What is the purpose of solfege hand signs

Solfege, Curwen, or Kodaly hands signs are a system of hand symbols representing the different pitches in a tonal scale. They're used to provide a physical association of a pitch system to help connect inner hearing and reading of pitches with musical performance.

1. What is the point of solfege?
2. What is the history of solfege hand signs?
3. Who created solfege hand signs?

What is the point of solfege?

Solfege (also called solfa, or solfeggio) provides a framework for melodies by establishing recognizable relationships between pitches, and training your ear to hear patterns. It is an excellent system for learning the architecture behind music, and is a fundamental concept of ear training.

What is the history of solfege hand signs?

In the 18th century, John Spencer Curwen drew upon an earlier music teaching system known as Norwich Sol-fa, which had been devised by Sarah Glover, and developed hand signs to go with the solfege syllables (do re mi, etc.). Kodály integrated these hand signs into his teaching methods.

Who created solfege hand signs?

John Spencer Curwen (1816–1880) popularized the tonic solfège system and hand signs that had been created by Sarah Glover (1785–1867). His modifications of Glover's work were then borrowed by Hungarian music teachers who adapted and incorporated hand signs into the Kodály concept (Figure 2).