The Pied Piper of Hamelin: Adorno on Music Education

Abstract

Whilst the German philosopher Theodor W. Adorno (1903-1969) is widely known for his innovative ideas on music, aesthetics and sociology, he was also one of the most prominent critics of German music education before and after World War II. He argued against humanistic and idealistic philosophies of music education, which pursued a transformation of human beings through making music. For Adorno, music education should be focused on the music itself and the education of musically critical and self-determined students. The main intent of this article is an examination of Adorno's critique of music education, specifically in terms of the misuse of music education for ideological purposes. This article draws on examples of Adorno's work not yet translated into English, to question and challenge current practices of music education. usic is a significant aspect of society in terms of building identities and serving the needs of communities. In the hands of the politically powerful, music can be used for the purposes of indoctrination and the dissemination of ideologies. This phenomenon is encapsulated in the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, a well-known story in the Germanic world: Rats invade the town of Hamelin. The town officials want to get rid of the rats and hire a piper. The piper is able to lure the rats out with his charming music. Although he is successful, the town officials refuse to pay the piper for his services. Then, the piper takes revenge by entrancing and kidnapping the children of Hamelin.

What Does Music Mean, and Can Music Education Really Matter?

“…Beginning in the 19th century and continuing throughout much of the Cold War, Beethoven's and other great music was championed in education because it was thought to develop the kinds of abstract "technical, intellectual, and emotional resources" that individuals needed to exercise their freedom and to thereby make intelligent choices (Applegate,p. 295; see also Kertz-Welzel, 2005). This was deemed a democratic value, although, as we have already seen with reference to Beethoven, for example, when music is regarded and taught as socially abstract, as existing in a political and moral vacuum, it is potentially more susceptible to cooption and abuse resulting in indoctrination.…”

Replanteando la acción social por la música: la búsqueda de la convivencia y la ciudadanía en la Red de Escuelas de Música de Medellín

“…Un tercer desafío existencial proviene de la lectura de Alexandra Kertz-Welzel (2005; de los escritos de Theodor Adorno sobre la educación musical. Adorno sostenía que la educación musical idealista con objetivos utilitarios y sin pensamiento crítico era intrínsecamente peligrosa, ya que era susceptible de apropiación por parte de los regímenes autoritarios, por lo que debía evitarse.…”

Innledning

“…Vi snakket om pedagogen Helmut Peukerts (1990) spørsmål «Ist Erziehung nach Holocaust möglich?» 22 og om den sterke skepsisen innenfor den tyske musikkpedagogikken mot romantisk-idealistiske musikkonsepter, mot høystemte uttrykk som Ereignis 23 og alt emosjonelt. Denne skepsisen er en følge av at den musiske bevegelsen og deler av musikkpedagogikken i Tyskland hadde latt seg misbruke av den nasjonalsosialistiske ideologien i årene før og etter andre verdenskrig (se Kertz-Welzel, 2005). «Men hvor blir det av fortryllelsen, underet, det mennesket ikke kan kontrollere i den musikalsk-estetiske erfaringen?», ville jeg vite.…”