Dalcroze

Kodaly

Orff

Suzuki

Zoltán Kodály, (1882-1967), was a Hungarian composer, ethnomusicologist, educator, linguist, and philosopher. Although born in Kecskemét, Kodály spent most of his childhood in Galánta and Nagyszombat, now Trnava, Slovakia. His father was a stationmaster, and a keen amateur musician, inspiring Kodály to learn to play the violin as a child. He also sang in a cathedral choir, and wrote music, despite having very little formal musical education. In 1900, Kodály entered the University of Budapest, to study modern languages, and also began studying music at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, where Hans Koessler taught him composition.

Being one of the first people to undertake the serious study of folk song, Kodály became one of the most significant early figures in the field of ethnomusicology. From 1905, he visited remote villages in order to collect traditional songs, recording them on phonograph cylinders. The following year, he wrote the thesis on Hungarian folk song, "Strophic Construction in Hungarian Folksong". It was around this time, Kodaly met fellow composer Béla Bartók, whom he took under his wing, became his mentor, and subsequently a major influence on Bartok's music. The two became lifelong friends and champions of each other's music. After gaining his PhD in philosophy and linguistics, Kodály went to Paris, where he studied with Charles Widor. There he discovered, and absorbed various influences, notably the music of Claude Debussy. In 1907, he moved back to Budapest, and gained a professorship at the Academy of Music there. He continued his folk music-collecting expeditions through World War I without interruption.

Kodály continued composing throughout this time, and all his works show a great originality of form and content, a very interesting blend of highly sophisticated mastery in the Western-European style of music, including classical, late-romantic, impressionistic and modernist tradition, and on the other hand profound knowledge and respect for the folk music of Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Albania and other Eastern-European countries. Due to the outbreak of World War I, and subsequent major geopolitical changes in the region, and partly because of his personal shyness, Kodály had no major public success until 1923, when his Psalmus Hungaricus premiered at a concert to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the union of Buda and Pest, (Bartók's Dance Suite premiered on the same occasion.) Following this success, Kodály traveled throughout Europe to conduct his music.

Kodály became interested in the music education of children, when he overheard some students singing songs they had learned in school. He was appalled at the quality of these songs, and was consequently inspired to do something in order to improve the system of music education in Hungary. He wrote a number of controversial articles, columns, and essays to raise awareness about this issue. In his writings, Kodály criticized the schools for using poor-quality music, and for only teaching music in the secondary years. He insisted that the music education system needed better teachers, a better curriculum, and more class time devoted to music. Kodály’s efforts finally bore fruit in 1945, when the new Hungarian government began to implement his ideas in the public schools. The first music primary school opened in 1950, with a further 100 opening within the following decade, which then lead to international popularity and success, now contributing to music education worldwide.

The Kodály method is an approach to music education for the early years. Though named after Kodály, the method itself was not created by him. His philosophies of education served as inspiration for the method, which was then developed over a number of years by his associates. At the heart of the Kodály Method, is Kodály’s belief that music literacy is the right of every human being. He stressed that anyone who is capable of reading language, is also capable of reading music. He urged that music education should be made accessible to everyone, not just to the musically gifted. Kodály felt that no education could be complete without music, and that it was therefore the schools’ obligation to offer quality music tuition. He also insisted that music should be taught daily, as a part of the core curriculum, and given equal importance as to that of language and mathematics.

Kodály believed that, to be effective, musical learning must begin with singing. He stressed that only through use of the voice, could the musical ear be developed, even instrumentalists, Kodály argued, must begin their musical training with singing in order to gain an understanding of music outside the mechanics of their instrument. He recommended that instrumental instruction should not begin until a student has achieved a certain level of musical literacy. Kodály was of the opinion that, in order for a child to fully realize their musical potential, it is necessary that they begin musical training at an early age. Kodály emphasized that children must learn to read music at the same time as they learn to read language. He felt that children between the ages of three and seven are most sensitive to music, and therefore good musical instruction is crucial at this time, if the musical ear is to be fully developed. Kodály recommended that musical training should begin no later than in Kindergarten, and the primary years.

Also central to the Kodály method is the philosophy that, as a child naturally learns their mother tongue before learning foreign languages, so should they also learn their musical mother tongue, that is, the folk music of their native language, before learning foreign music. Kodály believed that the use of native folk music would be most valuable in helping children develop basic music skills, due to its familiarity to children through real-life musical experiences. Kodály also believed that only music of the highest quality should be used in the education of children. He felt that children are more sensitive to art than adults, and would therefore only reach their full potential through the use of the finest music. Kodály expressed distaste for the inferior “educational music” used in schools, claiming that exposure to this type of music as a child would prevent one from being able to appreciate high-quality music as an adult. He stressed that no composer should feel that he is too great to write children’s music; on the contrary, he must strive to be good enough to do so.

