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Plato and Aristotle On Music and Music Education: Lessons From Ancient Greece

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The purpose of this paper is to discuss the Athenian views of music and music education as these are presented in the works of the ancient Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle and to suggest ways in which the issues raised by them are still relevant for music education today. Their philosophical and practical views on music education, apart from being an excellent and very up-to-date source for advocacy, can also initiate thoughts and promote solutions on problems that still remain unsolved. During the study, of their works, the reader surprisingly realizes that these philosophers had stated 2,500 years ago what the music education community has, just recently, come to realize concerning the value of music education, children's musical development, and instructional strategies in music.
... This is why he considers the teaching of appropriate songs crucial, to "prevent the child's soul from becoming habituated to feeling delighted and pain in a way opposed to the law and to those who are persuaded by the law, to make the child's soul follow and feel the same joys and pains as an old man" (659d. pp.6-10, cited in Lelouda, 2002). The ability to feel delighted and pain in the appropriate way, as Plato observed, can be developed by teaching children those melodies and rhythms that have been decided by the wise men in the city to be the appropriate ones for children's education. ...
... The aim of music training, however, is not musical expertise but the cultivation of the soul. As he says, "the vocal aspect reaching the soul we regarded as education in virtue and we named it music (Laws, 673a, pp.4-5, cited in Lelouda, 2002). http://ojadilipublishing.com.ng/onyiuke/ ...
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The priority of the social dimension of ecumenism over the theological dimension has been spotted as the major barrier towards attaining the ecumenical goal by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The uneasiness and unwillingness exhibited among members towards the ecumenical discussion, believed to have been spurred by pre-CAN tensions and animosities among denominations are evidence of the misplaced priority. Recommendations such as a well-articulated ecumenical formation and information programs were seen as fundamental steps towards addressing the observed ecumenical challenges in CAN. Unfortunately, there seems to be little consideration on the possible and effective channels through which these proposals can be actualized. The study aims to explore the capacity of music serving as one of the tools in the entire scheme. The study is qualitative, employing a descriptive phenomenological design. Data for the study was collated through a review of related and relevant materials. The findings reveal that music remains a universal language and a means of communication; communicating emotion, thoughts and inspiration transcending race, religion and emotional wellbeing of our life. On this revelation, the study beckons on CAN among other strategies to adopt music as a dominant tool, which should not be restricted only to prayer meetings but constantly employ in the entire ecumenical process and dialogue.
... Historically, dance movements were largely traditional and could be semi-improvised on the spot (Landels, 2002). Many books have been written about Greek dance, and great doctors and philosophers of the ancient world left many written texts covering almost all areas of philosophy and medical science, with Hippocrates, Plato, and Aristotle being among the most important (Jaeger, 1965;Stamou, 2002;Φούντα, 2006), in the time of ...
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Aim The aim of this research is to understand the application of rhythm in judo through the experience of expert Japanese coaches.
... Historically, dance movements were largely traditional and could be semi-improvised on the spot (Landels, 2002). Many books have been written about Greek dance, and great doctors and philosophers of the ancient world left many written texts covering almost all areas of philosophy and medical science, with Hippocrates, Plato, and Aristotle being among the most important (Jaeger, 1965;Stamou, 2002;Φούντα, 2006), in the time of ...
... De musica is a unique work -especially in the context of antiquity. By the time it was composed there was, of course, already a long tradition of reflection on music, starting with thinkers such as Pythagoras (see Godwin 1992), as well as Plato and Aristotle (see Stamou 2002). Music also formed part of the core curriculum of the seven liberal arts in which Augustine was trained and which -as mentioned here -he intended to explore in a series of writings (see Clair 2017:25ff;Panti 2020:450). ...
