Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 December 2008
From amongst the literature of music education in the twentieth century a variety of styles and approaches can be discerned that employ differing ways of communicating ideas to teachers. The work of Yorke Trotter is highlighted here as being particularly effective in discussing musical and educational challenges in a way that could directly inspire the development of classroom practice. The paper looks at the legacy of Yorke Trotter's thinking, and observes that the writings of Schafer, Paynter and Aston provided similar motivation for the teachers of the 1960s and 1970s. The contrast between this professional reflection and the Government directives of the early 1990s is discussed, and the importance of continuing educational debate in music teaching becomes evident.