Adaptation Process of
Early Nineteenth Century American
Music Education: An Anlalysis and
Comparison of Selected Music
Textbooks Published in Japan
and the United States
Masafumi Ogawa
D.M.E.
Joetsu University of
Education
Outline of the Presentation
Introduction
 Research Background
 Major Research Questions
 Methods and Delimitations
 Structure and Strategies
 Findings
 Conclusion
 Significance of the Study and
Implications

Historical Background in the
Beginning of Music Education
in Japan

1868 Meiji Restoration （明治維新）

1872 The Fundamental Code of Education （学制）

1879 The Music Study Committee （音楽取調掛）
1879 The Code of Education （教育令）
1880 Luther Whiting Mason’s Arrival
1882 The First Music Textbook--Shôgaku
shôkasû shohen (小学唱歌集初編）
1882 Mason’s Leave and Dismissal
1883 Translated Teacher’s Manual--Ongaku
shinan （音楽指南）
1887 Tokyo Institute of Music （東京音楽学校）
1887 Yôchien shôkashû （幼稚園唱歌集）
1891 Isawa Shuji’s Dismissal
1911 End of the Meiji Period
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Major Research Questions
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To what extent are early nineteenth century
American influences on the beginning of
Japanese public music education observed?
To what extent is early nineteenth century
American music education related to the
music education of Luther Whiting
Mason?
To what extent was the beginning of
Japanese music education influenced by
broader American school music education
before Luther Mason?
Methods
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Analyze music textbooks of major 19th
Century American music educators, Luther
Whiting Mason, and official and private
Japanese music textbooks
Find characteristics of philosophy, methods,
and song materials for these three groups
of music education
Examine official documents related to the
topic
Compare obtained data
Clarify the adaptation process in music
education and assess the influences
Delimitations
Between 1880 (when the Music
Study Committee was established)
and 1911 (the end of the Meiji
period) in the Japanese music
textbooks.
 Between 1831(the emergence of the
American school music education)
and 1864 (when Luther Mason
became a superintendent).
 The National Music Course and
Charts (before Luther Mason went
to Japan)

Analyzed American Textbooks
Before L.W.Mason
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Lowell Mason (1792-1872)
The Manual of Boston Academy of Music
(1834)
The Juvenile Lyre (1831)
Little Songs for Little Singers (1840)
Juvenile Singing School (1840)
The Boston School Song Book (1840)
The Primary School Song Book (1846)
The Song Book of the School Room (1849)
Thomas Hastings (1784-1872)
The Juvenile Songs (1842)
Elam Ives Jr.(1802-1864)
The American Elementary Singing Book
(1832)
William Bradbury (1816-1868)
The Young Melodist (1845)
Asa Fitz (1819-?)
The American School Song Book (1843)
Analyzed Textbooks of
L.W.Mason
The National Music Teacher (1872)
 The First Music Reader (1872)
 The Second Music Reader (1872)
 The Third Music Reader (1872)
 Teacher’s Manual (1872)

Analyzed Japanese Textbooks
(Official Publication)
Ongaku shôkei (音楽捷径）(1884)
 Ongaku shinan （音楽指南）
(1882)
 Shôgaku shôkashû I,II, III (小学唱
歌集）(1882-1884)
 Yôchien shôkashû （幼稚園唱歌
集）(1888)
 Chûtô shôkashû （中等唱歌集）
(1889)
 Chûgaku shôka （中学唱歌）
(1901)
 Chûtô shôka （中等唱歌）(1909)

Analyzed Japanese Textbooks
(Private Publication)
Shinpen chûtô shôka （新編中等
唱歌）（1892）
 Shôgaku shôka I-VI （小学唱歌）
(1893)
 Meiji shôka bassui （明治唱歌抜
粋）(1895)
 Jogaku shôka I-III （女学唱歌）
(1900)
 Shipen chûgaku shôkashû I-III
（新編中学唱歌集）(1902)
 Yônen shôka I-IV （幼年唱歌）
(1900)

American Music Textbooks
The Nature of Music
Music as gift from God
 Everyone has potential for music
(mother tongue theory)
 Music as expression of feeling
(arousal theory)
 Rhythm, Melody, Dynamics
 Music as a source of joyfulness for
life

American Music Textbooks
Purposes of Music Education

Lowell Mason
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(1) improves the voice, (2) conduces
health, (3) improves the heart, (4) produces
social order and happiness, (5) produces
habits of order both in mentally and
physically, (6) cultivates the feelings.
Elam Ives Jr.
Training of mental power and mechanical
power
Asa Fitz
(1) Devotion, (2) Relaxation, (3)
Scientific Instruction
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American Music Textbooks
Teaching Methods and Materials
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Pestalozzianism predominance (as means
and propaganda)
Movable-Do, Fixed-Do combined
Goals of achievement --to sight-read and
sight-sing
German and Italian centered repertoire
(folk songs, opera songs)
Nature, Religious, Persoanl
Major keys (G, F, C, D)
Meters (2/4, 4/4, 3/4, and 6/8)
Homophonic style
The Textbooks of L.W.Mason
The Nature of Music and Purposes of
Music Education
Singing as an extension of speaking
(mother tongue theory)
 Music education cultivates the
musical sense.
 Music education in schools could
enrich the musical life in society.
 Music education is for the students'
sake and it is its own reward.

