Harmony (Paperback)

~ (Author), Oswald Jonas (Editor), Elisabeth Mann Borgese (Translator) "All art, with the exception of music, rests on associations of ideas, of great and universal ideas, reflected from Nature and reality..." (more)
Key Phrases: modulatory meaning, perfect full close, root tone, String Quartet, Well-tempered Clavier, Organ Prelude (more...)

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Product Description

Harmony, Heinrich Schenker's first published work, originally appeared in German in 1906 as "New Musical Theories and Phantasies, by an Artist." Its unusual title indicates what was to be the rationale of Schenker's lifework, that artistic problems call for artistic solutions. Schenker's dedication to the formulation of a complete musical theory above the commonplace theoretical discussions was, in essence, his quest for a pattern in nature for music as art. Schenker's theory draws upon a profound understanding of the works of the masters and every proposition is illustrated by a living musical example.

Language Notes

Text: English, German (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details Paperback: 359 pages Publisher: University Of Chicago Press (October 15, 1980) Language: English ISBN-10: 0226737349 ISBN-13: 978-0226737348 Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.6 x 0.6 inches Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #142,553 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
All art, with the exception of music, rests on associations of ideas, of great and universal ideas, reflected from Nature and reality. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
modulatory meaning, perfect full close, root tone, diatonic system, chromatic change, seventh overtone, subdominant fifth, vertical coincidence, simulated keys, harmonic step, strict composition, real modulation, cyclic composition, enharmonic change, rising order, auxiliary note, diminished triad, free composition, diminished octave, pedal point, deceptive cadence, first cadence, motivic content, general bass, minor system

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
String Quartet, Well-tempered Clavier, Organ Prelude, Violin Solo

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 4 books:

• Free Composition: v. 1 & 2 (Longman music series) by Heinrich Schenker on 16 pages
• Tristan and Isolde: English National Opera Guide 6 (English National Opera Guides) by Wagner on 7 pages
• Johann Sebastian Bach by Philip Spitta on page 46, and page 179
• Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments by C.P.E. Bach in Front Matter

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Books on Related Topics (learn more)

Tonal Harmony by Stefan Kostka

Discusses:

• diatonic system
• real modulation
• diminished triad

The Piano Handbook by Carl Humphries

Discusses:

• diatonic system
• diminished triad
• free composition

Hearing and Writing Music by Ron Gorow

Discusses:

• root tone
• diatonic system
• diminished triad

Melody in Songwriting by Jack Perricone

Discusses:

• diatonic system
• vertical coincidence
• pedal point

Early Jazz by Gunther Schuller

Discusses:

• diatonic system
• vertical coincidence
• harmonic step

Counterpoint in Composition by Felix Salzer

Discusses:

• diatonic system
• diminished triad
• lower counterpoint

Tonal Harmony by Stefan Kostka Discusses: diatonic system real modulation diminished triad The Piano Handbook by Carl Humphries Discusses: diatonic system diminished triad free composition Hearing and Writing Music by Ron Gorow Discusses: root tone diatonic system diminished triad Melody in Songwriting by Jack Perricone Discusses: diatonic system vertical coincidence pedal point Loading...

