Synopses & Reviews
Balancing theory and practice, this volume presents a four--part analysis of the basic components of harmony.
- Part One covers the rudiments of music theory, ensuring that students have a solid grasp of the fundamentals before going on to more advanced material.
- Parts Two and Three explore the principles of tertian harmony as they pertain to common practice, stressing learning by doing. After each new concept is introduced, several pages of carefully graduated exercises are presented.
- Part Four surveys the important harmonic procedures of the twentieth century. The author also emphasizes the exposition of theoretical procedures rather than focusing on individual composer's interpretations of them.
For additional reinforcement, teaching and learning aids include numerous musical examples, a note format that highlights important features in the examples, in-text drills and writing exercises, and Suggestions and Strategies to help students prepare for the exercises.
Parts Two, Three, and Four include analytical exercises cross-referenced with three major anthologies.
Synopsis
With an emphasis on learning and understanding by doing, this workbook takes learners from music fundamentals through harmony in common practice to some of the more important harmonic procedures of the 20th century. The approach is “additive” throughout, allowing readers to use what was learned in one chapter to help comprehension of the materials in the next. A four-part organization covers foundations, the diatonic vocabulary, the chromatic vocabulary, and post-common practice harmony. For anyone looking for an easy-to-use book—and an understanding of—music theory.
Table of Contents
I. FOUNDATIONS. 1. Clefs and Basic Pitch Notation. 2. Scales.
3. Key Signatures and Scale Degrees.
4. Intervals.
5. Triads.
6. The Notation of Rhythm.
II. HARMONY IN COMMON PRACTICE—The Diatonic Vocabulary. 7. Four-Part Vocal Writing.
8. Primary Triads in Root Position.
9. Primary Triads in First Inversion.
10. Primary Triads in Second Inversion.
11. Secondary Triads.
12. The Harmonization of Melodies I.
13. Nonchord Tones: Passing Tones, Neighboring Tones, Changing Tones, Appoggiaturas, Escape Tones, Anticipations.
14. Nonchord Tones: Suspensions.
15. Diatonic Seventh Chords.
16. The Harmonization of Melodies II.
17. Writing for the Piano.
III. HARMONY IN COMMON PRACTICE—The Chromatic Vocabulary. 18. Secondary Dominants.
19. Secondary Diminished Seventh Chords.
20. Augmented Sixth Chords.
21. Borrowed Chords.
22. The Neapolitan.
23. Pedal Point.
24. Common Chord Modulation.
25. Abrupt and Enharmonic Modulation.
IV. POST-COMMON PRACTICE HARMONY. 26. Ninth, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Chords.
27. Chord Symbols.
28. Modal Harmony.
29. Nonfunctional Harmony.
30. Artificial Scales.
31. Nontertian Harmony.
32. Harmonic Procedures in Twelve-Tone Serialism.
Appendix.
Index.