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Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education
List Price: $69.95Our Price: $55.96 You Save: $13.99 (20%)Prices subject to change.
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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 780.7
EAN: 9780195091717
ISBN: 019509171X
Label: Oxford University Press, USA
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 400
Publication Date: February 09, 1995
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Studio: Oxford University Press, USA
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Editorial Review:
There is a mystery about music. On one hand, music making and music listening have occupied a prominent place in every culture since the dawn of recorded history and people everywhere continue to engage in a variety of musical experiences as part of their daily lives. Yet questions about the nature and value of music and its importance as a subject of education remain perplexing to many thinkers and are still hotly debated, even today. As a result, while music has been part of the school curriculum since antiquity, its profound contribution to general education has never been harnessed--until now.
What is music? Does music deserve a place in general education? If so, why? Music Matters builds new answers to these basic questions through a wide-ranging examination of music as a diverse human practice. The result is a ground-breaking philosophy of music education that provides critically reasoned perspectives on the nature and significance of performing, listening, musicianship, multiculturalism, creativity, consciousness, curriculum development, and more. Indeed, Music Matters is exceptional for the attention it pays to many aspects of music and education that previous music education doctrine either misses or ignores altogether. Following an incisive critique of past thinking, this important text develops a multidimensional concept of music that explains why music making and listening are unique forms of thinking and unique sources of the most important kinds of knowing that human beings can gain. In a richly detailed narrative that examines a wealth of recent philosophical and psychological research, the author constructs a compelling philosophical foundation that allows teachers to affirm to themselves and others that music deserves a central place in the education of all people. Among the many working ideas of this new philosophy is a distinctive concept of "curriculum-as-practicum" that explains how music educators can fulfill their educational mandate.
Invaluable as a core text for courses on foundations of music education or philosophy of music education at both the undergraduate and graduate level, Music Matters provides educators with critically reasoned perspectives on the "why, what, and how" of music teaching and learning, arguing convincingly that music is one of the most vital, dynamic, and practical pursuits in the human repertoire and, therefore, fundamental to the full development of the individual and collective self.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - The best resource for the contemporary music educator!
Music Matters is a truly revolutionary book. David Elliott was the first person to challenge the "good 'ole boy" status quo developed by Bennett Reimer. The book is blunt and serious, while maintaining the positive, constructivist attitude that is necessary to promote change in our failing music education programs across the country.
I bought Music Matters during my second year of public school teaching in the urban schools of Miami. David Elliott's book single-handedly prevented ... Read More
Rating: - brilliant and bold
This is not a book simply for educators in music. It is a book for all music thinkers (listeners, performers, composers, teachers). Elliott tackles all aspects of music. He joins both philosophical and practical matters succinctly and because of this, Music Matters is a must for all involved in music. Elliott's expansive thinking and all-encompassing philosophy is much in need -- especially now. It is really a shame that writers such as Swanwick and Reimer have not caught on.
Rating: - Elliott's philosophy is still the BEST!!
I just saw a review here by someone who claims that Elliott's praxial philosophy is 'old' now that Reimer has published his third edition. But this person makes several false statements in his review. First, Elliott's philosophy states that all students should learn ALL forms of music making and listening. Elliott does NOT advocate a performance-only philosophy. This 'performance-only' claim against Elliott is pure rubbish; it is dis-information by Reimer and his un-thinking clones. Second, Reimer ... Read More
Rating:  - Elliott's "Old" philosophy of music education
Since the publication of Bennett Reimer's third edition of A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision, (2003) Elliott's book becomes passe. While Elliott single-mindedly advances music education as performance education, Reimer is inclusive of all the ways people enjoy music, and proposes a music education that is inclusive of the way music really is in our world. His is a brand "new philosophy" of music education, while Elliott's now seems dated and tired indeed. The reviews ... Read More
Rating: - A new paradigm
Elliott 's book is a major and brilliant achievement. Never has our field seen anything close to this kind of superb thinking, writing, and scholarship. Elliott sets a new standard, far above the weak mush Reimer has always churned out. Still, Elliott gives full credit to Reimer in Music Matters (chp. 2) for Reimer's earlier work in music education philosophy. Elliott's critics conveniently overlook the fact that Elliott gives this credit, let alone how graciously he does it. Elliott's critics also ... Read More
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