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Customer Reviews

6 Reviews 5 star:  (1) 4 star:  (4) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.0 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 3 of 3 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A bizarre yet groundbreaking mix of Music Theory and Natural/Aesthetic Philosophy!, August 5, 2006 By  Eddie Landsberg "10 years reviewing on Amazon... (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)       Read this book and find out for once and all what the big deal about a II V I progressions are. According to Schenker all art is deeply rooted in and imitative of "nature" - - though at times he admits that reconciliations with natural law are required. - - Is this true? Well a whole debate about nature vs. artifical society and the whole realm of aesthetic philosophy can arise outside this book, and one can get into a whole lot of hoo-ha that most musicians don't usually think of when we're tapping our feets to the changes. Schenker however thinks and observes a lot. Unlike most theoreticians he was anything but dry... he was actually a creative thinker writing a plea for musicians to be both *creative* and scientific... this book represents the beginings of his efforts to do so... and it is nothing less than engaging, if not provocative. Over 100 years have past since this book was written. Much of the material on a practical level has been absorbed into mainstream music theory, though in much simpler terms. What makes this book so amazing (besides being "the source") is that Schenker reveals the philosophy underlying musical ideas which we take for granted as "common sense today" (*not to give the wrong impressions, some of his ideas, of course, are debated!) - - Ironically, while much of the practical end theory is definitely modern day common sense, some of the philosophy is - - interesting to say the least, at times a majorly enlightening and different way of looking at things, at other times head scratching "wuh?" or realizing that he definitely was a product of his era. Schenker is also fascinating due to his wry sense of humor as well and ability to draw examples from the most mundane aspects of daily life to the behaviour of the notes (to back his claim that true art imitates nature.) All in all, I should warn you... today's music theory books have a tendency to "dummy down" - - Musical theoreticians may be "authoritive" but they are rarely original, and even when they are they don't like to be too profound... Schenker however is a German Philosopher with a capital "G" and "P", as a result, if you're a typical musician looking for something move along the lines of a typical "Theory Made Simple" book, move on.... this book definitely requires a lot of thinking and absorbing. In the end, if you can and are willing to deal with it, you will not walk away from the book - - if not a bit confused, definitely seeing LIFE as well as music very differently ! Now on to Schillinger... 3 of 3 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars An important work in the writings on an outstanding and important musicologist, November 14, 2005 By  Craig Matteson (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    "Schenkerian Analysis" has become a very important technique in understanding tonal music. Heinrich Schenker was an outstanding musicologist. He was born in Austria in 1868 and died there in 1935. During his career he developed several close disciples who became influential apostles of his methods and views. Probably the most influential in the United States were Oswald Jonas and Felix Salzer. This book was edited and annotated by Jonas. Schenker had some views towards the fundamental harmony and how human beings perceived it that he might have considered scientific, but that are nothing short of mystical to us. There is no doubt that his techniques of analyzing tonal music and viewing the compositions as the horizontalization of a core musical idea is compelling. However, his fundamental ideas of how music came to be are not essential to accepting his analytical methods. This is an interesting document and has caused all kinds of debate about many things. If you want to learn about Schenker and his ideas at some point you will need to come to terms with this book. It came out in 1906 so it is hardly juvenilia. There also seem to be various differences with what he came to say in later writings. However, this book is about harmony not about counterpoint - that was a later work. The book is not a theory text suitable for coursework and it has as much musical criticism as it does musical pedagogy. Still, it is eminently worth reading as a kind of poetics of harmony by an important and influential musicologist. 9 of 12 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars A different approach to music theory and composition, July 12, 1998 By A Customer For the studied musician or composer, this book offers a new approach to the way we veiw both music theory and composition. Schenker begins with a detailed description of how we perceive music based on the natural laws of overtones. He then demonstrates how the "old systems", i.e. the church modes no longer, or ever really could be consisdered as independant systems of tonality. The only valid systems are the major and the minor. The first half encompasses his broad yet clarifying theories and the second half demonstrates these theories in practical applications. The concepts of "compositional unfolding" and many others have increased my understanding and comprehension of theory as it should be.....the way Bach, Beethoven, and many of the greats perceived it before Ramaeu. This is definetly worth the time!		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 4.0 out of 5 stars Historical This book is the book that people talk about! Of course, there are reasons why people talk about it. Read more Published 17 months ago by Pawin Vongmasa 4.0 out of 5 stars Good analytic approach Indeed very interesting, enhanced with many examples from the masters' works. Schenker's analysis (scale step approach) is very helpful to correctly parse harmonic progressions. Published on August 22, 2005 by Witold Marton 3.0 out of 5 stars for the specialist only Schenker's special theories were still largely undeveloped when he wrote this. Begin with INTRODUCTION TO SCHENKERIAN ANALYSIS by Allen Forte. Read more Published on April 26, 1999 Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 359 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press (October 15, 1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226737349
• ISBN-13: 978-0226737348
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #142,553 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A bizarre yet groundbreaking mix of Music Theory and Natural/Aesthetic Philosophy!, August 5, 2006

