Music Talks with Children
Tapper, Thomas
English
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MUSIC TALKS WITH CHILDREN
by
THOMAS TAPPER
Philadelphia
Theodore Presser
1898
"Dear child! dear girl! that walkest with me here,
If thou appear untouched by solemn thought,
Thy nature is not therefore less divine:
* * * * *
"God being with thee when we know it not."
--WILLIAM WORDSWORTH.
TO THE CHILDREN AT HOME
"Teach me to live! No idler let me be,
But in Thy service _hand and heart_ employ."
--BAYARD TAYLOR.
PREFACE
A book of this kind, though addressed to children, must necessarily
reach them through an older person. The purpose is to suggest a few of
the many aspects which music may have even to the mind of a child. If
these chapters, or whatever may be logically suggested by them, be
actually used as the basis of simple Talks with children, music may
become to them more than drill and study. They should know it as an
art, full of beauty and of dignity; full of pure thought and abounding
in joy. Music with these characteristics is the true music of the
heart. Unless music gives true pleasure to the young it may be doubted
if it is wisely studied.
Our failure to present music to the young in a manner that interests
and holds them is due not so much to the fact that music is too
difficult for children, but because the children themselves are too
difficult for us. In our ignorance we often withhold the rightful
inheritance. We must not forget that the slower adult mind often meets
a class of difficulties which are not recognized by the unprejudiced
child. It is not infrequent that with the old fears in us we persist
in recreating difficulties.
There should be ever present with the teacher the thought that music
must be led out of the individuality, not driven into it.
The teacher's knowledge is not a hammer, it is a light.
While it is suggested that these chapters be used as the
subject-matter for talks with the children, they may read verbatim if
desired. All foot-note references and suggestions are addressed to the
older person--the mother or the teacher. There is much in the
literature of art that would interest children if given to them
discriminatingly.
THOMAS TAPPER.
BOSTON, October 30, 1896
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
PREFACE
I. WHAT THE FACE TELLS
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