Professional Documents
Culture Documents
OF JAQUES-DALCROZE
ie
"
THE EURHYTHMICS
OF JAQUES-DALCROZE
Introduction by Professor
M.
E. SADLER
IS*
SECOND AND REVISED EDITION
LONDON
CONSTABLE & COMPANY LTD.
10
W.C.2
MT
:..
CONTENTS
PAGE
NOTE
John W. Harvey
INTRODUCTION
RHYTHM
Prof.
M. E. Sadler
AS A FACTOR IN EDU-
CATION
Emile Jaques-Dalcroze
Translated by P.
Ingham
&
E.
THE METHOD
23
29
12
Percy B. Ingham
Ethel Ingham
M. T. H. Sadler
35
54
61
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Emile Jaques-Dalcroze
Plastic
Plastic Exercise
Study
Frontispiece
Facing page 23
Facing page 24
Facing page 26
....
The Geneva
The Geneva
The Geneva
The Geneva
34
The Former
College at Hellerau
East
Beating
Facing page 40
Movements
in
Beating
Beating
\ in
"|
50
The
35
Institut Jaques-Dalcroze at
Plastic Exercise
Plastic Exercise
Geneva
Interiors
51
Facing page 54
,,
61
tt
,,64
Ud? jap
/3to?
/cal
Belrai.
"
is
the name by
Gymnastik
RHYTHMISCHE
which the Dalcroze method is known in Germany, but whether or not the German words are adequate,
unacquainted with
it.
"
gymnastics/' in
a part of the Dalcroze
Rhythmical
But
drill.
The
own
for
method,
it is
it
of
life.
JOHN W. HARVEY.
7
THIS Professor
to date,
is
omitted.
Nine
July. 1917.
Acknowledgment
made
to the
for kind
permission
to
reproduce photographs
following :
is
INTRODUCTION
period of widespread war in the modern
EVERY
history
of Europe has been preceded by excitement about questions of education. Ratich, Comenius
and Hartlib, all sanguine in their hopes for peace, were
in
fact
century.
takings,
Pestalozzi were
Ardent
aspirations, unsettlement of mind, discontent with existing conditions and a conflict between different ideals
In the same way, during the years which immediately preceded the present struggle, there was great
activity of experiment
and propaganda
in education.
of
Jaques-Dalcroze.
on a large
trial
scale.
Under almost
And upon
the
mind of those
and taught,
who
two things made an ineffaceable impression the exof gesture and of grouping
quisite beauty of movement,
and the nearness of a great force,
seen in the exercises
fundamental to the arts and expressing itself in the
rhythm to which they attain. Jaques-Dalcroze had
reopened a door which had long been closed. _He had
rediscovered one of the secrets of Greek education.
;
His
But
it
possibility
and
artistic
It is
intellectual exercise.
which they take in the exercises, have been conclusAdmirable for those who are making
ively proved.
a special study of music, it has also shown
a factor in general education.
its
value as
is
vitality
10
lowing age of reconstruction. Comenius, though himself a victim of the wars of the seventeenth century,
influenced
a later
by
age.
school-practice
methods
the
nineteenth
of
century.
for
And
the
the
time
Jaques-Dalcroze, though
checked in their more extended application by the
calamities of the war, have taken firm root and, with
them
in
who
are
will
restoration of peace.
M. E. SADLER.
ii
FACTOR
IN EDUCATION
RHYTHM
AS A
E.
JAQUES-DALCROZE
IT
for almost
tional ability.
solo players,
and
realization.
The number
violinists, is
is
of
constantly
being developed
not of the
first
12
First
so
as to
day composers have to burden their work, of experiencing any feeling whatever when they listen to, or
perform, the composition of another. The solo players
days were without exception complete musicians,
able to improvise and compose, artists driven irresistibly
towards art by a noble thirst for aesthetic expression,
whereas most young people who devote themselves
of older
mental expression.
become an end.
It
is
no longer a means,
it
has
say,
until
their
powers
of
comprehension,
before
painting them.
