Harmonic Function in Chromatic Music: A Renewed Dualist Theory and an Account of Its Precedents

Harmonic Function in Chromatic Music: A Renewed Dualist Theory and an Account of Its Precedents Review

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The highly chromatic music of the late 1800s and early 1900s includes some of the best-known works by Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Cesar Franck, and Hugo Wolf. Yet until now, the harmonic complexity of this repertory has resisted the analytic techniques available to music theorists and historians. In this book, Daniel Harrison builds on nineteenth-century music theory to provide an original and illuminating method for analyzing chromatic music.

One of Harrison's central innovations is his reconstruction of the notion of harmony. Harrison understands harmonic power to flow not from chords as such but from the constituents of chords, reckoned for the most part as scale degrees of a key. This insight proves especially useful in analyzing the unusual progressions and key relations that characterize chromatic music.

Complementing the theoretical ideas is a critical history of nineteenth-century German harmonic theory in which Harrison traces the development of Hugo Riemann's ideas on dualism and harmonic function and examines aspects of Riemannian theory in the work of later theorists. Combining theoretical innovations with a sound historical understanding of those innovations, Harmonic Function in Chromatic Music will aid anyone studying this pivotal period of Western music history.

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Music Theory: Problems and Practices in the Middle Ages and Renaissance

Music Theory: Problems and Practices in the Middle Ages and Renaissance Review

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Music Theory: Problems and Practices in the Middle Ages and Renaissance Feature

Music Theory was first published in 1977. This is a textbook for the study of music theory, using a historical approach which enables the student to learn about compositional devices as they appeared and evolved in early Western music. The textbook and its accompanying workbook provide for the study of basic analytical and compositional techniques through the use of selected literature and original compositional techniques through the use of selected literature and original compositional assignments. With these teaching materials techniques which have been employed periodically throughout history, even into the most advanced of contemporary composition, may be mastered and absorbed as an integral part of the student's understanding of the aesthetic principles of art. Such compositional techniques as canon, cadential patterns, isorhythm, cantus firmus, initiation, and invertible counterpoint are among the many which are presented for study. A unique feature of the text is the introduction and employment of early notations. Including this dimension helps the student to understand the limitations imposed by the graphic tools of the composer upon his compositional decisions. This approach also enables the student to develop flexibility in the interpretation of notation. The book has been used in a preliminary form by hundreds of students and many different types of teachers. The students were typical college freshmen and sophomores, and none of the faculty had special training in the music of the periods studied, since any teacher with conventional theoretical training can easily master and present the material. The workbook contains 68 musical examples, and specific assignments for students are correlated with the textbook material.

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The Wind and Wind-Chorus Music of Anton Bruckner (Contributions to the Study of Music and Dance)

The Wind and Wind-Chorus Music of Anton Bruckner (Contributions to the Study of Music and Dance) Review

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This comprehensive study treats the wind works of Anton Bruckner as a complete genre and uses them to illustrate how the composer evolved in style throughout his career. A major nineteenth-century composer, organist, and church musician, Bruckner's compositional style changed dramatically in the early 1860s, dividing his career into two distinct parts. During his early career he immersed himself in the study of traditional musical principles including form, harmony, counterpoint, and orchestration. The second phase of his career, in which he composed the symphonies upon which much of his current reputation rests, was marked by his experimental approaches to harmony and tonality. Many of his early compositions exhibit landmarks of his later style. The wind instrument pieces incorporate the best aspects of both of Bruckner's styles and reflect the progress of his professional life.

Organized chronologically, the music is studied and classified within set time periods. Each wind work of a particular period is reviewed according to the historical circumstances contributing to its creation, its specific musical content, and its success as a musical work in relation to wind music and specifically to Bruckner's development. The analyses of Bruckner's compositions are enhanced by musical examples throughout the text.

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Schoenberg and the New Music: Essays by Carl Dahlhaus

Schoenberg and the New Music: Essays by Carl Dahlhaus Review

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Schoenberg and the New Music: Essays by Carl Dahlhaus Feature

This collection of essays examines the works of composer Arnold Schoenberg, one of the most influential and controversial composers of the twentieth century, in the context of the "New Music" that was the historical and cultural movement of his time. In these essays, Schoenberg's work is subjected to historical, technical and theoretical analysis. Studies of other "New Music" composers such as Webern, Schreker and Scriabin are also provided. The collection includes essays of broader cultural-historical and sociological import that should interest those involved with twentieth-century music and theory.

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Kodály Today: A Cognitive Approach to Elementary Music Education

Kodály Today: A Cognitive Approach to Elementary Music Education Review

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Kodály Today: A Cognitive Approach to Elementary Music Education Feature

In Kodály Today, Mícheál Houlahan and Philip Tacka offer an expertly-researched, thorough, and - most importantly - practical approach to transforming curriculum goals into tangible, achievable musical objectives and effective lesson plans. Their model - grounded in the latest research in music perception and cognition - outlines the concrete practices behind constructing effective teaching portfolios, selecting engaging music repertoire for the classroom, and teaching musicianship skills successfully to elementary students of all degrees of proficiency. Addressing the most important questions in creating and teaching Kodály-based programs, Houlahan and Tacka write through a practical lens, presenting a clear picture of how the teaching and learning processes go hand-in-hand. Their innovative approach was designed through a close, six-year collaboration between music instructors and researchers, and offers teachers an easily-followed, step-by-step roadmap for developing students' musical understanding and metacognition skills. A comprehensive resource in the realm of elementary music education, this book is a valuable reference for all in-service music educators, music supervisors, and students and instructors in music education.

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