Figure 1.--Mothers were especially concerned with dressing their sons elegantly for recitals. This mother may have over done it a bit. This 1915 image is difficult image to interpret, but girls at the time would not have worn knickers--especially for dress up occasions. An HBC contributors confirms that the child is indeed a boy. It comes from the photo collection of the DeYoung museum in San Francisco. The photo has the caption "Boy with a harp, 1915." Click on the image for a fuller discussion.

There are several musical and music associated gopics tht we want to address. Music is one of several topics on which HBC has very little core comptence. For this section we have relied very heavily on the input and suggestionsof our readers. We incourage readers who have studied music to provide their insights to help build this interesting section of our website.

Music Education

The European tradition involves teaching music comprehensively. Individual instrumental skill training is combined with history and theory study, solfeggio, and ear training. Students learned not only the facts and sounds of music but also the skills to be able to write down what they hear; and sing what they play on their instrument. The This produced in students an internalization of the logic, richness and subtleties of music, leading to a fuller understanding and appreciation of its beauty, in both playing and listening. The European tradition involved training boys of great talent. Boys of modest talent were not nomally taught to play classic instruments. They may learn to play inexpenive folk instruments. This was of course particularly true of the vast majority of the population which could not aford the cost of instruction, let alone the price of an instrument. Girls from wealthy families might be trained at home, but not for public performances.

Music Appreciation

The concept of music appreciation I believe is a relatively recent phenomenon. Of course music has been appreciated since time immemorial. The issue of music appreciation appears to have surfaced in Europe and America with the industrial revolution and the emense expansion of the middleclass. Families were able to achieve income levels never before achieved by such a wide section of scociety. Many kothers were intent tht their children obtain an appreciation of culture that was often lacking in the family. Some mothers saw this as an aspect of education or social advancement. For others it was seen as an important aspect of education and a complete life. For the most part music appreciation was accomplished through family music making and instrumental lessons. We note articles in women's and family magazines about music appreciation.

Participation

Modern boys often at mom's urging have participated in various fine arts programs. Some boys have decided on their own to pursue interests in the fine arts, but this is probably a minority. Most boys have other things on their mind. Most are much more interested in sports. There are varying interests in different disciplines. Many boys do decide on their own to learn to play musical instruments. In many other cases, especially learing dancing, the choice is promoted by the parents.

Historical Background

The early hilstory of music like dance is much more difficult to assess because it occurred before writing was invented. This was also the cse of art, however, art is tangiable and thus there was actual prehistoric art that has been found. It is not posible to find prehistoric music. Music historians can only speculate about the origins of music. The earliest musical instruments surely was the human voice. Sonds in nature or natural expressions of human emotions might have led early man to music. Animal noices, especiall bird songs may have inspired early man. Some anthropolgists suggest that the first rhythms may have come from tool use. Pounding grains or oher work with tools may have been persued with a rythmn. This may have inspired man to create rythms for pleasure. Anhropolgists generally agree that the first musical instruments were persussion instruments. Early man began making stone tools. This involved banging/pounding rock together. Jagged pieces could be used for cutting and craping. Both pounding and scraping created sound. Over time early man appears to have actuually created musical instruments. Another sound making device was he human hand--clapping. Woodn sticks were at hand and which could be hit together to make noise. Over time man must have discovered that hitting on a hollow log amplified sound an created resonance. It is likely that the first drum was a slit frum, a hollow timber. These very primitive implements along with the voice provided man a substantial repitore of sounds. Over time man took even greate steps, creting drums with animal skins. Perhaps while steaching askin the potential was discovered. Rattles were another step. Perhaps gords were used to store useful small stones, shells, oe seed and the nise making potential discoivered. While early music has disappeaed, archeologists have discovered early musicl instruments. Some animal materials were useful, especially bird bones which were hollow. Other animal bone had to hollowed out. One of the earliest instruments that has been found is the bull-roare, a piece of bone twirled over head. Whistles were developed from bone and had practical uses as well as music. Stone tools are diffiult to date. Animal and plant materils are easier to date. Flutes made from mmoh bones have been dated to about 30,000 BC. The first string instrument was surely the lyremade of wood or horn. The expanding industrial economy and rising income levels increasinly brought music instruction within the reach of an increasing number of families. Mothers in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century could be quite insistent, thinking it important to imbue their proginy with a little culture. In many cases boys objected strenuosly, but mothers had much more authority than is the case today. Thus if a cultured mother decided her son needed dancing or music lessons, it was off to clase he went.

Religious Music

Music plays a major role in the Christian religion. The Christioan Church from an early point in its development incorporated music in religious celebrations. This seems to be, however, rather unique. Music appears to play a minor role or is completely absent in most other religions. Several religions use various forms of chanting, but actual music seems rare. We also do not know why Christianity is unique in this regard. This is, however, a topic that we know very little about. Hopefully HBC readers will provide some useful insights.

Current Pattern

The modern boy has much more say in the activities they pursue. Sports are the leading pusuit. There is also considerable interest in the fine arts. Almost all of this, however, is learning to play a musical instument.