In
music,
unfortunately,
the
13
same
Young people
are taught to
the
rhythm.
pendent study
evidentfy-seeeftdary, .since
Tone is
and model
has not
its origin
hi ourselves,
ment.
This is based in earliest childhood on the automatic exercise of marching, for marching is the natural
model of time measure.
By means
Pauses
(of varying
marching teach the children to distinguish
durations of sound
movements to time with the arms
and the head preserve order in the succession of the
time measures and analyse the bars and
pauses.
All this, no doubt, seems
very simple, and so I thought
lengths) in the
when beginning
14
my
experiments.
Unfortunately, the
v,,.,
for
accentuation,
motor
for
physical balance
because a number of
same
because the
and
obstacles impede the exact and
in all individuals,
One
rapid physical realization of mental conceptions.
child is always behind the beat when marching, another
another takes unequal steps, another
always ahead
on the contrary lacks balance. All these faults^Jf not
;
corrected in the
playing,
first
inability
to
follow
when accompanying,
still
15
proved.
definitely
false idea of
my
Many
my
The
fact
my
is,
tuition.
first
instance,
by
rhythm a rapid and regular
and
Current ofj^ommunication between brain and body
what differentiates my physical exercises from those of
to create
the help of
movement
studied.
It
16
is
a question of
eliminating in every muscular
Neurasthenia
confusion
is
perversion produced by
and
the
incomplete subjection of
power
by
body to mind. Unable to obtain physical realization
of its ideas, the brain amuses itself in forming images
only remedy
lack of will
me
17
attention of
by and
for
all
educationalists
and assure to
educatio:
in
genera
culture.
art
latter the
It is not enough
collaborates with creative thought.
that, thanks to special exercises, students of music
is
of
physical
skill
to be interpreted.
The education
of the
educationalist
to
every individual
deter
who
is
of
if
were.
I shall
is
19
children taught
will
my
system
by pointing out the intimate relations which exist between movements in time and movements in space,
between rhythms in sound and rhythm in the body;
between Music and Plastic Expression.
Gestures and attitudes of the body complete, animate and enliven any rhythmic music written simply and
naturally without special regard to tone, and, just as
in painting there exist side by side a school of the nude
and a school
of landscape, so in
music there
may be
developed, side
and simple.
tion
is
human body,
human
soul as expressed
such
as
they
appear
through
and
his race,
momentary physical
modifications.
20
movements
of the
human
body.
to
have
music has become beyond all others an intelWhile awaiting this transformation, present
lectual art.
can
apply education by and for rhythm to
generations
to-day, for
music
is
dynamic
decrescendo,
accelerando,
rallentando
finds
crescendo,
in
their
my method teaches.
and
Authors, poets, musicians
painters cannot demand from the interpreters of their works knowledge
of the relations between movements in time and in
bodily
space,
movements such
for this
special studies.
as
21
actors, having little acquaintance with the most elementary notions of balance, moved with deplorable heavi-
ness
s^
be the guide
capable of being practically realized, without personal experience of the laws of weight, force and
whether
it is
bodily movement.
My hope is, that sincere artists desirous of perfection
and seeking progress will study seriously the grave question which I raise.
experiments, and
For
full
my own
part, relying
on many
f\
new
generations brought
up
in the cult of
and
22
truthT^
fr
IGNORANCE
cause of the
musical rhythm
is
not
the
only
which the body plays the leading part. Another mistake which tends to diminish in our stage performances
the sovereign importance of the body, consists in taking
as models for bodily movements, attitudes sterotyped
by painters and
sculptors.
dissatisfied
when
endowed with
clear
judgment
have loudly expressed their enthusiasm at the splendour
present
painters
of groupings
of
harmony
movements and, while
much
Animee.
23
artistic feeling, so
much
sincerity, ability
and knowledge,
of understanding, of philistinism.