By	Eddie Landsberg "10 years reviewing on Amazon... (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Read this book and find out for once and all what the big deal about a II V I progressions are. According to Schenker all art is deeply rooted in and imitative of "nature" - - though at times he admits that reconciliations with natural law are required. - - Is this true? Well a whole debate about nature vs. artifical society and the whole realm of aesthetic philosophy can arise outside this book, and one can get into a whole lot of hoo-ha that most musicians don't usually think of when we're tapping our feets to the changes. Schenker however thinks and observes a lot. Unlike most theoreticians he was anything but dry... he was actually a creative thinker writing a plea for musicians to be both *creative* and scientific... this book represents the beginings of his efforts to do so... and it is nothing less than engaging, if not provocative.

Over 100 years have past since this book was written. Much of the material on a practical level has been absorbed into mainstream music theory, though in much simpler terms. What makes this book so amazing (besides being "the source") is that Schenker reveals the philosophy underlying musical ideas which we take for granted as "common sense today" (*not to give the wrong impressions, some of his ideas, of course, are debated!) - - Ironically, while much of the practical end theory is definitely modern day common sense, some of the philosophy is - - interesting to say the least, at times a majorly enlightening and different way of looking at things, at other times head scratching "wuh?" or realizing that he definitely was a product of his era. Schenker is also fascinating due to his wry sense of humor as well and ability to draw examples from the most mundane aspects of daily life to the behaviour of the notes (to back his claim that true art imitates nature.)

All in all, I should warn you... today's music theory books have a tendency to "dummy down" - - Musical theoreticians may be "authoritive" but they are rarely original, and even when they are they don't like to be too profound... Schenker however is a German Philosopher with a capital "G" and "P", as a result, if you're a typical musician looking for something move along the lines of a typical "Theory Made Simple" book, move on.... this book definitely requires a lot of thinking and absorbing. In the end, if you can and are willing to deal with it, you will not walk away from the book - - if not a bit confused, definitely seeing LIFE as well as music very differently !

Now on to Schillinger...

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An important work in the writings on an outstanding and important musicologist, November 14, 2005

By	Craig Matteson (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

"Schenkerian Analysis" has become a very important technique in understanding tonal music. Heinrich Schenker was an outstanding musicologist. He was born in Austria in 1868 and died there in 1935. During his career he developed several close disciples who became influential apostles of his methods and views. Probably the most influential in the United States were Oswald Jonas and Felix Salzer. This book was edited and annotated by Jonas.

Schenker had some views towards the fundamental harmony and how human beings perceived it that he might have considered scientific, but that are nothing short of mystical to us. There is no doubt that his techniques of analyzing tonal music and viewing the compositions as the horizontalization of a core musical idea is compelling. However, his fundamental ideas of how music came to be are not essential to accepting his analytical methods.

This is an interesting document and has caused all kinds of debate about many things. If you want to learn about Schenker and his ideas at some point you will need to come to terms with this book. It came out in 1906 so it is hardly juvenilia. There also seem to be various differences with what he came to say in later writings. However, this book is about harmony not about counterpoint - that was a later work.

The book is not a theory text suitable for coursework and it has as much musical criticism as it does musical pedagogy. Still, it is eminently worth reading as a kind of poetics of harmony by an important and influential musicologist.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A different approach to music theory and composition, July 12, 1998

By A Customer

For the studied musician or composer, this book offers a new approach to the way we veiw both music theory and composition. Schenker begins with a detailed description of how we perceive music based on the natural laws of overtones. He then demonstrates how the "old systems", i.e. the church modes no longer, or ever really could be consisdered as independant systems of tonality. The only valid systems are the major and the minor. The first half encompasses his broad yet clarifying theories and the second half demonstrates these theories in practical applications. The concepts of "compositional unfolding" and many others have increased my understanding and comprehension of theory as it should be.....the way Bach, Beethoven, and many of the greats perceived it before Ramaeu. This is definetly worth the time!