Figure 2.--These English boys, dressed in their school uniform, are practing for a planned recital.

Uniform and Dress Trends

Boys have participated in a wide range of musical activities, many of which required uniforms. These actvities have include both instrumental and choral music. There are costumes associated with many musical activities. Boys participating in choirs have distinctive uniforms. Bands commonly wear uniforms. A generation ago it was expected that a boy participating in fine arts programs would dress up for recitals and performance. This usually meant a boy's best suit. Until recently this would mean a short pants or knicker suit. Boys involved in the fine arts would generally be from more affluent families or middle class families aspiring to climb the social ladder. Such families would be the most likely to dress their boys in short pants suits. Some of the costume or appropriate dress associated with the fine arts include:

Music Education

Educators have discussed at what age a child's music education should begin. For many years virtually no attention was paid to educating very young children. Gradually this began to change. One educator playing a major role in modern music education was German composer Carl Orff. He was especially concentrated on very young children.

Benefits

One question we have is if there is a relationship between music and academic achiebement. Here we are interested in both overall academic achievement and the study of mathematics in particular. There is of course a relationship between music and mathematics expressed in beats and tempos and other aspdects of music. It seems to us that children with musical talent often do quite well in school studying mathematics. We are not sure, hosever, if any research exists on this subject. A related topic is if the children leaning a musical instrument do better in their mathematics studies. And or that mater visa versa. Again we are not familiar with any studies which may have addressed this topic, but understand that research has shown that music lessons to result in improvements in a child's literacy, math, and soatial skills. Educational experts debate the results of these studies because they often did not control for family differences. And it might be family differebces that explain the different skill levels. A reseacher has published a study which he believes shows that children who study music to show small, but definite improvements in IQs. [Sdhallenberg]

National/Ethnic Music

We note various kinnd of ethnic or national music. This is a topic we have just begun to consider. There are a variety of different types of music that occur to us here. America is known for both country-western, gospel, and jazz as well as rock and roll. Gypsey music has been influential in several areas of music. Poland is noted for pola music which is popular in neighboring music as well. Polka music is very popular in Poland and some neognoring countries.

Country Trends

Our information on music in general is limited. We have not yet compiled extensive information about music trends in different countries. There are basic similarities among many countries, especually in Europe. There are some countries that are especilly importnt. Here Germany seems to stand out, but severl other countries are important. America becomes important in the 20th century. And there are ethnic traditions as well both within countries and that transcend individual countries. There are also important differences as to the involvement and pursuit of music by children. We have begun to develop music pages in several of the country sections: America, Canada, England, France, and Germany.

Prodigies

There are many famous child music prodigies. The most famous is certainly Mozart in the 18th Century, but there have been many others in the 19th and 20th Century. The clothing they wore for their performances were often examples of contemporary formal boys' clothing. Often as they began to grow up their parents liked to keep dressing them in juvenile clothes to emphasize that they were childhood prodigies. I've just begun this page, but would be interested in any comments or contributions by HBC viewers.

Opera

Opera like many modern art forms is an Italian creation energing from the Renaissance. The Italian states were small, but the developing economies of these states providing the financing for for art at the same time that the creative spirit was being aroused by a new spirit of learning. The Italian courts were among the most illustrious in Europe estanlishing fashion and style for courts throughout Europe. This included music and entertaument. An important part of the Renaissance was a recived interest in the pre-Christian classical civilizations. Some Italian courts began staging Roman plays on festive occassions. Roman plays were chosen in part because of the spirit of the Renaissance and because there were not yet any Italian or other European plsys to chose from. Gradually during these plays, the custom developed of inserting musical pieces called intermediate pieces (intermezzi) between the acts. This is of course the origin for the modern term intermission in plays. Roman plays can be a little heavy going and apparently the musical interludes helped lighten the entertaiment. Many guesrs preferred the intermezzi to the plays. Over time the intermezzi became more a more elabotate with costumes and scenery as well as singing abd dancing. Isabella d'Este of Ferrara described a performance of Plautus with intermezzi which included satyrs pursue wild beasts set to a musical clock, Swiss guards engage in a dance of war, and a golden ball melts down to reveal four Virtues who sing a quartet (1502). Isabella confines that she preferred the intermezzi to the play. Apparently many Italians agreed. The first detailed view availablt to history of these entertainments were etchings done to record a wedding at the Medici court in Florence (1589). We see the charaters in elaborate scenery including clouds, gardens, and caves populated by a dragon and mermaids. These intermezzi evolved into our modern opera. We haven't done much work on opera yet. Several have children's parts and many more have children on the stage without notable parts. One German opera is "Hansel and Gretel". Opera is not a musical form that has attracted mch interest among children. A German reader tells us that there is some iknterest among German children.

Sources

Schallenberg, E. Glenn. Psychological Science (2004). Schallenberg is a researcher at the University of Toronto.

Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web style pages:
[Kilts] [Caps] [Sailor suits] [Sailor hats] [School uniform] [Scout uniforms]

Created: December 31, 1998
Last updated: 10:04 PM 11/15/2009