It was at a performance of Debussy's
"
"
moving
Apres-
my
But continuing
their
walk
films
Taught by
24
this experience I
and music.
same
analysed in the
way
me
in a musical
com-
is
perceived as an attitude.
But the real perception of
it is
living
is
movement
symphony
is
not visual,
of steps, gestures
of spontaneous feelings
emotions the body vibrates, starts into
The
and
irresistible
movement and
25
movements which prepare it, whereas in choregraphic art of to-day, movement is only the connecting
bridge between two different attitudes. Thus there is
of the
cular
and mus-
experience.
attitudes among great works of sculpture or of painting
and take inspiration from Greek frescoes, from statues
and
of sacrifices
movement by working
be
necessary that the plastic
synthetically.
arts when deprived of the help of the time-element
should express a synthesis by fixing an attitude of the
the authors to give the illusion of
But
if
it
No doubt
26
Plastic Exercise.
for
eye
of a spiritual
Is it
and that
for
i
rare
this
is
aesthetic
pleasure
Bodily movement
is
it
?
experience
sense which controls the
of the
does
work
movements
many
of the body, in a
manner adequate
Eurhythmies certainly is based on muscular sensation, and eurhythmicians watching exercises done by
fellow students do not appreciate them merely with
their eyes, but indeed with their whole being.
They
enter into close communion with what they are watchas they watch they experience a pleasure of a very
ing
special nature
they feel the need to move, to vibrate
;
The
27
domain
of art.
to the
larly.
many
others,
it
in this
mony.
28
DALCROZE
10,
1911)
THE
late.
child
it
But
who
this objection
has no foundation in
fact.
life
training...
analysing,
of
The
and
life
effect
of
orderly and
precise.
more
elastic
29
as well as education
most
by means
of
rhythm, ought to be
life.
From many
MAY
28,
1912)
music teaching I
have gradually produced a method which gives a child
musical experiences instead of musical knowledge.
experience of
years'
much from
expect
it
lines
in
graduate the strength and rapidity of their movements. Such children are unrhythmic, and it will
generally be noticed that these children are stiff and
awkward, often
is
also over-excitable.
It is
results
30
In some cases
the brain gives clear and definite impulses, but the limbs,
do nothing because the ner-
To
the brain.
rhythm
lie
in
brain, nerve-paths
The objection
is
and muscles.
sometimes made that rhythmic gym-
This
is
not the
exercises.
Rhythm
is
infinite,
(ADDRESS TO STUDENTS,
I,
p. 41, et seq.)
consider
the technical
it
own
is
is
of little
talents.
31
One can
knowledge.
of one's
own ex
'nces.
It is just
better, to suppress
bad
one more complete who, having consciously formed himself, knows his powers.
Only in proportion as one
is
to help others to develop.
one
able
develops oneself
consider that one does not require to be a genius
in order to teach others, but that one certainly does
require strong conviction, enthusiasm, persistence and
joy in life. All these qualities are equally derived from
I
self.
ful
humanity.
I like
joy, for it is life.
32
merit,
with
performed
beautify
and
life,
future.
enthusiasm
drive
away
should
fatigue
be
and
of
work
sufficient
to
is
brought about in
intention
and deed.
it opens a rapid
between
correspondence,
only
imagination and
power of performance, between apperception and feelings, but also between the various kinds of feelings
which dwell in us.
not
My method
of
33
body
energetic
25, 1916)
individual character.
On
the continent
have to con-
my method have
of
children
on the contrary, that more than ever is it necessary toto devote oneself to art and education.
We need
for the morrow strong and earnest men, and it matters
very much that, when peace returns, men should be
found capable of reviving art and restoring beauty to
her own again. But the desire alone will not be enough,
we must have the power to do. Let us help the young
for progress in
34
may work
!?-,.
_1
T..1-.
1OM
THE JAQUES-DALCROZE
METHOD
I.
GROWTH
JAQUES-DALCROZE
EMILE
on July
1865, but
was born
in
Vienna
&
Pfeiffer,
the reader
is
directed.
