Figure 1.-- This charming photo with the venerable violinist playing for a couple of German children. It could be their violin teacher. Or perhaps it is grandfather. We think the photo was taken in the late-1930s, judging from the decor and the clothes. Both the children are wearing cotton long stockings with supporters. The boy (about 7 years old) is wearing the new tan colored stockings. The girl (about twelve) seems to have on light brown ribbed stockings.

We are unsure just how Germany approached music instruction. We suspect is was essentially a matter of home training by musically inclined parents and private instruction. Many adult Germans remember their childhood music teachers with considerable fondness. We think that primarily men were involved, but this gender disparity has probanly declined in recent years. We do no believe that children were taught to play instruments at school before World War II, but our information is limited. This tradition of music instruction was brought to America by German immigrants. Home instruction and private tutoring would suggest that learning a musical instrument was largely a middle-class phenomenon. We are not sure at this time how common instrumental music was among working-class Germans. Churches may have also played a role. Konservatoriums (conservatories) were founded in the 19th century: Leipzig (1843), Munich (1846), Berlin (1850), Cologne (1850), Dresden (1856), Stuttgart (1857), Frankfurt (1878)). These were facilities for particularly talented individuals to perfect their skills, not to introduce the average child to a mnusical instrument. Modern Germany have Musikhochschule as well as the Musikschule, secondary schools for children with a strong interest in music. Germany today has about 25 Musikhochschulen which offer professional music training for takented children hoping for a career in music. These schools have university status and are financed by individual bundeslander (states). The courses offered cover a wide range of music disciplines and elements (composition, music theory, conducting, performance, and musicology. Several of these Musikhochschulen include Hochbegabtenzentrum (pre-college departments) offering instrumental lessons and music theory classes over the weekend. Students attend regular schools during the week.

Created: 1:36 AM 12/24/2010
Last updated: 1:36 AM 12/24/2010