Search Results

This chapter examines Schenker's analytical reviews of Brahms's songs, Op. 107, and choral pieces, Op. 104 (1891–92), in light of the disciplinary debates considered in the previous chapters. It argues that Schenker adopted a hermeneutic approach to analysis and criticism in an attempt to elucidate the structure and significance of Brahms's work, and invoked theories of musical structure and meaning that are distinctly Wagnerian. The chapter suggests that this pairing of critical agenda and analytical strategy was inspired by Schenker's desire to illuminate the effects of Brahms's genius in his work, and, more broadly, by his sense that his fellow critics' fascination with scientifically inspired modes of musical inquiry had hindered their appreciation of that genius and limited the broad cultural relevance of their work. In Wagner, it concludes, Schenker found a theoretical foundation for his self-consciously subjective explorations.

This introductory chapter provides an overview of music analysis and theory in universal and cross-cultural contexts, including: Analysis: Definitions and Perspectives; Choosing Perspectives for this Book; World Music as a Context for New Music; Categorizing Music; Periodicity and the Composer's Toolbox; Qualities of Periodicity; and Universals and a Future Music Theory.

Chapter 1 offers an introduction to transformational thought and situates it with respect to Schenkerian analysis. After a brief overview of transformational theory in Section 1.1, Section 1.2 introduces Generalized Interval Systems (or GISs), addressing both their technical and conceptual aspects. This section includes a model GIS-based analysis of the opening of Bach's Cello Suite in G, BWV 1007. Section 1.3 treats transformational networks, using a model analysis of the Andante from Schubert's Piano Sonata in A, D. 664 for demonstration. In Section 1.4 the GIS and transformational methodologies are contrasted with Schenkerian theory. It is argued that transformational and Schenkerian methodologies are not competing versions of the same kind of music theory but distinct styles of analytical thought, which may interact dialogically in practice.

The growing interest in music of diverse cultures, and the growing awareness of the methods and approaches that are needed to compare it, motivate this collection of more analytical studies in world music. This introduction explains how the book is organized to juxtapose studies of music from divergent cultures that nevertheless share important features, bringing out some recurring themes. Methodological questions about music representation and the purview of music analysis are considered. It is argued that comparison of different musics is most appropriate when made with reference to basic perceptions of musical temporality—grouping, meter, and periodicity—that seem to be universal. Such rhythmically oriented analysis brings out both similarities and differences, and helps explain the role of music in defining the identity of the culture and of the groups and individuals that it comprises.

This chapter considers the place of zygonic theory in the broader field of music theory and analysis, and notes that it is ‘psychomusicological’ in nature. The zygonic conjecture is introduced by considering how language functions as a medium of human communication, and then noting the differences and similarities between this and music. The perceived capacity of musical sounds for self-imitation lies at the heart of the theory, and this is placed within a broader framework, which takes into account the wider environment in which music-structural cognition resides. This enables a definition of ‘music’ to be generated, which underpins the thinking in the chapters that follow, in which the theory is applied in educational, therapeutic, and psychological contexts.

In order to highlight the variety of the individual fusion styles, this chapter undertakes a deeper musical analysis. A central focus is set on Fairport Convention which, despite numerous line-up changes, still developed a recognizable folk-rock fusion style. The analysis particularly addresses the period with Sandy Denny (1967-1969), which ended with the recording of Liege & Lief. Steeleye Span, in contrast, developed a more rock-oriented approach, despite the stronger focus on traditional material, while Pentangle's acoustic jazz fusions were distinguished by a more transparent sound. The chapter also analyses the British guitar or “Folk Baroque” styles of Martin Carthy, Davy Graham, and Bert Jansch, and addresses the early music experiments of Shirley and Dolly Collins, and John Renbourn. Touching briefly on concept albums and progressive rock, the chapter is completed by a broader discussion of traditional elements in modern songwriting.

