2 Ineroduction invoked by Daleroze as obvious and natural benefits accruing fro the sustained practice of his Eurhythmic method. Although addressing themselves to different questions, our three authors are clearly in accord in stressing the individual's capacity for adaptation. For Tolller, it is the very essence of survival. In| ‘examining what cnd it serves and where its enemies Ki, the author of| Funure Shock bases his ‘philosophy of anticipation’ on the results ‘of recent research in the fields of economics, sociology, and neuro- physiology. For Piaget, who found in the study of biology a point of departure for his constructivist epistemology, adapeabiiy isthe primary function o intelligence. Inother words, intelligences the goal achieved in human evolution by that drive to adaptation which characterizes every living creature. ‘As an educationalist, Dalezoze is concerned with the haw of edapt- ation. Hesees itas a faculty which does not merely develop of its own ccord but is capable—a point to which he will devote himself—of being improved and refined until it assures the individual of maximum autonomy. He was to find his own model in music, which ‘only acquired rhythms of itsovn by originally borrowing from those ofthe human. body" (1910: 1 WHY Music? ‘A man of his time, Daleroze found himself in debt to a restricting philosophical heritage which, if it allowed his own ideas to soe the light of day, at the same time stamped its own mark on their actual formulation, Tt has been noted that inhi aspirations no less than in his, explanations he reverts constantly to the old principle of duality, with, mind on one side (intelligence, imagination, emotions, the soul), and matter on the other (the body, the senses, actions, instincts). These two long-standing adversaries he will undertake to bring together, not to say fuse together, ‘so that “thinking man” shall from now onwards be no longer 2 separate person from “physical man” (1919¢: 163). ‘The idea of union or fusion takes for granted the existence of two such entities. At the same time it necessarily implies the existence of some unifying agemt suited to the task of bringing about the desired conjunction. This middie term—this ‘medium’, in fact—is something Daleroze has ready-made to hand(s)! Furthermore, it is something that existed before he started developing his ideas, a something for Inaroduction B Which he lived as wel as from which he made his iving—and that was Music, To this he would assign the reconciling role. Why music? Why, because sheis the Muse we dance and dream our reums to, who beguiles or assails our ears as readily as our thoughts, Who guides our sentiments and lays our instincts bare . . . Not one human faculty is capable of resisting her appeal. Born from the ‘exercise of faculties which she plays upon in countless combinations, treated by Man and addressing herself to im, music, ofall human froducts, isthe one which remains most intimately bound up with Ife. ‘None of the arts is close to life than music. It may bespoken of wife itself.” (1905: 20-1 Music, too, for Dalcroze, is the only art capable ‘of drawing into a single law, as into a single power, all forms of energy and scattered Jaws’ (1942: 114). In other words, music already exercises the synthesis fre slooking for: while drawing together the components of personality, I ucts as an ever-present mode! of that final synthesis. For it is in music that tones, timbres, and ehythms, nuances, pauses, accents, ‘tempi, and all the physical and dynamic phenomena of the world of round, find themselves brought into conjunction, arranged, super- imposed, measured, and shaped by the power of creative thought. Is this that beings to them that propery of sense in both meanings ofthe word-direction and signficanee—which constitutes the individuality of any given musical work. But where to site the mecting-point between mind and matter and the music chosen to unite them? In other words—what does each onc have in common swith the other two? “Music, says, Daleroze (1907: 43), ‘is compased of sound and movement, and sound [itself] 2 form of movement”. The body, for its part, is composed of bones and organs and muscles—and muscles ‘were made for movement” (p. 39). As tomuind, whether taken to imply mations (which literally means ‘maovements), of whether it refers to the mobility of thought itself—mindis also movement, and capable of being moved: Je ne sais pourquai ‘Moa esprit amer Diune aile inguitte et folle vole sur Ia mer Mouette 3 essor mntiancolique Elle sut la vague, ma pensée, AA tous les vests du ciel balancée Paul Verlaine, ‘Je ne sais pourquoi’ (1978:6 Introduction demonstrate that fault in a bodily way’, and that ‘some instinctive connection exists between rhythm, in all its varieties, and gesture’ (ag07: 41). He was already