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This essay reflects theologically on rhythm by turning to the North African church father Augustine, specifically his work De musica. It begins by briefly referring to recent theological work on rhythm, before introducing Augustine and discussing the role music played during and after his conversion to Christianity. This is followed by an exposition of De musica: a work which comprises six books. It is shown how the first five books offer a comprehensive rhythmic theory, which is then followed – in Book 6 – by a theological discussion of the topic. Finally, the essay briefly explores what we can learn from Augustine’s text, not only in terms of rhythm but also about theological engagements with the arts more generally.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: As part of the larger interdisciplinary conversation between theology and the arts, this essay focuses on the theological dimensions and implications of rhythm by turning to what could probably be viewed as one of Christian theology’s first interdisciplinary texts, namely Augustine’s De musica. Interdisciplinarity thus stands at the very heart of the contribution.
... Η σχέση της μουσικής με τον λόγο Η σύνδεση της μουσικής με τον λόγο και την κίνηση θεωρείται μία ενότητα αυτονόητη στις περισσότερες μουσικοπαιδαγωγικές δραστηριότητες. Η ενότητα αυτή εντοπίζεται χιλιάδες χρόνια πριν στην μουσική παιδεία των αρχαίων Ελλήνων (Ράπτης, 2015), όπου η μουσική είχε μία σημασία ευρύτερη από τη σημερινή, καθώς σήμαινε την όλη παιδεία και ήταν συνδεδεμένη με τον λόγο (Stamou, 2002), την κίνηση και τον χορό. Ένας βασικός λόγος που οι αρχαίοι Έλληνες εκτιμούσαν την μουσική ήταν ότι εκείνη διευκολύνει την εκπαίδευση των νέων, καθώς βοηθά στην αφομοίωση των νοημάτων του λόγου (Νικολάου 2006). ...
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Το παρόν άρθρο παρουσιάζει ένα εκπαιδευτικό πρόγραμμα που έχει ως σκοπό την καλλιέργεια της μουσικής δημιουργικότητας σε μαθητές Δ ́ τάξης Δημοτικού Σχολείου, μέσα από τον συνδυασμό των τεχνών και παράλληλα την ενίσχυση ενός διαπολιτισμικού τρόπου σκέψης. Ειδικότερα, στόχος ήταν η μουσική, η λογοτεχνία, η δημιουργική γραφή και τα εικαστικά να λειτουργήσουν ως εργαλεία, ώστε μέσα από παιγνιώδεις δραστηριότητες, να οδηγήσουν τους μαθητές στο να βιώσουν την διαδικασία δημιουργίας ενός τραγουδιού σε όλα της τα στάδια, από την φάση της έμπνευσης, της κατάθεσης ιδεών, της στιχουργικής και της μελοποίησης. Η έρευνα δράσης έλαβε χώρα στο Δημοτικό Σχολείο της Δυτικής Ελλάδας κατά τους μήνες Απρίλιο και Μάιο του 2019. Η ποιοτική προσέγγιση θεωρήθηκε ως η καταλληλότερη μέθοδος για την προσέγγιση του παιδαγωγικού στόχου, καθώς παρέχει το πλαίσιο για πληρέστερη κατανόηση και ερμηνεία των συναισθημάτων, των εμπειριών και των αξιών των μαθητών. Τα συμπεράσματα δείχνουν ότι οι μαθητές είναι ιδιαίτερα δεκτικοί και δημιουργικοί σε νέους τρόπους παραγωγής μουσικής και λόγου και τα αποτελέσματα ενισχύουν την άποψη ότι η καλλιέργεια της μουσικής δημιουργικότητας μπορεί να επιτευχθεί μέσα από ένα συνδυασμό των τεχνών.
... Οι θέσεις του είναι σχεδιασμένες με πολύ προσεκτικό τρόπο τονίζοντας τόσο τη σχέση της μουσικής με τον άνθρωπο όσο και το ρόλο της στην κοινωνία. Η προσαρμογή της παιδείας, ανάλογα με τη φύση του κάθε ανθρώπου, η κριτική του πνευματικού πολιτισμού που παρέχεται στους νέους και ο ηθοπλαστικός ρόλος της μουσικής είναι μερικές από τις βασικές τοποθετήσεις του που έχουν επηρεάσει και την σκέψη νεότερων φιλοσόφων και παιδαγωγών, όπως επισημαίνει και η Stamou (2002), και καθιστούν το έργο του επίκαιρο για την σημερινή μουσική εκπαίδευση. ...
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