Analysis of the Evolution of Primary Education Textbooks from a Critical Perspective: Study of the Musical Repertoire From 1994 to 2019

Abstract

Introduction.Textbooksareoneofthemainobjectsofstudyinthehistoryofeducationasdepositories of the ideology of the group from which they emanate and a reflection of the meanings that make up the school culture. On the other hand, critical musical pedagogy movements are committed to using a repertoire linked to the students’ musical identities and preferences. From this perspective, this paper analyzes the evolution of the musical repertoire of music textbooks in primary education in the province of Valencia from 1994 to 2019. Methodology. 1121 musical pieces belonging to 18 manuals were analyzed through content analysis. Results. The results indicate a trend towards greater musical diversity, although with a predominance of classical-romantic and folk-traditional music and a low representation of popular music. Discussion. The progressive inclusion of popular music in textbooks could be used to recognize and give voice to the students’ musical identities. However, this repertoire is very heterogeneous and does not necessarily have to include their current musical preferences.