maintaining that Once chythenic awarencss has been formed through the experiencing of ‘movement, a constant alternation may be observed between the influence of the rhythmic act on represestation, and of representation on the act... The representation of rhythm, the image reflected by therhythmicact, finds life ofits own in every one of our muscles. Conversely, every rhythmic movement isa visible manifestation of ehythenic amareness (1907: 41-2 ‘Meanwhile, researchers im other countries were continuing their work. Koff (1909) brings out the role of motor representations in the experience of rhythm; Rickmich (1913) affirms that motor sensations are essential to the ‘catching’ of a rhythm, as much as for ‘iaintaining it once caught; and Seashore (1919) credits the perception ‘of musical time to physical movements, which may be imaginary no less than real (Teploy 1966: 340-2). The following year, 1920, sees the first appearance of Le Ruthme, La Musique et Education, a ‘comprehensive collection of the most important articles charting Dalcroze’s discoveries up to 1919. A notable extract states that the appreciatioa of musical chythms always cvokes some degree of motor image in tbe listener's ear, as well 38 instinctive motor actions in his body” ‘Muscular sensations eventually come to be associated with aural sensations, and these, so reinforced, imposr even greater significance on the business of appreciation and analysis (1919: 170) Although a somewhat static model may be suggested by his use of an ‘outmoded philosophical vocabulary, we cam sce that we are in fact directed to a highly dynamic model by the practicality, first-hand observation, and accumulated experience of one who had recourse to buca single guide—namely, his deep and intimate understanding of ‘music. It was by practising it in every form, analysing the warks ofthe great masters and losing ao eppertunity to listen to the music of his contemporaries, by experiencing it for himself end studying is effect on others, that Dalcroze became convineed of the primary, not tosay. primordial, role of movement in the appreciation of music “I is interesting to note’, Professor Claparéde wrote to him as early as 1906, ‘that you have arrived, albeit by routes entirely different from those of physiological psychology, at the same conseption of the Psychological importance of movement as 2 support for intellectual Inerosiuction and affective phenomena’ (‘Opinions et Critiques’, r924: 42). (My italics—M.-L.B.) Dalcroze seems to have been unaware of the discoveries of German and English-speaking researchers, despite their relevance to his.own observations. Probably, had he known of them, he would often have been only too pleased to press them into service rather than pass them. by in silence. Having on more than one occasion been wreng-footed by over-scrupulous or ultra-conservative adversaries, he was always careful to ensure that his insights and practical results were solidly underpinned. We must repeat, however, that these ideas were “in the air’ at the time. They could have reached him from.a variety of sources without his stopping long enough to work out where they came from. As we have seen, he was the sort of person who could find grist to his mill in everything. Methodical at heart, he was driven harder by his creative spirit than may have been proper for the detailed verification of all his pronouncements, and he attached particular validity to his own personal observations. In this respect he showed himself faithful to his, assertion (1898: 9) that ‘Any rule not forced upon oneby necessity and by observations drawn directly from nature is false and arbitrary.” ‘Only such a temperament, that of pioneering settler coupled with meticulous observer, could have put an educational methed of so [broad a scope on so firm a footing, and this at a time when scientific researchers in the same field were by no means yielding concrete results worthy of their practical or educational implications. EDUCATION THROUGH MUSIC AND EDUCATION INTO MUSIC ‘We have to thank the educationalist within him for examining the basic constituents of music and demonstrating that ‘music isnot heard bby ear alone but by the whole of the body” (Mothersole 1920: 23); hhence the ability to sense and imagine the movement embodied by ‘music must be regarded as fundamental to musical training. But it is the artist in him we must thank for never losing sight of ‘music in his endeavour to ‘transform the whole organism into what might be called an ier ear’ (Daleroze 1898: 10). Music, in which the simple and the complex coexist, is also a construct of the mind. Tt implies an ability to organize movements in time and the world of sound, and thereby calls upon one’s powers of reflection and analysis Icrequires a development of the aesthetic