The Textbooks of L.W.Mason Teaching
Methods and Sequences
Pestalozzian principles
 Movable-Do, Fixed-Do combined
 Eclectic approach--English (John
Curwen, Joseph Mainzer, John
Hullah), French (Galin-Paris-Chévé),
German (J.C. Hohmann)
 Rote-singing-Sight-singing
 Experience-Theory-Experience
 Instruction-Example-Practice

The Textbooks of L.W.Mason
Music Materials
Mostly taken from Hohmann
 German art and folk songs
 Nature, Religious, Personal
 Major keys (G, F, C, D)
 Meters (4/4, 3/4, 2/4, and 6/8)
 Homophonic style

Japanese Music Textbooks
The Nature of Music and Purposes of
Music Education
Music as promoting health and
moral sense
 Public schools: promoting health and
moral sense
 The Music Study Committee:
(1) compilation and composition of
pieces, (2)training special students
the improvement of our national
music in the future (3) introduction
of the music into schools.

Japanese Music Textbooks
Teaching Methods and Sequences
 Modified
Pestalozzianism
 Modified Mason’s Methods
 Movable-Do, Fixed-Do
combined
 Isawa’s idea of sequence:
(1) Rote-singing (2) Cipher
notation (3) Scale exercises
(4)Staff notation exercises (5)
Single melody singing (6)
Rounds (7) Two-part singing
(8)Piano (9) Orchestra
Japanese Music Textbooks
Music Materials
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Four types-- (1) Western melodies with
Japanese original texts, (2) Newly
composed songs in Western style with
original Japanese texts, (3) Newly
composed songs in Japanese modes,
(4) Arranged and transliterated songs
from the Japanese traditional songs
Many songs identified in American music
textbooks
German art and folk songs
Nature, Patriotic, Personal, Moral
Major keys (G, F, C, D)
Meters (4/4, 3/4, 2/4, and 6/8)
Homophonic style
Comparison I
Philosophy
Purpose
Arousal
Theory
Rationale
Christian
Ideas of
Music
Practical
Objective
American
Mason
Japan
Moral,
Physical,
Religious,
Feeling
Yes
Joy of
Singing,
Quality of
Voice
Yes
Moral Sense
Yes
Everyone
Everyone
Everyone
has potential has potential has to be
for music
for music
cultivated
moral sense
through
music
Core
Assumed to Rejected
principle
be core but
not stated
“Elements of Rote singing Moral sense
music”
Pestalozzian Propaganda Closer to the Modified
Principles
Means
original
Nearly
Superficial priniciples opposite to
the original
Comparison II
Methods
American
Sequence in Rote-singing
Unison
Style
Sequence in
Theory
Order of the
key
introduction
Solmization
Round
Two-part
Three-part
Three-part
(mixed voice)
Structure of
the scale in C
major,
Beating time,
Staff, Clefs,
Notes, Rests
Each note in
the scale,
Chromatic
scale,
Various keys,
Minor scale
Circle of the
fifths
principle
(up to 4
sharps &
flats)
Movable-Do
Fixed-Do
combined
Mason
Japan
The same as
American
The same as
American
(Rote-singing )
Unison
Round
Two-part
Three-part
Three-part
(mixed voice)
The same as
American
Circle of the
fifths
principle
(up to 4
sharps &
flats)
Movable-Do
Fixed-Do
combined
Circle of the
fifths
principle
(up to 4
sharps &
flats)
Movable-Do
Fixed-Do
combined
Comparison III
Music Materials
Top three
song texts
themes
American
Mason
Japan
Nature
Nature
Nature
(42.6%)
(46.0%)
(40.3%)
Religious
Religious
Patriotic
(14.4%)
(25.1%)
(14.0%)
Personal
Personal
Personal
(13.9%)
(7.7%)
(12.4%)
G (25.1%)
C (20.0%)
F (12.8%)
A (9.8%)
Bb (9.4%)
4/4 (33.2%)
3/4 (29.8%)
2/4 (17.9%)
6/8 (13.2%)
13.1
G (24.5%)
F (19.2%)
C (13.6%)
D (13.2%)
A (5.0%)
4/4 (48.4%)
2/4 (28.7%)
3/4 (10.5%)
6/8 (9.0%)
17.6
Predominant G (21.6%)
keys
C (16.5%)
F (15.6%)
D (14.2%)
A (11.5%)
Predominant 2/4 (30.7%)
meters
4/4 (21.8%)
6/8 (19.0%)
3/4 (15.2%)
Average
15.2
measures
Average
intervals
Vocal parts
8.3
7.9
8.5
SA (42.7%)
SAB (34.6%)
R (7.6%)
SSA (7.2%)
S (6.5%)
S (44.7%)
SA (31.1%)
SSA (19.6%)
R (4.7%)
S (85.4%)
SA (5.4%)
SSA (4.3%)
R (2.8%)
SATB (1.1%)
Similarities in Implementation of
School Music Instruction between
Japan and the United States
The United
States (1838)
Promotor of Lowell
School Music Mason
Education
Catalyst
Assistants
Superiors
Institutions
Right
Timings
Japan
(1880)
Isawa Shüji
William
Luther
Woodbridge Whiting
Mason
George
Kžzu
Senzaburž
Webb
Samual Eliot, Tanaka
George
Fujimaro,
Snelling
Megata
Tanetarž
The Boston The Music
Academy of Study
Music
Committee
Pestalozzianism,
Educational
Reform
Movements
Meiji
Restoration,
Wa-yô secchû,
Wakon yôsai
Message from Ogawa
 Music
education is a form of
cultural transmission and
transformation.
 We are not only teaching a piece
or elements of music, rather we
are constantly evolving
educational policies, social
conditions, and contextualizing
in cultural transformations with
our students.