Customer Reviews

A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision (3rd Edition)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This text presents an excellent philosophy of music education! It makes clear that the nature and value of music must be found WITHIN it, not outside. We music educators must express to the public that music in itself is good and should not be an excuse or tool for increased standardized test scores, etc. Currently, more and more music educators are forced to link musical attributes to scholastic activity. This deteriorates the nature and value of music. Author Reimer makes it clear that an aesthetic view of music education is a goal for all music educators to strive for.

I'm tired of hearing from the neophyte philosophy Nazis on this website about how Reimer is out-of-step with contemporary philosophy. The man and his work defined a generation of music educators. Period. He put the issues on the table, and he gave folks like Elliott and Jorgensen something to respond to when there was no comparable scholarship in music education. Like it or not, his book provides a reason why music is indispensable in the education of children, something that other philosophers have not done.

The negative reviewers on here treat philosophy like fundamentalist religion: MY god is better than YOUR god. Here's a hint for those folks: there is no TRUE philosophy of music or music education. In the marketplace of ideas, the "winners" are those who stimulate the most conversation. And Reimer has done more than his share of that.

I find the third edition less valuable than the second, because Reimer, I think, is trying too hard in the third edition to placate his detractors. Having said that, though, this book is one that every music teacher should read, digest, and debate. Music education is facing perilous times, and Reimer has something in this book to say about all that. Don't let the negative reviews dissuade you from a valuable reading experience.

Although many universities may require this text as part of their graduate studies in music philosophy, I found the book to be a rehashing of the author's previous two editions. If one has the 2nd edition, I see no reason to spend the time or money on this book.

I thing Reimer's ideas are sound. However, I'm afraid that this printing has problems. The print quality is not outstanding considering the price. A few pages are missing the ends of words and it's missing pages 82 and 83 (and mine is not the only one--several others in my class were also shorted). Too bad for such an expensive book.

This book is a must read for any music educator who wants to be on the forefront of our field. Though sometimes thick, Bennett has too many good ideas to list. Reading this book and applying some of its theories and philosophies will greatly benefit you and your music students.

Some of Bennett Reimer's writings are very inspiring. I am so thankful that my college professor used this particular book for our required reading.

This book is selling old, modernist ideas about music which are totally unconvincing compared to the postmodern views of music (e.g., Lawrence Kramer, John Shepherd, George Lipsitz, Robert Walser, Richard Taruskin) I've been studying in musicology and ethnomusicology courses (where the profs just chuckle at Reimer's book). Why do my music education profs still believe this stuff?

This book fails to offer a reasonable philosophy of music education because it is based on a notion of music (as a "presentational symbol") which has been debunked by mainstream philosophers for decades. The "absolute expressionist" theory of music and music education put forth in this book is so narrow and implausible it's hard to believe that any reasonable person would take it seriously. Because it misrepresents the nature and value of music, this book is invalid as a guide for music curriculum and instruction.

The man has interesting viewpoints, but these are all overshadowed by the overwhelming verbage. He can explain these principles in fewer paragraphs without missing out on anything. Instead, he opts to confuse readers by using too many words and by beating around the bush. I'd rather read something else if this weren't a required text.

This book is poor. It 's not "philosophical" in any sense because it's not logical and it's not supported by the majority of music scholars today. Reimer contradicts himself at every turn; he doesn't understand what Langer is really saying; and. his absolutist notion of music is completely out of synch with what most scholars argue about music today. Reimer just mouths a lot of fluffy, feel-good nonsense.