35
fessional musicians
was
in
many ways
radically wrong,
no these
faculties stood in
any
importance at
all
power
music
one
36
singers,
beings,
by
awakening the
sense, natural
all
tempi from
37
two beats
444
M
and a system
of
movements
mental
class,
official
hours and
buildings.
The
was at
demon-
attempt to give
life
and
to give a foundational development on which specialized music study could be based, and that it had grown
38
Dalcroze, inspired
by the new
idea,
words. x
"
my method
I carried
as a musi-
my experi-
development,
is
the powers of apperception and of expression in the individual and renders easier the externalization of natural
emotions.
developed."
lers
1906 was held the first training-course for teahow the method has since grown can be realized
noting that a fortnight was then considered a suffient period of training, whereas now the courses
tin
the teaching certificates of the Institut JaquesDalcroze at Geneva and of the London School of Dalcroze
>r
vol.
i,
p. 33)*
39
to
come
including
amateurs
and
children,
over
600,
The most
of June, 1913.
each,
The attendance
and
est.
second and
still
on an hour, tableaux vivants illustrating the hisGeneva from remote times down to 1814 were
tory of
40
was a great
shown
in the background.
itself
appropriate
The production
artistic
asm.
On
all relations
with
it.
Up
till
teachers.
Its success
Knowledge
of
the Method
is
The
of
W.C.i.
4*
spreading in the United States, and pupils of JaquesDalcroze are teaching successfully in many centres. 1
PRACTICE
II.
(a)
divisions
(6)
Ear
(c)
Is
training.
Jaques-Dalcroze method
fundamentally new. As it is this part of
the
essentially
that which
is
likely to
is
all
opment
it
will
be dealt with
in detail.
(b)
Is
of
the
and
greatest
importance since
that rhythm-impressions are
most
easily
obtained.
it
is
most
Jaques-Dalcroze
of
ear-training,
naturally uses his own methods
which are extremely successful, but he does not
lay stress on
need
of
them
Notably at Bryn
of Dalcroze
such training,
Mawr
Eurhythmies
since 1913,
(founded in 1915).
In the preparation of this chapter free use has been made of the
writings of M. Jaques-Dalcroze and of the late Dr. Wolf Dohrn.
8
42
Beating
Movements
an accurate sense
absolute and relative, and a feeling for
shall give the pupil
This
(c)
is
of
pitch,
both
tonality.
it
may
it
piano
may
Here,
method as a whole.
is
and
time-values,
i.e.,
note-duration,
by movements
may
what
in
many
of
be varied
is
known
is
43
The system
44
12
2
for all
tempi from
""
and includes
to
arms provides
579
444
"
the crotchet
foot or
is
one
step,
Thus
one
quavers, triplets,
etc.,
by simple
steps.
When
individually performed
The
ever,
44
moving
making
all
the innervations
lip
Indeed,
this
we may conclude
chiefly
ear,
commands during an
one beat, omit one bar, beat time twice as fast with the
often the word will be used in series in an
arms, etc.
;
exercise,
and are
of extraordinary
45
mic
side.
We
will
now
some detail,
convenience, the order and group-
taking, as a matter of
nor necessary
will
possibilities of variety
being
and
of teacher
pupils, the
infinite.
this
becomes
vanced
TRAINING
IN
This
RHYTHM extension
group
of
exercises
of those preceding.
is
natural
The
form a rhythm,
first
groups, the signal for the change being always the word
hopp. By means of such exercises the component
rhythm played
trained
by previous
forms
reproduce until
he has understood
succes-
many
of these exercises
becomes
clearer
ment
Realize
is
move-
of the body.
