The First Tonic Sol-fa Missionary: Reverend Robert Toy In Madagascar

Abstract

It is important that we, as a profession, are conversant with our pedagogical history. Too often we reinvent and reassess that which has been established past practices. As Fonder suggests, “knowledge of past successes and failures can clarify decisions for future policy — and possibly spark innovative new ideas and strategies”.¹ It is hoped that music educators today will find in this exploration a consideration of the use of music as a part of an evangelical and imperial drive. Music is still used in this way — to evoke ideas of religion and patriotism in children. In mid-nineteenth century England, John Curwen (1816-1880) developed the Tonic Sol-fa method. This pedagogy was, from the outset, intended as both a systematic method of class instruction in music and an aid to worship. Sarah Glover (1786-1867), the originator of the system Curwen modified, began her educational experiments in music to improve the singing of psalms (or psalmody). The Tonic Sol-fa system was taken up by various missionary societies, the first being the London Missionary Society (LMS). In 1862 this society sent the Reverend Robert Toy to meet Curwen to learn the method of teaching singing. Toy then travelled to Madagascar where the method became part of the evangelising, worship and teaching undertaken by the missionaries. The nineteenth century history of Madagascar is outlined to contextualise the discussion of the use of the Tonic Sol-fa method and Christian hymns in Malagasy society.