece of wishful thinking. Here we should mention Leo
Kestenberg’s reforms, which have indicated not only to Germany but
to all Europe, how music and musical education can be built up on a
true humanistic foundation, from the kindergarten to the academy of
music. Every country in this Europe of ancient culture is on the way
to recognizing that musical education is a necessity, particularly in our
distracted world of today.