47
reading
and
writing.
this is
of fact
latter clear to
DEVELOP
MENT OF
ATTENTION
AND
rhythm
larly recurring
in
series
accented
of
sounds,
-.
rests,
expressed in
RESPONSE
of
generally
case
or inhibition
impulse
ment, the change of
at
falls
movement
is
the
not
wrong
made
mo-
to time,
The method
perfect.
connexion.
in
this
use
how
has
cular effort
to arrest
and without
for a
moment
Physical
movements
repeatedly
per-
We
he were expressing it by marching. He simply conIf, howtinues to perform the movements mentally.
if
ever, his
movements when
rhythm
49
number
movement, either
upon or until
all
The exerdseS
ANALYSIS AND
DIVISION OF signed
TIME VALUES
of
,.
how
to teach
time
to
~
g r U P are de
subdivide units
into
this
parts
of
varying
number.
of steps.
Apart
from their direct object, the exercises of this group are
of value for the training which they give in poise
they
be
classed
well
with
the
under
might
equally
group
pressed
Development of Attention.
Here, too, belong exercises in the realization of syncopation in which, as the note is represented by the usual
suggestion of
movement
or
is
omitted, e.g.,
J* J J J*|
These exercises in syncopation are perhaps some of
the most difficult in the method, as
they demand an
|
extraordinary control of
musical ability often find
their easy
50
performance
inhibition.
them
may
Individuals
difficult
at
first,
of
and
be taken as evidence of a
Beating
in
Beating
I in
The
object
here
is
to
express by
OF RHyraM rhythmic movements and without hesitation rhythms perceived by the ear. The
exactness
to the
of
such
number
of
expression
movements
be in proportion
which the pupil has
will
of
of,
a fresh
sentence, the eye is already dealing with the next, preparing it in turn for comprehension.
but
beating the same time with both arms
MENT OF~
with
INDEPENDENT^ canon, beating two different tempi
CONTROL OF
THE LIMBS the arms while the feet march to one or
i
other or perhaps
march
e.g.,
the
51
44
'
arms
and
There
the feet
4
are,
exercises
also,
simultaneously,
e.g., in
a
8
may
beat three
feet
march
six.
DOUBLE OR
A.
OT
posers of
quadruple
which are
COUNTERPOINT AND
COMPOUND
RHYTHMS
difficult
A compound
semiquavers.
rhythm may be
singing,
beating
by the
realized
feet
another
may
be expressed by
with
the
or the
arms and
marching.
52
and
decrescendos
of
passing from
one shade of expression to another, in co-ordinating
movements, not only to the rhythm of the music played,
but also to
its feeling
in
innervation,
have provided
facility.
the
Here an attempt is made to express
r
MUSICAL
..
,
,
A
EXPRESSION whole structure of the music and its feeling.
Usually a piece of classical music (e.g., a Bach Fugue or
,
Invention)
is first
movement.
abandoned and
in
The
freer
planned either by
The piano serves simply as the harmonizing link between
the various members of the class. Such realizations are
often very beautiful to the eye, but it must be rememthe musical education of the pupil,
not the production of a spectacle.
In conclusion it should be stated that the Dalcroze
Method
its
is
is
in process of
discoverer
is
development
engaged
said to have reached its
indeed, so long as
in active teaching,
it
cannot be
final form.
PERCY
B. INGHAM.
53
LESSONS WITH
M. JAQUES-DALCROZE
JAQUES-DALCROZE'S
MONSIEUR
of vitality
full
He
work
lessons
are
in hand.
No
slacking
is
possible.
nn
j j|
j.
j>|
minim
is
instant at the
word
1
ZA
JT"
Hifh
11
i\A\r
of
command, which
fafC
//c
is
hopp, to
Institut Jaques-Dalcroze,
Geneva
Interiors
j J J"^
as follows
|
|.
We
This,
it
will
it
suppose
be noticed,
will
to be
is in
]?
The
and
two
word
bars,
of
twice as quickly.
