,.;»• ' ',:,V -i~-,'',;.'' f^:- ' 'f '^ : \ THE TEACHER'S HANDBOOK OF THE TONIC SOL-FA SYSTEM. A GUIDE TO THE TEACHING OF SINGING IN SCHOOLS BY THE TONIC SOL-FA SYSTEM. BY ALEXANDER T. CRINGAN, Graduate and Licentiate ofthe Tonic SoLFa College, London, England. SuperintendentofMusic in Toronto Public Schools, TORONTO CANADA PUBLISHING COMPANY, (limited). V V•"' •-^ '' 'A < .. Entered,accordingto ActofParliament,intheOfficeoftheMinisterofAgricul- ture,intheyear 1889,byTheCanada PublishingCompany(Limited). . ,'V'.f PREFACE. THE importance of the study ct Music is n(>w freely recognized, and in numerous Towns ayd Cities it is placed, as a regular subject, upon the curriculum. Progressive teachers throughout the Dominion are now fully alive to the beneficial effects of the study of Music as a refining, moral influence in the schoolroom and the home. Many teachers, are earnestly investigating the various " systems '* ot teaching music, and the majority of those have decided in favor of the Tonic Sol-fa System as being based on true philosophical principles of teaching, such as are now employed in teaching all other subjects. This system is not, as many suppose, a new system, having been before the public for upwards of forty years. In England, it has had to contend with most fierce and prejudiced opposition, which it has graduallyovercome by its intrinsic merit, until now it is approved by the leading Musicians and Educators, and is used in ninety per cent of the schools which succeed in passing the Government Examination in Music. In Canada, it has met with the same opposition and suspicion, but as its merits 4 as a system have become known, this has gradually been disarmed, until now it has been adopted by the Educational authorities of the leading Cities and Towns ofthe Dominion. Improved teaching can only be looked for through an improved knowledge of the subject, and increased skill in the methods of teaching by the regular teachers. The object of this work is to aid the teacher in presenting the subject in a manner which will make the study a source of pleasure and profit to teacher and pupil alike. The author offers his experience in the hope that it may lighten the labours of his co-workers in a great and good cause. The plan of this work deals in detail with each branch of the subject, and explains, by means of Specimen Lessons and appropriate suggestions, tlie simplest and most practical methods of application. A number of exercises are given in each department, which, although insufficient in themselves, will enable the teacher to prepare others as may be deemed necessary. ALEX. CRINGAN. T. ( — ' INDEX. PAGE PAOF. Accents 17, 35 Registers,The 23 Act'on Songs Co Rests,silences 45,iiS Beatingtime 40, 42 Rote Songs, 60 Breathing 20,133 Runningingrooves 27 Beginningtoteach 10 School Songs 57, 106,131 Calisthenics 62 Singingsoftly 11 Chromatics 155 " withpupils 12 Chordaltreatment 16,178 " atsight, ...31,80,97, 1X4, 123,129 Colors 34, 96, 98 " frombooks 122 Continuations 45 Specimen Lessons: Divisionof Lesson 13 On Doh, Me,Soh 68 EarExercises,52,loi, 119, 124, 130,162 " Time 74, 77, 85 Expression 108 " Octaves 87 ExpressionMarks 186 • Teand Ray 88 Eye-Training 32 " EarExercises 102 Finger Signs 7 " TeachingSongs 107 InterestingDevices 103 " Transition 140 Instrumentalaid 56 " StaflFNotation 167 ManualSigns 6, 15 StaffNotation,Explanationof. x66 Marks 65 SyllabusforGraded Schools ...63,134 Measure 17, 37 Syncopation 161 Metronome 40 Time, Hintson, 31,80,97,114, 123,158 MinorMode 149 " Chart 8 Modulator 67, 112, 139,148 Time-Names 46 ModulatorDrill,25,79,90, 112, 121,128 " Signatures 172 Morningand Evening 106 Transition 137,183 Patterning 13 Unexpectedinteaching 82 PitchingKeys 138 Vocalising 28 Postition,Bestforsinging 11 Voice,The 20 Principlesofthe System 14 " Training 109, 125, 132 Pulses 17, 4O Writingonblack-board 36 ''^'^;^.^ MANUAL SIGNS OF TONES IN KEY. As seenfrom the left of the teacher^ rot as seen from thefront. Teachprr shouldparticularly notice this. SOH. The Grand or bright tone. TE. The Piercing or sensitive tone* FAH. LAH. The Desolate orawe-i.nspiring tone. TheSi»o T weepingtonr ME. TheStbadv or calm tone. DOH. RAY. The Strongoxfirm tone. The Rousing or hopefultonek Note.—"Th^ie proximate verbal ce^cripfions ofmantal effect are onlytrw^ twhheetnontehse,eo&f'«thteisschaoltemowdhiefniedsubnyghsalromwolnyy.-'w"beD the ear is filled with the key, ati* FINGER-SIGNS FOR TIME. As seenfrom the Teacher'hpoint ofview, the back ofthe hand being shown to thepupils. TAA- TAATAI. tafatefe. TAAtefe. TAA-efe. tafaTAl. 8AA. TAAS/iZ. 8AATM. •AA. -AATAI — Note. "TheseSignsaregenerallygivenwiththelefthandtodistinguishthemfromthe Hand-signs,whifh a^a gi\enwith the right. Thebackofthehandistowardthepupils, sothatthethumb uiay not be seen, for we never divide thepulseinto five equal parts. Some Teachers find a difficult}^ in dividing and joiningtheir finders quickly enough. To them it will be ofgreat assistance to use the fingers ofthe right hand inside the bald-uplefthand,for the purpose ofplacing and keeping the left-hand fingers as they wouldwish. Teachersreservetheirright-handforbeatingtime sometimestappingthe pulsesonthetopoftheleft-hand^whicbisheldstill),and sometijmesbeatingtimeinthe regular way close by. The wooa-cuts are from the Teacher's point ofview,notfrom thesideseenbythepupils." 8 THE TEACHER S HANDBOOK. TONIC SOLFA TIME CHAKT, BY JOHN CURWEN. WHOLES. HALVES. HOW TO TEACH THE TONIC SOL-FA SYSTEM OF MUSIC. PART FI RST. CHAPTER I. THE STEPS OF THE SYSTEM. Since the introduction of the Tontc Sol-fa system, many teachers have adopted the notation^ but have not taken sufficient pains to inform themselves of the grading of the various steps, or the methods of pre- sentation which are peculiar to the system. As a natural consequence, their teaching has been of an irregular and haphazard description, which has too often, though unintentionally, been the means of bringing discredit on the system. " The easy before the difficult," " the simple before the compound." and " one thing at a time," are maxims with which every teacher is familiar, but their application to the teach- ing of music is still far from having become general. The Tonic Sol-fa system is based on the true prin- ciples of teaching, and the methods by which they are applied cannot fail to commend themselves to all practical teachers. In order to secure the best possi- ble results, a careful adherence to the steps of the method is absolutely necessary. - * "