Music’s Historic Place in Education

 

Music’s Historic Place in Education

          Music had an important place in education in the ancient civilizations

of Sumer, Akkad, and Egypt. It was also important in ancient

Israel since the time when the first and second books of Chronicles

were written. 1 Chronicles 25 states, “Moreover David and the captains

of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of

Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries,

and with cymbals… So the number of them, with their brethren

that were instructed in the songs of the LORD, even all that were

cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight” (verses 1 and 7).

Music education in ancient Israel was the responsibility of the Chief

musicians Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun (and their sons and brethren).

          The Hebrew phrase yad ab shiyr (3027 ,01,7892), translated in

verse six as “under the hands of their father for song” in the AV,

means literally that the Levite musical sons studied sacred music under

the hands of their God-fearing fathers who were chief Levite

music directors and music educators. Music education in Israel was

uniquely different than in the cultures of its neighbors. In verse seven

in the AV, the Hebrew phrase lamad shiyr JHVH (3925, 7892, 3068),

translated “were instructed in songs of the LORD,” speaks directly to

the fact that the Levite sons received training specifically in sacred

music. It is important to note that the essence of music education in

ancient Israel was preparation for music ministry.

 

Thought for the Day

 

The ancient Jews accepted the responsibility to train their own church musicians. They considered that it was their responsibility to train their own so that music in the Temple would remain efficacious.  Christians would do well to follow their example in the 21^st century.