It seems incredibly difficult to do at first, but the same
training of thinking to time occurs in every lesson, in
new
ideas, consisting of
Every
new movements,
is
or
never a dull
different
It
rhythms
knows the
at
difficulty children
against four on
Every teacher
have
55
arm and
cal
or vice versa.
way
ously
is
the power for feeling two rhythms simultanedeveloped. Advanced pupils can realize three
They
will
perhaps mark
feet,
a third.
known
as
"
The alpha-
technically
plastic expression."
bet of this consists of twenty gestures with the arms,
which can be done in many various combinations and
in various positions,
and by means
of these
any kind of
and gradually the tones and melody will rise to cheerfulness, the rhythm will become more animated and
the tone swell out again until a perfect ecstasy of joy is
reached and all the while the figures of the pupils are
56
of
time
J* J J J J
The
canon, that is, one arm beginning one beat later than
of beating different times with each arm,
the other
with one arm and three with the other
seven
perhaps
;
of
For instance,
rhythm played be
| J.
r
crochets would be
be in quavers
it
J J
|
would be
the
the counterpoint in
r
J* J"j
filled in
or
J"2
with
if
it
to
is
J*1 J*J"D
triplets,
command
if
semi-
rhythm
twice or three
clear.
realize
it
all
57
including
ceptional.
579
*,
*,
And
so on ad infinitum.
From
now be
imagined.
as movements
As soon
it
would be easy
it
it
would end
if
the
in the pupil
mind once
becom-
loses hold of
The
may
be.
is
a semitone
58
scale,
mencing on
C, or
on C
flat
when
necessary.
The
pupils
practice in hearing
the fixed
agreed on,
e.g.,
combination possible.
is
There
no end
is
of the
also oppor-
small
girl of
will beat
time for
is
difficult
part of the
realized
by
original music.
in
is
59
not naturally musical, and has had no previous knowledge of piano playing, but has learnt to improvise
sufficiently well to give a
nastics,
training
of the simplest,
i.e.,
to be definite
hesitation.
When
common
chord
perfect familiarity
of
of each key and with that
its dominant, another
is
chord
is learnt,
command
in this
little
With these
pieces can be
at
Monsieur Jaques-Dalcroze.
All branches of the work demand perfect concentration of thought and attention, and such invaluable
mental training cannot be too highly prized, for it is
60
THE VALUE OF
EURHYTHMICS TO ART
ONE
of
The truth
coming to be
is
This
common basis
to the arts
is
more
easily
Rhythm
form of
it
is
admitted
perhaps
rhythm.
of bodily
artistic
of the
simple repetition of beat, translating the rhythm
music into movement, is merely recurrence of historical
development.
Words with the music soon follow, and from these
or religious chantscome song-poems and ultimately poetry as we know it
of proseto-day. The still more modern development
is merely a step further.
writing, in the stylistic sense,
beginnings
probably war-songs
61
The development on the other side follows a someThe rhythm of the dancing figure
similar line.
reproduced in rude sculpture and bas-relief, and then
what
is
in painting.
desire for
rhythm.
To speak
ful,
but
expression
of the
rhythm
of painting
may seem
fanci-
think that
is
modern
desire for
rhythm in
bodily movement.
form that of
have been described elsewhere
the possibilities of
its
most fundamental
Its nature and origin
its
it is
for
me
to hint at
and on
life itself.
Let
62
purely
musical training, or its value to physical development.
This is not a denial of its importance uT these three
respects.
art that
as a decorative unit.
body
women and
He
has taught individuals their own power of gracious motion and attitude.
Musically and physically the results are equally wonderful.
is
also emphatically
Perhaps in the
stress laid
on individuality
may be
seen most easily the possibilities of the system. Personal effort is looked for in every pupil. Just as the
"
learner of music must have the
opportunity of expressing his own musical impressions with the technical
effort
63
the
make
and
their
production.
MICHAEL
T. H. SADLER.
end, with the rising passion of the music, she raised herself on to her
knees ; then sank down again to her full length. The second performer
stood upright until the very end. At the most intense moment her arms
at the close of the music she was
were stretched above her head
bowed to the ground, in an attitude expressive of the utmost grief.
In such widely different ways did the same piece of music speak to the
;
individualities of these
two
Printed by
64
girls.
Butler
&
1982
CARDS OR
SLIPS
MT
22
1917
Masic-