the history of music education site
 

essential books, articles, and ongoing projects in the
history of music education by country

Primary Historical Surveys - United States

(1) Michael L. Mark and Charles L. Gary, A History of American Music Education (New York: Schirmer Books, 1992). This is the standard work in the field for the United States. A second edition of this work has been released by the Music Educators National Conference.  Click here for a direct connection to the MENC book website.

(2) James A. Keene, A History of Music Education in the United States (Hannover and London: University Press of New England, 1987). This work has been largely supplanted by the Mark and Gary, but it still is useful, especially with respect to the Child Study Movement, Francis E. Clark, and music appreciation. Sadly, this is also out of print.

(3) Edward Bailey Birge, History of Public School Music in the United States. New and augmented edition. (Reprint by the Music Educators National Conference. Reston, Va.: MENC, 1988; orginally published by the Oliver Ditson Co., 1928 and 1939). The classic work in U.S. music education history. It would be useful if someone would publish an annotated edition with footnotes and a new index. This book is available in a reprint edition from the MENC. Click here and type "Birge" in the author search box.

(4) A. Therodore Tellstrom, Music in American Education: Past and Present (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1971).

Gordon Cox, A History Music Education in England (Scolar Press, 1993).

(1) Paul J. Green and Nancy F. Vogan, Music Education in Canada:A Historical Account (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1991). There is a web page for this book. Click here.

(2) Diane E. Peters. Canadian Music and Music Education: An Annotated Bibliography of Theses and Dissertations (Scarecrow Press, 1997). IBSN 0-8108-3275-5; $65.50.  This book is a list of master's theses and dissertations with abstracts related to Canadian music completed mostly at U.S. and Canadian universities. This book and others are listed online at the Scarecrow website. Click here.


(3) McGee, Timothy J. The Music of Canada. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1985. Has references  to music teaching and learning in Canada.

An extensive bibliography of the history of music education in Australia is found on the History of Music Education in Australia (CLICK HERE) site  under contruction by Dr. Robin S. Stevens, Associate Professor at Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia. There is also a summary of the history of music education in Australia and several photographs on this valuable and outstanding site.

F. Sandor, Musical Education in Hungary (Budapest: Corvina, 1966).

(1) David G. Tovey,  "The Role of the Music Educator in Mexico's Cultural Missions." Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education  No. 139 (Winter 1999):1-11.

(2) Ana, Lucia Frega, "Music Teaching and Learning in Latin America: Description of an Ongoing Research Project." A description of this ongoing work is at the Research Studies in Music Education ISSN site.

(1) Gruhn, Wilfried. Geschichte der Musikerzeihung: Eine Kultur- und Sozialgeschichte vom Gesangunterricht der Aufklärungspädagogik zu ästhetisch-kultureller Bildung. Hofheim: Wolker Verlag, 2003. A cultural and social history of German music instruction. A major scholarly work in the German language. Well illustrated. Viele Bilder.

(2) Schünemann, Georg. Geschichte der deutschen Schulmusik. Reprint. Köln: Gerig Verlag, 1968. I have not examined or read this volume. Ich habe dieses Buch nicht gelesen.

(3) Schmidt, Hans-Christian (ed.). Geschichte der Musikpädagogik. Handbuch der Musikpädagogik Bd. 1. Kassel: Bärenreiter, 1985. A volume of German music education history in a larger multi-volume series. Volume 1. Dieses ist ein sehr gutes Buch.

(4) Schipke, Max. Der deutsche Schulgesang von J. A. Hiller bis zu den Falkschen Allgeminen Bestimmungen (1775-1875). Berlin: Union Verlagsgessellschaft, 1913.

(5) Holtmeyer, Gert.  Schulmusik und Musiklehrer an der höheren Schule. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte des Musikpädagogen in Preußen. Wißner-Verlag, 1994. Taschenbuch. A report on the history of music education in Prussia. Wer hat dieses Buch gelesen?

(6) Hofman, Bernhard. Zur Geschichte der bayrischen Schulmusik in der ersten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts. Broschiert, 1995.  

(1) George N. Heller. Historical Research in Music Education: A Bibliography (Lawrence, Kansas: University of Kansas, Dept. of Art and Music Education and Music Therapy, 1988).

(2) James R. Heintze, American Music Studies: A Classified Bibliography of Master's Theses (Detroit: Published for the College Music Society, Information coordinators, Inc., 1984). This sources has numerous theses in the history of music education.

Your contributions would be appreciated.