away from the "traditional" splintered program are in growing evidence. The 
trend which now seems to be asserting itself is towards exactly that which 
.Mr. Porter urges, a plan which integrates music theory, history, and perform-
ance. Universities that are starting or have already begun such programs will 
be producing a brand of high school music teacher who will more easily be able 
to fully implement the "Laboratory in Musicianship" that Harold Brook 
Porter describes. 

At institutions such as the University of British Columbia, evidence of the 
superiority of an integrated program is already at hand after only two years of 
operation. Through its chronological organization from ancient Greece to the 
present, students in this comprehensive plan arc well aware of historical 
development. As an important adjunct, especially in the light of Mr. Porter's 
dissertation, they can take with them into their subsequent teaching a better 
understanding of a wealth of musical literature. 

CORTLAND HULTBERG is professor of music at the University of British Columbia, 
Vancouver, Canada. 

John Malcom Tait 
The Significance of Musical Understanding 
in Music Education 

Columbia University Ed.D., 1963 

Gary M. Martin 

The purpose of John Tait's study is to examine authoritative views regarding 
musical understanding and to propose a definition of the same. He then at-
tempts to relate this definition to the educational process of the public schools. 
Musical understanding is defined as a process in which a person re-creates the 
sounds he hears in terms of his own feelings, knowledge, and imagination. Five 
areas of musical understanding are identified as follows: 
(a) Hearing music: aural recognition of the components of music, such as, 

rhythm, melody, harmony, form, and so forth. 
(b) Seeing music: visual recognition of musical relationships when they are 

presented in a musical score. 
(c) Imagining music: (sec below) 
(d) Feeling music: imagining and feeling music are the most intangible of the 

five aspects of musical understanding. Music elements suggest to individ-
uals concepts which may form a bridge between the music and life itself. 
These concepts (or bridges) are formed by individuals as an out-growth of 
the interaction between music and their feelings and background. 

(e) Knowing music: knowledge of music history, music theory, musical in-
struments, and musical forms. 

Tait acknowledges that, in the opinions of some musicians, more than one 

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kind of musical understanding exists. However, he asserts that there is a central 
body of musical understanding, possessing many facets but found within a 
framework that is essentially unified. He also has an admitted penchant for 
the ability to read music notation as a major need of students and cites music 
performance as the best measure for evaluating musical understanding. 

In Chapter 4 the author examines music in the public schools. He states that 
a school music program is less accuratcly validated by the number and di-
wrsity of its activities than by the quality and depth of learning that result 
from these activities. He recommends a general music class at all levels of 
education, each being taught by qualified and trained persons. Music edu-
cation, particularly in senior high school, is criticized for its narrow scope and 
for the lack of opportunity for all students to develop musical understanding as 
defined in the study. 

Tait's objective has been to define comprehensively the meaning of the term 
"musical understanding" and then to examine the school music curriculum 
in light of that definition. Although one may choose to argue with his defini-
tion of musical understanding, the conclusions he draws and the recommenda-
tions of the thesis would seem to be generally acceptable in music circles today. 

GARY '>1. MARTI" is presently on the faculty of the University of Oregon School of Music 
after having served as a music consultant to the Department of Education, State of 
Oregon. 

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