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Musical-Aesthetic Education: Synesthesia and Complex Influence of Arts

by N. Kolyadenko. Trans. by V.Skorokhodov
Conservatory Publications, Novosibirsk, Russia, 2003
258 pp., n.p.
ISBN: 5-9294-0007-05.

Reviewed by B.Galeyev (Russia)

galeyev@prometey.kcn.ru.

The investigation of nature of synesthesia, ‘color hearing’ pairs organically with the investigation of the problems of light-music or other forms of audio-visual synthesis, which are of primary importance to the theory of modern art. Much less attended is the psychologic-pedagogic aspect of the intermodal synthesis, being at present at the stage of ‘ripening’ in Russian science. The book, Children draw music, by I.Vanechkina and I.Trofimova [1] has been up to now the only one in our country that has considered the problem of synesthesia from this point of view. All the more topical is the publication of N.Kolyadenko’s book. This book is a textbook (manual) for the students of Novosibirsk Conservatory, where the author has been for many years giving lectures on the method of synesthetic musical-aesthetic education. But the book addresses a broader audience. In fact, it suggests an absolutely general approach based on synesthetic experience, applicable to all fields and all stages of musical education. Under present circumstances, with the verbal-symbolic method dominating in musical education, it’s worthwhile to draw synesthesia in the formation of the integral, multidimensional, non-linear artistic thinking. Synesthetic musical-aesthetic education as one of the non-verbal pedagogic methods in the open, interactive, humanistic model of teaching process is capable of animating dry, lifeless, finished knowledge offered in so many textbooks. Musical education, getting into resonance with the whole sensory structure——color, light, shape, tactile sensations, and even such ‘minor sensations’ as taste and smell——would take especial vital force and fruitfulness.

It’s noteworthy that synesthetic approach in musical-aesthetic education is considered in this book on a fundamental, all-round level. In the first chapter the problem is discussed from the philosophic-aesthetic-psychological point of view. On the basis of diverse historical-cultural and artistic material the author reveals the role of synesthesia in the formation of artistic view of the world and musical thinking as compared with the other kinds of non-verbal comprehension of the world (religious, mystical or psychodelic experience). This chapter deals with the psychological basis of synesthesia phenomenon, the problem of ‘synesthesia of arts’, and the preconditions of synesthetic tendency in the pedagogic practice of Dalcruse, Orff, Yavorsky and today’s Russian musical teachers.

The second chapter is devoted to the investigation of the role of synesthesia in the formation of synthesizing style of thinking in the course of music education, which is necessary in the situation of modern integrated art practice. The verbal-artistic language, visual thinking are being analyzed here as spheres of manifestation of latent ‘musicality’. With their aid the indirect assimilation of musical language is taking place——from non-verbal elements of closely-related arts through intersensory links toward the comprehension of musical meaning and the development of universal aptitude for art. In this process the intersensory links serves as ‘guides’ to the sphere of inner speech, bringing languages of closely-related arts nearer to music——the quintessence of non-verbal thinking. Let’s note that special stress is placed here on practical work on the learning of musical sense by means of objectless ‘drawing of music’.

The third chapter discusses the role of synesthesia in the accomplishment of ‘cosmic-genetic’ (Yu.Linnick) effect of music in the process of musical education. As the author rightfully emphasizes, the creation of polysensory artistic medium, saturated with other modality perceptions is an effective method of musical-aesthetic education in three aspects: cognitive, perceptive, and creative. N.Kolyadenko and her disciples experienced a lot in teaching students in various subjects: academic (such as Musical literature, Hearing music, Theory of music, Solfeggio) and non-academic (Language of art). On the basis of that practice she was able to produce a broad survey of unique pedagogic methods, stimulated by synesthesia, concerning musical teaching, perception, and creative activity.

Let’s note that synesthesia-aided stimulation in the process of musical education is topical not only for imparting polymodal turn to pupils’ mind. The valuable feature of this book is its orientation toward the correction of too theoretical, left-hemisphere thinking (‘salierism’) of students-musicologists, future music teachers. In that sense the material, presented by the author, shows some prognostic potentialities, fruitful not only for musical education proper but also for the following professional activity of students.

In conclusion, let’s add that the manual written by N.Kolyadenko is supplied with color illustrations. As one can think, the book which integrates and develops art and psychological-pedagogical studies of American, German, and Russian researchers in the field of intermodal synthesis provides valuable input into the cause of enriching and extending the sphere of synesthesia problems.

References

[1]. See review of this book in: Hargittai I. — Leonardo, 2001, v.34, No.2, pp. 164-165.

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