Studies of music education, therapy, and psychology have tended to comprise a second-level metanarrative: they are about what people think about music, rather than being directed at the human perception of the sounds themselves. While this may, to a certain extent, be appropriate—inevitable even—in research hybrids of the arts and social sciences, there is nonetheless an epistemological lacuna, which this book aims to fill. This chapter sets out the challenge of developing a shared musical understanding, of identifying just what it is we want to talk about when we seek to describe and analyze music, issues of ecological validity, and of using music analysis to address extra-musical concerns.

This chapter explores music theory as a source for analytic metaphors. Overworked terms create problems for us in describing conceptual sound-structures, and the pursuit of these problems can be enlightening. When we describe the ways in which musical sound seems conceptually structured, categorically prior to any one specific piece, we nevertheless intend our conceptual sound-worlds to be rich in potential metaphors for analyzing specific pieces. Marion Guck and others have been drawing our attention for some time now to metaphorical discourse for music analysis. But it is not generally appreciated how deeply and necessarily metaphorical a music theory becomes when it is used as the basis for an analysis. It is not a question of our intending metaphorical discourse or not when we bring a theory to an analysis. A spectacular example is afforded by the opening of Milton Babbitt's Philomel. John Hollander's text for Babbitt's piece depicts only Philomel's transformation, but he writes that he had earlier had a particular interest in the weaving scenes for a possible opera.

This part of the book presents an inaugural publication of David Lewin’s 1974 essay on Schubert’s “Morgengruß.” Examining a series of analytical decisions about form, hypermeter, and harmonic function, the essay advances a set of analytical readings that are mutually incompatible, and then declines to choose between them, arguing that each reading captures a significant aspect of the song and its experience. Accordingly, it embeds an explicit reflection on the analytical process: how we come to intuitions and how we come to problematize them; what sorts of inquiries yield evidence; what sorts of evidence make an analytic argument. And it explores and demonstrates aspects of representation and communication: what gives analytical evidence persuasive force, and why; how to organize and order an analytical argument; how to explore and assert through graphs, and how to coordinate graph with text.

The collection’s introductory chapter situates the eight composers featured in this volume and their music in the twentieth-century environment of the female composer. The authors contrast the proliferation of compositional activity by contemporary women with the low representation of their music in creative and scholarly forums, arguing that a rich and varied repertoire remains to be discovered by scholars, performers, and listeners. Exploration of the links among the eight composers leads to consideration of the controversial question of whether there can be a distinctively female compositional voice. The chapter concludes with an invitation to scholars to contribute to a new phase of analytical discourse in which the compositions of women are regularly and proportionately included, and the label “woman composer” becomes obsolete.

This chapter presents the scope, rationale, and approach of the book. Unlike much previous research on rock, the book is focused on musical rather than sociocultural aspects; it is primarily theoretical (focused on general features of the style) rather than analytical (focused on understanding individual works), though it is argued that developing a stronger theoretical foundation for rock will benefit analysis. Rock is defined broadly, to include a wide range of late twentieth-century Anglo-American popular styles. The chapter addresses some potentially controversial aspects of the book, such as the idea of rock as a musical “language,” the use of concepts from common-practice theory, the use of music notation, and the focus on purely musical aspects of the rock style. The chapter also describes the corpus of harmonic analyses and melodic transcriptions that is used in the book.

Hollywood Harmony revolves around three primary arguments: (1) tonal practices of the nineteenth century continue to flourish and evolve in film music; (2) chromaticism using consonant triads is a key ingredient of the “Hollywood Sound”; and (3) this chromatic style is associated with representations and evocations of wonderment in cinema. The book’s Introduction broaches these three claims with a brief initial analysis of studio logo music, before offering a survey of the scholarly landscape of film music theory, including treatments of chromaticism and so-called pantriadic music, especially transformation theory, the triadic guise of which has come to be called “neo-Riemannian theory.” Finally, the Introduction lays out the scope, approach, and organization of the chapters to follow.