Opera on the Move in the Nordic Countries during the Long 19th ...

The Björling ‘<strong>Opera</strong>’
his external pupils, as evidenced in sources from Örebro describing how
they listened to their father’s lessons from a room close-by, and how they
imitated his discipline (Lööw 1951, p. 19; Liljas 2007, p. 299). This shows
how the sons were socialised into their father’s singing education and how
they became familiar with the content of his lessons from an early age.
Didactic principles
David Björling’s theoretical principles for children’s vocal training were a
synthesis of education in singing and upbringing, the main point being the
exceptionally early age at which he started the training. He believed that the
development curve of very small children should consciously incorporate
musical elements, and that a six-month-old baby is sufficiently developed
to encounter music. The curiosity of infants and their increasing perceptual
abilities are acknowledged to be particularly strong (cf. Sundin 1995, p. 53).
Their senses should be stimulated, but not excessively, and musical stimuli
should be limited to short periods. Formal teaching could begin at three
years of age, but the lessons should be specially adapted. Aesthetic experiences
are described as good support for teaching (Björling n.d., p. 4).
I have pointed out similarities between the Björling ‘school’ and the
pedagogical model we understand today as the Suzuki method (Liljas 2007,
p. 409; cf. Sundin 1995, pp. 132f; cf. Gardner, p. 103). At the same time I
should stress that the Björling ‘school’ represented Suzuki methodology
before its establishment. The determining factor in my reference to the
Suzuki method is that the starting point of Björling pedagogy is the child’s
unique receptivity.
Another significant point of comparison is that Björling’s children, just
as Suzuki pupils would do, developed a memorising capacity resembling
the more advanced delayed in-learning. In other words, these children could
reproduce complete music pieces from an early stage, as opposed to the
fragmentary repetitions that reflect direct in-learning (Sundin 1995, p. 99;
cf. Gardner 1994, pp. 102-103). David Björling also saw the didactic advantages
of group teaching.
David Björling’s pedagogy incorporated singing training and the principles
of childrearing. His words are reminiscent of the classic ideals of
education: “bring out the good in children from the time of their birth” 33
(Björling n.d., p. 4). It is uncertain whether or not he knew of these ideals,
33 “Inympa det goda uti barnet redan från dess födelse.”
37