NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ1375518
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Apr
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1536-6006
EISSN: EISSN-2328-2525
A Missionary Inheritance: Tonic Sol-fa in India
Stevens, Robin S.
Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, v44 n2 p153-171 Apr 2023
Choral singing was embraced by many missionaries as a means of attracting potential converts to Christianity. A principal choral singing method in 19th century Britain, Tonic Sol-fa, was introduced by missionaries and others to the Indian subcontinent where it was used as both a pedagogical method and a music notation system. Building on the inherent musicality of the Mizo people in Assam, a fine choral singing tradition developed. Hymnbooks were published with Mizo words and Tonic Sol-fa notation. Although aspects of Tonic Sol-fa are utilized in some contemporary school music teaching methods, there is now little or no use made of the original Tonic Sol-fa method for community choral singing in Britain. Nevertheless, it is still used in some former British colonies, particularly for congregational hymn singing in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Asia-Pacific. Tonic Sol-fa has been, and remains, the mainstay of choral music making in Mizoram and neighboring areas. As such, it is a worthy inheritance from the missionary presence in India during the 19th century.
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2993
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: India; United Kingdom
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A