Using these principles as a foundation, Kodály’s colleagues, friends, and most talented students, developed the actual pedagogy, which is now called the Kodály method. Many of the techniques used were adapted from existing methods. The creators of the Kodály method researched music educational techniques used throughout the world, and incorporated those which they felt were the best and most suited for use in Hungary. The method itself uses a child-developmental approach to sequence, introducing skills in accordance with the capabilities of the child. New concepts are introduced beginning with that which is easiest for the child, and progressing to that which is more difficult.

Children are first introduced to musical concepts through experiences, such as listening, singing, or movement. It is only after the child has become familiar with a concept, that they then learn how to notate it. Concepts are constantly reviewed and reinforced through games, movement, songs, and exercises.

The Kodály method incorporates rhythm syllables, similar to those created by nineteenth-century French theoretician, Emile-Joseph Chêvé. In this system, note values are assigned specific syllables, which literally express their durations. For example: crotchet notes are expressed by the syllable “ta”; while quaver note pairs are expressed using the naturally shorter syllables “ti-ti”. Larger note values are expressed by extending “ta”, to become “ta-a”, or "ta-o", (a minim note); “ta-a-a”, or "ta-o-o", (a dotted minim note); and “ta-a-a-a”, or "ta-o-o-o", (a semibreve note). These syllables are then used when sight-reading, or otherwise performing rhythms.

The Kodály method also includes the use of rhythmic movement, a technique inspired by the work of Swiss music educator, Emile-Jaques-Dalcroze. Kodály was familiar with Dalcroze’s techniques, and agreed that movement is an important tool for the internalization of rhythm. In order to reinforce new rhythmic concepts, the Kodály method uses a variety of rhythmic movements, such as walking, marching, running, and clapping. These may be performed while listening to music, or singing. Some singing exercises call for the teacher to invent appropriate rhythmic movements to accompany the songs.

Rhythmic concepts are introduced in a child-developmentally appropriate manner. The first rhythmic values taught are crotchet notes, and quaver notes, which are familiar to children as the rhythms of their own walking and running. Rhythms are first experienced by listening, speaking in rhythm syllables, singing, and performing various kinds of rhythmic movements. Only after children internalize these rhythms, is notation then introduced. The Kodály method uses a simplified system of rhythmic notation, writing note heads only when necessary, such as for minim notes, and semibreve notes.

The Kodály method uses a system of movable-do solfege syllables, in which, during sight-singing, scale degrees are sung using corresponding syllable names:
do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, (representing the major scale).
The syllables show function within the key, and the relationships between pitches, not absolute pitch. Kodály was first exposed to this technique while visiting England, where a movable-do system, created by John Curwen, was being used nationwide as a part of choral training. Kodály found movable-do solfege to be very helpful in developing a sense of tonal function, thus improving children’s sight-singing abilities. Kodály felt that movable-do solfege should precede acquaintance with the staff, and developed a type of short-hand using solfege initials, with simplified rhythmic notation.

Scale degrees are introduced in accordance with child-developmental patterns. The first Kodály exercise books were based on the diatonic scale, although educators soon found that children struggled to sing semi-tones in tune, and to navigate within such a wide range. Hence, the pentatonic scale came to be used as a sort of stepping stone, where only the five whole-tone degrees of the scale are used. Revised Kodály exercises begin with the minor third, (so-mi), and then, one at a time, add la, do, and re. Only after children become comfortable with these pitches, are the semi-tones fa and ti introduced, a much simpler feat when taught in relation to the already established pentatonic scale.

Hand signs, also borrowed from the teachings of Curwen, are performed during singing exercises, in order to provide a visual aid. This technique assigns to each scale degree, a hand sign which shows its particular tonal function. For example: do, mi, and so are stable in appearance; whereas fa and ti point in the direction of mi and do, respectively. Likewise, the hand sign for re suggests motion to do, and that of la to so. Kodály added to Curwen’s hand signs, upward/downward movement, allowing children to actually see the height or depth of the pitches in relation to each other.  The signs are made in front of the body, with do positioned at waist level, and la at eye level. Their distance in space corresponds with the size of the interval they represent.

Kodály method materials are drawn strictly from two sources: authentic folk music, and good-quality composed music, (that of recognized composers). Folk music was thought to be an ideal vehicle for early musical training, due to its short forms, pentatonic style, and simple language. Of the classical repertoire, elementary students sing works of major composers of the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras; while secondary-level students sing music from the twentieth century as well.

Kodály collected, composed, and arranged a large number of works for teaching purposes. Along with Béla Bartók, and other associates, Kodály collected and published six volumes of Hungarian folk music, including over one thousand children’s songs. Much of this literature was used in the Kodály method songbooks, and textbooks. High quality music was needed in short and simple forms in order to bridge the gap between folk music and classical works. For this purpose, Kodály composed literally thousands of songs and sight-singing exercises, making up sixteen educational publications, six of which contain multiple volumes of over one hundred exercises each. Kodály’s complete pedagogical works are published collectively by Boosey & Hawkes, as The Kodály Choral Method.