sense suited to the formation of qualitative judgements and reasoned appreciation. These qualities,18 Introduction moreover, are not restricted to the realm of music, but are equally vital to any activity of an intellectual, artistic, or practical nature. In assigning to musical rhythm the twin functions of drawing out individual potential and drawing one into the subtle world of music, Daleroze would tum Eurhythmics not only into an invaluable resource for education in general, butalso into vital and peculiarly rich device for music education in particular. Alms and Thesis of the Present Work If Dalcroze Eurythmics occupies a unique position in relation to more recent teaching methods involving the practice and mastery of bodily chythms, the reason, I think, is twofold: 1. Daleroze Eurhythmics is rooted in the nineteenth-century concept of two opposing sides of the human constitution, mind and body, its purpose being to bring the two into harmonys, 2. Ir involves music in its entirety, applying its most primitive as well as its most advanced aspects to the functioning of our essential humanity. In each case it focuses equal and simultaneousattention on both mind and body. Eurhythmics makes np prejudgement as to their relative value but sets itself the task of initiating efficient and untbrokea lines of communication between the two. Inother words, itlaysno etaim to being anendin itself, but rather demands tobe regarded asthe means to-an end—specifically, as a say of forging Tinks From this derives a working method as distinctive inits effects as in its field of application. Specifically, Euchythmics draws out the instinctive and spontaneous expression of an individual's bodily rhythms, atthe same time bringing into play all his physical abilities, ‘whether simple-or complex, related or unrelated. For this purpose it rakes use of music, from which it draws its powers, and w which, in retura, it offers access. It also makes use ofthe spatial environment, Which gives scope to bodily movements and progressions in space. * Mouvement) e diplacement: both mean rmovemen!’, the first plying movre- rent en the spot the second movement (rom one place to anodher. Progression’ or “ocomotoa” wil safe forthe later whenever xia to drew a disincton,thoagh neitber English word seands a wataral in contest as délacement does in French, (Translasae's note) Introduction 19 Eurhythmics thereby facilitates the discovery of the laws governing relations between space, time, and energy. This constant and simul tancous combination of the spontancous and the calculated, of the impulsive and the controlled, comes to establish what Dalcroze liked to call a ‘current of consciousness’ between an individual's various component parts. It leads to the re-creation of a personal unity by responding t0 its twin desires for freedom and structure. “Mastery of the relations unifying space, time, and energy is,at root, of equal importance (a every one of us. In so many different walks of life such mastery represents both an economy and an asset. Hence, at least in theory, there aze no bounds to the range of possible applications for Eurhythaics. Furthermore, the breadth of the field it explores and the very nature of its aims make of Eurhythmics an essentially adaptable tool This requires that those who are to teach it be provided with a highly developed and multivalent personality, soas to afford them complete freedom of choice as to: their particular ficld of activity. All these points will be amply illustrated throughout. The primary function of this book, however, will be to relate the concepts of Eurhyt the context of the present day. FREEDOM AND STRUCTURE In Dalcroze’s day the most striking aspect of Eurhythmics must have been its liberating character. What was then the novel practice of encouraging pupils towork with bare feet and arms was a particularly concrete matifestation of such a liberty, and one vigorously condemned by many a rightthinking person!” Today, the word ‘liberating’ figures prominently in courses, methods, claims, and publicity slogans: cone might almost be led to believe that ic responds to some innate public desire that is never really far below the surface.* As a Dalcrozian colleague of mine once said: ‘It used to be outrageous to go barefoot; we've got over that problem now, and people go around in bikinis . .. But their minds are just as skimpy as they ever were before.” > a this pointy cf Deri Cale 196s: 326-1 * Rcompurble buzzword inthe Baglshrpeaking word is ‘edocionl™ Any proxict bey to 6% usd oe enjoped by cle, expel a the Bd of Kesar, [tic w be promoted as “olectnal she crm ghd some bull pope Inking Foe lated er competrive products Th fac that to, games, an iden nything used by chide more oc les sducaoeal by deinion is Canrenieaty a series dshonesty. (Tens